The government today approved a 761 crore rupees road project in Odisha under its flagship National Highways Development Project. The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs, CCEA, has given its approval for four-laning of Jharpokharia-Baripada-Baleshwar section of NH-5 in the state.An official statement said, the project will expedite improvement of infrastructure in Odisha and reduce the time and cost of travel on the Jharpokharia-Baripada-Baleshwar route. The CCEA has also given its nod to continuation of reservation quota for Indian Telephone Industries, ITI, in procurement and network rollout orders of turn-key projects of BSNL and MTNL. This will enable ITI to survive in the competitive environment of telecom manufacturing. As per CCEA decision, the public sector telecom companies BSNL and MTNL will continue to give 30 percent of procurement orders and 20 per cent of network rollout to ITI. Extention of reservation quota benefit to ITI will be for a period of one year from 21st September last year.CCEA also approved extension of the Special Package of Industrial Incentive for Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand from 7th of this month to 31st March, 2017. The scheme is aimed at creating an enabling growth and industrialization of these States and generation of more employment. Subsidy would be available to all new and existing units on substantial expansion located in notified areas as well as to thrust industries for units located anywhere in these States.Welcoming the CCEA's decision, Commerce and Industry Minister Anand Sharma said, it will give a fillip to manufacturing and the Small and Medium Enterprises in the two States.