Bhubaneswar, 02 July (H.S.): In a major policy decision, the Odisha Cabinet, chaired by Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi, approved 12 proposals across eight departments, covering education, infrastructure, fisheries, water resources, digital governance, public welfare, and disaster management. The decisions were taken during the 43rd Cabinet meeting at Lok Seva Bhawan on Wednesday evening.

The Cabinet's landmark decision was the approval of 'Gyanodaya–Shiksharu Samruddhi', a flagship initiative that fulfills the government's commitment to providing free education from Kindergarten (KG) to Postgraduate (PG) level. The scheme extends complete admission fee waivers to eligible students studying in government and government-aided institutions, ensuring that financial hardship does not prevent deserving students from pursuing education.

Announcing the decision, Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi described it as a historic step towards building an empowered society through education. He said the government was committed to ensuring that no deserving student is deprived of education because of economic constraints and that the Cabinet decision transformed its promise of free education from KG to PG into reality.

While education from Kindergarten to Class VIII has already been free in Odisha, the newly approved scheme extends financial assistance to students pursuing education beyond the elementary level. Beginning with the 2026-27 academic session, eligible students enrolled in regular courses in government and government-aided institutions will receive a complete waiver of admission fees.

The scheme will benefit students studying in Classes IX to XII in government and government-aided schools, undergraduate students enrolled in government colleges, government-aided colleges and State Public Universities, as well as postgraduate students pursuing regular courses in eligible government institutions. The government expects the initiative to improve enrolment, reduce school and college dropout rates, strengthen student retention and encourage higher education among economically weaker sections.

According to government estimates, more than 3.2 million students will benefit annually from the programme. The Cabinet approved an expenditure of Rs 895.57 crore for the first year, with a total projected outlay of Rs 5,467.55 crore over five years, making it one of Odisha's largest investments in the education sector. Officials said the scheme would significantly reduce education-related expenses for economically weaker and socially disadvantaged families while strengthening human capital development and supporting the objectives of the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, Odisha Vision 2036 and Odisha Vision 2047.

The benefits will be available only to students enrolled in regular academic programmes offered by government and government-aided institutions, including Government High Schools, Government Higher Secondary Schools, Government-aided Schools, State Public Universities, Government Colleges and Government-aided Colleges. However, self-financing courses, private unaided institutions, Public-Private Partnership (PPP) institutions, and professional and technical courses have been excluded because of their distinct funding structures.

In another major welfare decision, the Cabinet approved the expansion of the Mukhyamantri Poshan Yojana (MMPY) by extending free mid-day meals to students of Classes IX and X studying in government and government-aided secondary schools. Launched on April 1, 2025, the programme aims to improve adolescent nutrition, enhance classroom attendance and learning outcomes, and reduce school dropout rates.

The expanded nutrition programme is expected to benefit around 5.74 million students during the period from 2025 to 2030. The government has approved an estimated expenditure of Rs 4,224.46 crore for its implementation. During the current financial year (2025-26), the State has already spent Rs 665.36 crore to provide nutritious meals to more than 1.12 million students across 8,962 schools. The Cabinet also granted ex-post-facto approval for the expenditure already incurred and sanctioned an additional Rs 3,506.99 crore for the programme over the next four years. Officials believe that improved nutrition among adolescents will directly contribute to better educational outcomes and overall student well-being.

The Cabinet also approved a major infrastructure project worth Rs 949.35 crore for the comprehensive upgradation of the Jaydev Vihar-Nandankanan corridor in Bhubaneswar. The project will transform the 9.5-kilometre stretch between Kalinga Stadium Gate No. 4 and Raghunathpur Bridge into a modern eight-lane urban arterial road aimed at reducing traffic congestion and improving connectivity between Bhubaneswar and Cuttack.

The upgraded corridor will include an eight-lane main carriageway, service roads, flyovers, underpasses, pedestrian subways, improved drainage systems and dedicated pedestrian infrastructure. Flyovers are planned at Jaydev Vihar, Kalinga Hospital Square, Damana Square and KIIT Square to eliminate major traffic bottlenecks. The project also incorporates transit-oriented development, parking facilities, commercial spaces around key intersections, road safety measures and urban beautification, making it a key component of Bhubaneswar's long-term urban development strategy.

Another major approval was the launch of the Odisha Deep Sea Fishing Mission (2026-2036) with a total investment of Rs 2,295.45 crore. The ten-year mission aims to modernise the marine fisheries sector through advanced deep-sea fishing vessels, modern navigation systems and improved marine technology. The programme will be financed through State Government support, Central Government schemes, Public-Private Partnerships, institutional finance and beneficiary contributions.

Officials expect the mission to generate more than 50,000 direct and indirect employment opportunities in fishing, seafood processing, logistics, exports, marine infrastructure and allied industries. The mission also provides for the expansion of fishing harbours, fish landing centres, seafood parks, processing facilities, integrated cold-chain infrastructure and export-oriented logistics. By 2036, the government aims to significantly increase marine fish production, boost seafood exports and establish Odisha as a leading marine export hub in eastern India.

To strengthen digital governance, the Cabinet approved the establishment of the Odisha State Data Centre (OSDC) 2.0 at an estimated cost of Rs 268.44 crore, including operation and maintenance for five years. The existing State Data Centre, operational since 2011, currently hosts more than 600 government applications across 39 departments. The new Tier-III compliant data centre will provide secure, scalable and state-owned digital infrastructure to support Odisha's expanding e-governance ecosystem. It will facilitate migration of existing government applications, strengthen cybersecurity, establish a robust disaster recovery mechanism and adopt energy-efficient technologies. Officials said the upgraded facility would significantly improve the reliability, resilience and scalability of government digital services while ensuring uninterrupted delivery of citizen-centric programmes.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Monalisa Panda