Odisha Cabinet Approves Free Wi-Fi for Students and Scraps Exam Limit

The Odisha Cabinet has sanctioned a ₹393.62 crore free Wi-Fi scheme for students, removed the Odisha Civil Services exam attempt limit, and set a rice procurement target of 53 LMT, alongside various irrigation and administrative upgrades.

Odisha Cabinet Approves Major Education and Governance Reforms

The Odisha Cabinet approved a series of significant proposals, including a ₹393.62 crore scheme to provide free Wi-Fi to students in 601 government and aided colleges, removal of the attempt limit for eligible candidates appearing in the Odisha Civil Services (OCS) Examination and a procurement target of 53 lakh metric tonnes (LMT) of rice for the Kharif Marketing Season (KMS) 2026-27. According to a post shared by the Chief Minister's Office (CMO), the Cabinet cleared several proposals aimed at strengthening governance, expanding opportunities, improving public services and accelerating the state's development.

Education and Recruitment Initiatives

Under the Odisha Shikshanet scheme, the government will provide free Wi-Fi connectivity and up to 1 GB of daily data to students across 601 government and aided colleges. The scheme has been approved with an outlay of ₹393.62 crore. The Cabinet also approved the removal of the limit on the number of attempts for eligible candidates appearing in the Odisha Civil Services Examination, providing them with greater opportunities to compete for state civil services. In another decision concerning recruitment, amendments were approved to facilitate the direct recruitment of 19 Assistant Town Planners through the Odisha Public Service Commission (OPSC), with revised age and educational criteria. The Cabinet further approved restructuring of the Panchayat Executive Officers cadre, creating a restructured cadre of 3,294 posts. The move is aimed at providing enhanced career progression opportunities and strengthening grassroots administration.

Livestock and Infrastructure Development

In the livestock sector, the Odisha Bovine Breeding (Regulation) Bill, 2026, was approved to establish a regulatory framework for scientific breeding, quality assurance and traceability of breeding services, with a focus on improving livestock productivity.

On irrigation and water management, the Cabinet approved seven mega lift irrigation schemes in Nuapada district with an execution cost of ₹268.22 crore. The projects are expected to create irrigation potential across 8,800 hectares covering 59 villages. It also approved an in-stream storage project near Patharla village in Balangir district at an estimated cost of ₹99.99 crore. The project is intended to ensure water supply to 12 villages and support local livelihoods. Additionally, the Kursud In-stream Storage Project on the Indra River in Balangir district was approved at a cost of ₹81.36 crore. It is expected to benefit 17 drought-prone villages across Titilagarh and Bangomunda blocks.

Agricultural Procurement Policy

The Cabinet also approved the Food and Paddy Procurement Policy for KMS 2026-27, setting a procurement target of 53 LMT of rice, equivalent to approximately 78 LMT of paddy. Under the policy, farmers will receive ₹3,100 per quintal, including the Minimum Support Price (MSP) and input assistance. The decisions cover education, public administration, recruitment, livestock development, irrigation and agricultural procurement, according to the CMO Odisha post.

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