Bhubaneswar: With an aim to ensure holistic development of all categories of people in Southern Odisha, the Odisha Government has formed a Task Force for constitution of the Southern Odisha Development Council. This was informed by Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi in the Odisha Legislative Assembly today.

The Task Force has been assigned to formulate the framework for the Southern Odisha Development Council. It will provide suggestions on which blocks and districts will come under the ambit of the council, the Chief Minister informed.

The Government directed the Task Force to submit a report within 30 days of its formation.

The Tasks Force led by the Social Security and Empowerment of Persons With Disabilities Department’s Minister Nityananda Gond has nine members and three ex-officio members.

Commerce and Transport, and Steel and Mines Minister Bibhuti Bhusan Jena, Fisheries and Animal Resources Development Minister  Gokulananda Mallik, Nabarangpur MP Balabhadra Majhi, Digapahandi MP Siddhant Mohapatra, Malkangiri MP Narasingh Madkami, Paralakhemundi MP Rupesh Kumar Panigrahi, Phulbani MP Umacharana Mallik, Pottangi MP Ramachandra Madkami are the members of the Task Force.

The RDC (Southern Division), RDC (Central Division) and Chief Executive Officer of the Western Odisha Development Council are the ex-officio members. The Special Secretary of the Planning and Coordination Department has been selected as the Member Convener.