Bhubaneswar, Jan 10 (IANS): The Odisha government has taken up 11,434 projects worth over Rs 6,438 crore under District Mineral Foundation (DMF) in various districts by December-end last year, said an official on Thursday.

A total of 9,044 projects are in the high-priority sectors such as drinking water, education, environment preservation, pollution control, health and sanitation, skill development and livelihood activities.

The remaining 2,378 projects are in other priority sectors such as the development of physical infrastructure, irrigation, watershed, energy and afforestation, the official said.

This was known from a high-level review committee held under the chairmanship of chief secretary Aditya Prasad Padhi here.

Reviewing the progress, Padhi directed the departments to keep a tab on the projects under DMF and tune them with the departmental projects so as to avoid any duplication and augment the outcomes for the people.

Development Commissioner Asit Kumar Tripathy asked the departments to provide necessary technical assistance to the districts for early completion of the projects and keep ready more number of projects in the priority sector.

A district-wise review of the programmes revealed that Angul, Jajpur, Jharsuguda, Keonjhar, Sundargarh, Koraput, Mayurbhanj and Rayagada are the top eight districts in the DMF fund collection and allocation.