Kotak contributes Rs 5 cr for Fani relief

Surjit Kumar Dhal, Bhubaneswar, June 25: Kotak Mahindra Bank (Kotak) Monday announced that as a part of its Corporate Social Responsibility agenda, it is implementing a programme under which disaster management activities (including relief, rehabilitation and reconstruction) will be undertaken in the affected areas of the State of Odisha (CSR Programme).

The CSR programme on “Relief and Rehabilitation”shall be implemented in partnership withtheOdisha State Disaster Management Authority (OSDMA) for the people of Odisha, who have been severely affected by the tropical cyclone Fani that hit the State on 3rd May, 2019.

Under Kotak’sCSR Programme, Kotak shall beproviding an amount of Rs. 5 Crore to OSDMA, as funding of the implementation of the CSR Programme,in the cyclone Fani-affected regions of the State.

Managing Director & CEO Kotak Mahindra Bank Uday Kotak said, “Our thoughts and prayers go out to the people of Odisha who have been adversely affected by this disaster and for those who are relentlessly working to help, restore and rehabilitate the needy. As part of our Corporate Social Responsibility agenda, we look forward to jointly work with OSDMA to implement disaster management activities (including relief, rehabilitation and reconstruction) will be undertaken in Odisha State.”

Odisha Govt inks pact with GIZ India for sustainable urban development

Bhubaneswar, June 25: Housing and Urban Development Minister Pratap Jena Monday said that implementation of sustainable urban development through Smart Cities, Climate Smart Cities and ICT Adoption for Climate Change in Cities will immensely benefit Smart City Bhubaneswar.

Speaking at a ceremony where State Government and GIZ India signed a “Note of Technical Cooperation” for the these projects here Jena said that implementation of these projects will benefit the Smart City immensely in the sector of developing urban poor housing, urban basic infrastructure and climate resilient action plan, focusing on Urban flooding, cyclone resistance solutions, reduction of vehicle pollution etc.

Special Secretary Urban Development Prem Kumar Jha signed the NoTC on behalf of the State Government while Tanaja Feldmann signed the agreement on behalf of GIZ India.

Notably, the State Government is implementing three projects- Sustainable Urban Development-Smart Cities (SUD-SC). Climate Smart Cities (CSC) and ICT Adaptation for Climate Change in Cities (ICT-A) in partnership with GIZ (German Development Agency) and Union Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoH&UA).

These projects aims to improve the   process  of planning  and  implementing  sustainable  and integrated urban development solutions, to develop programmes and policies for climate resilient urban systems, and to develop ICT based solutions for ease of governance.

According to sources, these projects will be developed and apply concepts for sustainable urban development regarding the provisioning of urban basic services and housing in three selected smart cities– Bhubaneswar (Odisha), Kochi (Kerala) and Coimbatore (Tamil Nadu).

The German contribution for all three projects combined is 16.4 million EUR (INR 127 Crores approximately), and the projects are expected to run until December 2021, said officials.

The officials said these projects aim to support mission JAAGA & BASUDHA in capacity building of various stakeholders within December 2019.

Furthermore, one of the projects aims to develop ICT-based tool for adaptation to urban flooding scenario in Bhubaneswar by Jan 2020.

All the projects will be implemented by Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation. Bhubaneswar Smart City Limited.

Director GIZ Tanja Feldmann said on the occasion that India and Germany have been long-associated in development cooperation for 60 years and has shared an exceptional kinship.

“The collaboration has proved to be feasible and significant, mainly because Germany’s strengths lie exactly in the core areas, wherein the Indian Government intends to achieve major development progress,” she said.

Through this partnership, GIZ will support the State government in developing integrated, sustainable, and climate resilient urban solutions for all people residing in state of Odisha, she said adding, the projects would also support Bhubaneswar in becoming a Smart City.

Feldmann further said that the first activity under this collaboration would support the state government with various state led missions and programmes, that are already getting implemented in the cities. Further the solution will be up-scaled to two more cities in Odisha.

Surath Chandra Mallick, Additional Commissioner BMC, Saroj Kumar Swain, General Manager, Bhubaneswar Smart City Limited were also signatories to the NoTC.

Union Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs is extending all out support for these programs.