The Odisha government has announced an increase in the social security pension for senior citizens aged 80 and older, as well as individuals with disabilities exceeding 80%. The cabinet, led by Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi, approved this enhancement during a meeting on Friday, with the new amount set to take effect from January of this year.
Chief Secretary Manoj Ahuja provided updates to the media regarding the cabinet’s resolutions, stating that the monthly pension for these groups will rise from ₹1,200 to ₹3,500.
Additionally, the government will roll out the Pradhan Mantri Surya Ghar: Muft Bijili Yojana, aiming to benefit 300,000 households across the state. This initiative includes providing state financial assistance for the installation of rooftop solar panels, which is expected to be completed by March 2027. The state government will contribute a subsidy of ₹25,000 on top of the ₹30,000 subsidy offered by the central government for the installation of 1 kilowatt (KW) rooftop solar panels.
Furthermore, the cabinet has resolved to include all eligible women in its flagship Subhadra Yojana until March 31, 2025. Women who apply by the deadline and meet the eligibility criteria will receive ₹10,000 to cover the first two instalments for the year 2024.
In a related development, the state government has allocated ₹847.14 crore for a five-year period under the Mukhyamantri Krushi Udyog Yojana (MKUY), initiated in June 2018 to promote agricultural entrepreneurship and create job opportunities.
The cabinet has also decided to provide a government guarantee of ₹17,500 crore to the Odisha State Civil Supplies Corporation (OSCSC) for the next five years, waiving the guarantee commission of ₹437.5 crore owed by the corporation.
In another significant amendment, the administration of minor minerals will transition from the Revenue and Disaster Management Department to the Steel and Mines Department, following proposed changes to the Rules of Business.
Lastly, the cabinet has approved the restructuring of the Odisha Statistics and Economics Service cadre, along with the Odisha Subordinate Statistics and Economics Service cadre, and it has repealed the Employment of Manual Scavengers and Construction of Dry Latrines (Prohibition) Act of 1993.
