BHUBANESWAR: With an aim to provide better ambience to the patients and their attendants at the public health facilities, the state cabinet on Wednesday approved a proposal to revise the Nirmal scheme that aims to strengthen ancillary services at public health facilities.
The revised scheme will be implemented for a period of five years with an investment of Rs 1998 crore including the already approved Rs 550 crore in 2018-19. As many as 1864 health institutions including apex centres will be covered. The scheme aims at maintaining cleanliness, hygiene and sanitation in public health facilities.
“The Nirmal scheme was initially launched in 2018-19 with a budgetary support of 550 crore for a period of five years at healthcare centres up to district headquarters hospital level. Based on the success of the first phase, it has been decided to expand the scheme to medical colleges and hospitals, Ayush colleges and hospitals and nursing schools and colleges,” said chief secretary Asit Tripathy.
Of the total budget estimate, around Rs 1874 crore will be met under the state budget while 123 crore will be met under National Health Mission.
The cabinet also approved a proposal that the State Health Assurance Society (SHAS) to deal with claims raised by private-empanelled hospitals for treating patients under Biju Krushak Kalyan Yojana (BKKY) and Odisha State Treatment Fund (OSTF), which together known as Biju Swasthya Kalyan Yojana since August 2018. Around 70 lakh families have covered under the BKKY and OSTF.
State health secretary will be the chairman of the SHAS while mission director, National Health Mission will be the chief executive officer of the society.
Among others, the cabinet also approved a series of proposals to keep up the industrialization momentum of the state. It approved amendment to the relevant portion of Industrial Policy Resolution- 2007 and 2015. Accordingly, incentives related to VAT, entry tax and entertainment tax are substituted by state GST incentive.
“The move will benefit around 300 industries in the state including micro, small and medium enterprises and large industries,” said the chief secretary.
To create a business-friendly atmosphere and to encourage the industries to employ more workers in a hassle-free manner, the cabinet cleared the Contract Labour (Regulation and Abolition) Act, 1970. As a result, the establishments and contractors employing less than 50 contract labourers will not be required to obtain registration certificate or license.
As per the amendment of the Factories Act, 1948, the state government can exempt applicability of certain sections of the law up to 1000 days to new factories, which start commercial production within the period of 1000 days from the date of amendment.
Several other amendments like increasing overtime limit, allowing women in night shifts, reduction of number of days for allowing a worker leave and introduction of concept of compounding petty offences, which were approved by cabinet on May 29, incorporated in the amended act.
Among others, the state cabinet approved amendment to the Odisha Municipal Act, 1950 and section 137 of the Odisha Municipal corporation Act, 2003 to earmark 25 per cent of capital expenditure in the annual budget to provide basic services and infrastructure to slums in 114 urban local bodies. The cabinet also allowed to do away with many redundant provisions in municipal laws.
Under 5T initiative, the state government simplified issuance of trade license by various urban local bodies. Provisional trade license will be issued on the same day of submission of relevant documents. The trade license will now be issued five years.
A proposal regarding remission of stamp duty and registration fees for transfer of government land in favour of the displaced persons in the resettlement colony at Mangalahat in Puri got cabinet nod. People displaced for the heritage security corridor project around the Puri Jagannath Temple will be resettled in the colony.