Odisha Cabinet approves ₹4,708 crore pumped storage project

According to a report by the Hindustan Times, the Odisha Cabinet on Monday approved a total of 13 proposals, including a 600 MW pumped storage project worth ₹4,708 crore. These significant decisions were taken at a cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi. Chief Secretary Anu Garg informed reporters that the cabinet has approved the 600 MW Upper Indravati Pumped Storage Project at Ranibahal in Kalahandi district.

The state government will spend a total of ₹4,708.64 crore on this project, which includes ₹3,371.88 crore solely for the construction of the project. According to Chief Secretary Anu Garg, this is the first project of its kind in the state and is targeted to be operational by the financial year 2030-31. Megha Engineering and Infrastructures Limited has been selected as the project developer for this project.

Officials stated that this 600 MW plant will generate approximately 1,040 million units of peak electricity annually. This project will act as a grid-scale energy storage system, absorbing excess electricity during off-peak hours and generating power during periods of high electricity demand.

Additionally, the cabinet has also approved three proposals worth ₹450 crore related to in-stream storage projects and mega lift irrigation units of the Water Resources Department. In another decision, a proposal to amend the Odisha Civil Services Rules, 1991, of the General Administration and Public Grievance Department was approved. The Chief Secretary stated that through this major change, all restrictions on the number of attempts for the Odisha Civil Services examination have been removed. Now, candidates will be able to take the exam until the prescribed upper age limit.

The cabinet has also approved the Odisha Shiksha Net project at a cost of ₹393.62 crore, through which free campus Wi-Fi with a limit of 1 GB per day will be provided in 601 colleges, benefiting approximately 6 lakh students. Apart from this, the paddy procurement policy for the Kharif Marketing Season 2026-27 has also been approved. The government will procure at least 78 lakh metric tonnes of paddy from farmers at a price of ₹3,100 per quintal, and this amount will be transferred directly to their bank accounts within 24 to 48 hours.

The government has also approved a proposal to extend the tenure of approximately 5,000 private fair price shop dealers by one year, extending it until September 30, 2027.