BHUBANESWAR: The State Government on Tuesday decided to incorporate International Ship and Port Facility Security (ISPS) code in the provision of the State Maritime Board. This was decided at the Cabinet meeting presided over by Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik here. “While ISPS is implemented in all ports across the world, it has not been in the State Maritime Board. Therefore, the Cabinet approved a proposal in this regard,” Chief Secretary BK Patnaik said. Stating that ISPS was essential from security point of view, Naveen said that the provision was there in the Merchant Shipping Board, 1958. The Central Government had suggested incorporating the ISPS in the State Maritime Board, he said. Besides, the Cabinet also approved another proposal to disqualify any member of the State Maritime Board if she or he failed to attend three consecutive meetings. Earlier provision was to disqualify a member if he or she did not attend meeting for six consecutive times. Another suggestion of the Centre to make chairman of the Paradip Port Trust (PPT) a member of the Board was also accepted by the Cabinet. The Cabinet also approved another proposal to amend the Local Audit Fund Act as per the suggestion of the Thirteenth Finance Commission (TFC). Though the TFC had recommended ` 3,500 crore for urban local bodies (ULBs) and panchayati raj institutions, the State has to make certain amendments to avail of ` 1,250 crore as performance grant, said Finance Secretary JK Mohapatra. According to the reforms, accounts of ULBs and panchayat raj institutions would be audited with technical guidance and support of CAG and their reports tabled in the Assembly. A decision was also taken to amend the Orissa Mohammedan Marriages and Registration Act, 1949. As per the Act, each area now has two persons, one each from ‘Ahia’ and ‘Sunni’, for registration purposes. A decision was taken to increase the numbers to two each from ‘Shia’ and ‘Sunni’ sects. At present there are 26 persons for 26 areas for registration of marriage and divorce purposes. The Cooperative Societies Act will also be amended. The concept of deemed member in the cooperative societies will be done away with and electoral colleges will be introduced. Besides, reservation of Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and socially and economically backward classes (SEBCs) in cooperative societies will not be fixed but proportionate to their population. The tenure of the societies will be five years instead of four at present. The restructuring of the Cooperative Department was also approved by the Cabinet.
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