CABINET DECISIONS   

31.07.2004

  1.                Proposal to amend the Orissa Cooperative Societies Act, 1962 (Orissa Act 2 of 1963).  Approved.

                    The Cabinet approved the proposal to amend the Orissa Co-operative Societies Act for enacting the legislation in the O.L.A. with a view to empower the Managing Committee of the Cooperative Societies to create posts and make service conditions, fixation and revision of pay of it’s employees and to appoint Chief Executives with the approval of the Registrar, who has also been allowed to determine the qualification, remuneration, recruitment procedure and other conditions of service of the employees of the societies and to create Common Cadre of the employees of the Cooperative Societies, to allow the Cooperative Societies to admit Self Help Groups as nominal members, for reservation of seats in the Managing Committee of the Cooperative Societies other than LAMPCS in the revised manner in favor of S.C., S.T., OBC and Women to allow all categories of Members to contest the election for the unreserved seats in consonance with the provisions of Representation of People Act, 1951.

  2.                Reconstitution of Cabinet Committee on Disinvestments (C.C.D.). Approved.

                     It became necessary to re-constitute the Cabinet Committee on Disinvestment (CCD) in view of formation of new Government after General Election to the State Legislative Assembly in April, 2004. Accordingly the said Committee has been reconstituted as follows :

  1.      Chief Minister                                       ....      Chairman

   2.      Minister,                                              ....      Member

            Rural Development, Industries and Law.  

  3.      Minister,                                              .....     Member

            Urban Development and   Public Enterprises

  4.      Minister,                                              .....     Member

           Finance

   5.      Minister,                                              .....     Member

           Steel & Mines and  Parliamentary Affairs

         The Minister in charge of the concerned Public/Co-operative Enterprise will attend the meetings of the CCD as Special Invitee.

         The Cabinet has accorded post-facto approval to the re-constitution of Cabinet Committee on Disinvestments (CCD).

3.                Appointment of Advocate General. Approved.

                  Consequent upon the change of the Government Shri Shovesh Ch. Roy, Advocate General for the State has tendered his resignation on 16.05.2004 in keeping with the healthy traditions. The Governor of Orissa accepted the resignation of former Advocate General vide order dated 2.6.2004 and has approved the proposal of Chief Minister for appointment of Shri Bijoy Krushna Mohanty as the Advocate General vide order dated 2.6.2004 in anticipation of Cabinet approval. Shri Mohanty has joined as such on 7.6.2004.

             The Cabinet has accorded post-facto approval to the appointment of Shri Bijoy Krushna Mohanty as the Advocate General of the State

  4.            Incorporation of the subject matter “Pani Panchayat” in the list of business of Water Resources Department.  Approved.

                   With a view to promote development and maintenance of irrigation infrastructure through farmers’ participation and to ensure efficient and equitable distribution of water for improvement of agriculture production, the Orissa Pani Panchyat Act, 2003 and Rules 2003 have been enacted and administered by Water Resources Department. But the subject matter “Pani Panchayat” has not been incorporated in the list of Business of Water Resources Department.

               The General Administration Deptt. has placed the proposal before the Cabinet to formalise the above arrangement by incorporating the subject matter “Pani Panchayat” in the list of Business of Water Resources Department through amendment of Government Rules of Business. The Cabinet gave its nod to the above proposal.

  5.                Proposal for amendment of the Orissa Grama Panchayat Act, 1964 (Orissa Act 1 of 1965).  Approved.

                    Grama Panchayats are the basic units of democracy. In the context of devolution of powers and functions upon the Grama Panchayats in the State, many important functions have been transferred to the Grama Panchayats.

                 In keeping with high tradition of democracy, it has been decided by the Cabinet to withdraw the power of Collector to suspend Sarapanch and Naib Sarapanch and to vest the same power with the Government. Accordingly it is proposed to amend section 115 of the O.G.P. Act, 1964. The Cabinet also took a decision to appoint Village Level Workers and Village Agriculture Workers as Executive Officers of Grama Panchayats so that there will be no additional financial burden for providing Executive Officer to Grama Panchayats.

                 Presently there is no provision in the Orissa Grama Panchayat Act, 1964 for appointment of Executive Officer. Therefore, section 122 and 123 of Orissa Grama Panchayat Act are required to be amended suitably providing appointment of Executive Officers in the Grama Panchayats. The existing Grama Panchayat Secretaries will continue as such.