In an exclusive conversation with APAC News Network and CXO News, Partha Sarathi Mishra, Director Cum Additional Secretary, Public Enterprises Department, Government Of Odisha highlights the key measures undertaken and how technology is being leveraged.
What are the major projects of the Odisha Public Enterprises Department that you would like to highlight?.
Public Enterprises have played an important and game changing role in achieving the objective of economic growth with social justice in India .The Govt of Odisha, in order to keep an organic pace with this objective, has set up Public Enterprises in different sectors with focussed mandate to harness local resources of the State and there by bringing a paradigm shift in economic growth of the State . They have been contributing in augmenting the industrial ,agricultural ,commercial and social ecosystem of the State in a very significant manner.
The 37 working PSUs of the State have generated huge employment opportunities as well as brought about many developmental activities in the state . The Govt has provided (PSU wise) infrastructural support , innovative ideas , technological upgradation and financial and human resources management for the smooth functioning of the state PSUs . The core stategic areas of the State like Mining , Energy , Tourism , Forest have been given priorities.
In January 2025 , Odisha is going to host two International events in Bhubaneswar ; 18th Pravasi Bharatiya Divas convention and Utkarsh Odisha ( Make in Odisha III) convention where all the major MNCs & TNCs of the World will congregate and State Public Enterprises have been exclusively assigned to make it successful and impactful by show-casing the vision , mandate , road map and action plan of Odisha in different sectors so that Odisha can play a major role for achieving Vikashit Bharat mission in 2047.
What are the measures being undertaken to make the state PSUs more profitable?
The Govt of Odisha initiated Public Enterprises Reforms with technical and financial assistance from DFID,UK. A ” White Paper ” on Public Enterprises was presented before the Legislative Assembly with the prospects and problems of the State PSUs with many positive and concrete recommendations.
Accordingly , many steps have been taken to make the PSUs profitable . Some of them are :
- Odisha State Renewal Fund Society has been constituted for assisting the DPEs in planning
- ,implementing and monitoring the State psu reform programmes.
- Corporate Governance Manual: An advisory to all PSUs to follow the Companies Act and
- directives of the Ministry of Corporate Affairs with all recent amendments .
- MoU between Public Enterprises Dept with all the State PSUs annually is made compulsory to review their functioning.
- AG Audit review by the State Govt has been made mandatory every year.
How does the Social Safety Net Program that rehabilitates displaced employees of PSUs?
The VRS and VSS have been introduced by the Public Enterprises while right sizing the Human Resources . A program of giving Skilled training has been provisioned for displaced employees have been done. All Social Security schemes have been availed by the employees of the PSUs.
How is the Public Enterprises Department coordinating with other departments like Industry, Commerce, Finance among others?
The Public Enterprises Dept has been declared the nodal Dept for creating ,managing , controlling the State PSUs .The respective Dept of the PSUs have been coordinated in every month though a inter PSU coordination Committee. A Public Sector Selection Board has been constituted for recruitment right sizing and other related issues of the PSUs. The expenditure under Corporate Social Responsibility have been strictly implemented as prescribed by the Ministry of Corporate Affairs, Govt of India.
How is the Public Enterprises Department leveraging technology in its functioning?
Keeping an organic pace with the change of time and technology , Public Enterprises Dept have been initiated Digitalization , Technological upgradation , ERP solutions , adopting new and innovative practices in the State PSUs to augment the their functioning .
Rupa Singh & Rajneesh De, APAC News Network
