Odisha Cabinet Clears Free Wi-Fi for 6 Lakh Students, New Paddy Policy and Water Projects
Bhubaneswar, Nov 9: The Odisha Cabinet, chaired by Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi, has approved 13 important proposals spanning 10 departments, focusing on education, agriculture, food security and water resource management.
A major highlight of the Cabinet meeting was the approval of the ‘Odisha Shikshanet’ Scheme, which aims to provide free high-speed Wi-Fi connectivity to students and faculty across government and aided higher educational institutions in the state.
The scheme has been approved with a financial outlay of ₹393.62 crore over three years and will cover 601 colleges and universities, benefiting more than six lakh students and teachers.
Authenticated users will receive 1 GB of free internet data per day within campus premises.
In a significant boost for the farming community, the Cabinet also approved the Kharif Marketing Season 2026-27 Paddy Procurement Policy.
Under the policy, farmers will receive ₹3,100 per quintal, including Minimum Support Price (MSP) and input assistance.
The state has targeted the procurement of approximately 78 lakh metric tonnes of paddy, equivalent to 53 lakh metric tonnes of rice.
Payments will be directly credited to Aadhaar-linked bank accounts within 24 to 48 hours.
The procurement system will leverage technology-driven measures such as satellite imagery, Aadhaar e-KYC and Digital Crop Survey data to enhance transparency and efficiency.
Sharecroppers will also be able to participate through a dedicated registration process. Procurement operations will continue until March 31, 2027.
The Cabinet further extended the deadline for replacing private Fair Price Shop dealers with institutional dealers under the Public Distribution System (PDS) from September 30, 2026, to September 30, 2027.
The decision is expected to ensure uninterrupted services through Odisha’s extensive network of Fair Price Shops.
Strengthening water infrastructure in western Odisha, the Cabinet approved a ₹100 crore in-stream storage project on the Indra/Sundar River near Patharla village in Balangir district.
The project is expected to improve drinking water availability, support groundwater recharge and benefit local agriculture, livestock and fisheries sectors.
The Cabinet decisions underscore the state government’s emphasis on digital education, farmer welfare, food security and sustainable water management, benefiting lakhs of citizens across Odisha.
