Odisha Cabinet approves ESI amendment, model schools, and Ghatagaon Temple Project

Bhubaneswar (Odisha) [India], September 29 (ANI): The Odisha Cabinet has approved a proposal to amend the Employees' State Insurance Act of 1948, designated as the 63rd Amendment, to facilitate its implementation in the state of Odisha.
The amendment will cover shops and commercial establishments with 20 or more employees. It also mandates the display of signboards in Odia, ensures overtime wages for work beyond duty hours, and permits women employees to work at night with written consent, subject to government safety measures.
In a bid to strengthen primary education, the Cabinet approved the "Godabarish Mishra Adarsha Prathamik Vidyalaya" scheme.
Under this plan, every panchayat will have at least one model primary school to fulfil the objectives of the Right to Education Act, 2009. In the first phase, 2,200 schools will be constructed over three years at a cost of Rs 1,200 crore, with each school receiving an allocation of over Rs 5 crore.
The remaining schools will be developed in subsequent phases across all panchayats.
The Cabinet also cleared the Detailed Project Report (DPR) for the comprehensive development of the famous Ghatagaon Tarini Temple in Keonjhar. The project, spread across 69 acres, has an estimated cost of Rs 226 crore.
The plan includes a 246-room pilgrims' accommodation facility, a coconut storage house, and a 500-seat multipurpose hall to improve infrastructure for devotees.
Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi said the decisions taken in the Cabinet will play a crucial role in boosting labour welfare, strengthening grassroots education, and enhancing facilities at one of Odisha's most revered shrines.
On Thursday, Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi participated in a cleanliness drive at the Lingaraj Temple as part of the 'Swachhotsav, Swachhata Hi Seva' campaign.
He was joined by Housing and Urban Development Minister Krushna Chandra Mohapatra, Bhubaneswar Mayor Sulochana Das, and senior party leaders during the initiative.
In addition, CM Majhi planted a sapling at the temple premises under the 'Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam' campaign, emphasising environmental conservation and cleanliness.
The 'Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam' campaign was launched by PM Modi on World Environment Day, June 5, 2024, with the planting of a Peepal tree at Buddha Jayanti Park in Delhi. The initiative combines environmental responsibility with a tribute to mothers.
PM Modi emphasised the importance of collective efforts to improve the environment and spoke of India's strides in increasing forest cover over the past decade, noting that the campaign aligns with the nation's pursuit of sustainable development. (ANI)