Bhubaneswar: The first meeting of the High-Powered Committee on Rural Infrastructure Development Fund (RIDF) for the financial year 2026-27 was held today at the conference room of Lok Seva Bhavan under the chairmanship of State Development Commissioner and Additional Chief Secretary Deoranjan Kumar Singh.
Principal Secretary, Finance Department Sanjiv Kumar Mishra, Principal Secretary, Urban Development Department Sanjay Kumar Singh, Commissioner, Panchayati Raj and Drinking Water Department S. N. Girish, Commissioner-cum-Secretary, MSME Department Rashmita Panda, Commissioner-cum-Administrative Secretary, Rural Development Department Yamini Sarangi, Commissioner-cum-Secretary, Agriculture and Farmers Empowerment Department Sachin Ramachandra Yadav, Commissioner-cum-Secretary, Fisheries and Animal Resources Development Department Prem Chandra Chaudhary, Chief General Manager, NABARD, Vinod Arya and senior officials of various departments of the state government attended the meeting.
Considering the state’s continuous excellent performance, the committee requested the Government of India to sanction more projects under RIDF for Odisha in the current financial year 2026-27. The departments implementing RIDF projects have been advised to expedite the execution of works and submit cost recovery claims within the stipulated time frame. They have also been asked to submit the claims immediately after the expenditure is incurred to ensure timely disbursement of RIDF funds.
The High Power Implementation Committee discussed priority areas under RIDF and emphasized the need to give more focus on eligible activities under the fund. The committee approved funding for new projects for the financial year 2026-27 under RIDF.
The approved areas include irrigation, flood control, roads and bridges, fisheries and godowns.
It also approved projects under the Fisheries and Aquatic Infrastructure Development Fund under the Fisheries and Animal Resources Development Department. The committee further reviewed the progress of work under the Minor Irrigation Fund and the Fisheries and Aquatic Infrastructure Development Fund.
