Page 7 - Odisha

Odisha govt disburses Rs 43 crore to poor dependent on Kendu leaves

The Odisha government on Sunday disbursed assistance to the tune of Rs 43 crore to kendu leaf pluckers, binders and seasonal employees. Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Saturday wrote to Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, urging the Centre to withdraw 18 per cent GST on kendu leaf trade as it is linked to the livelihood of poor people. The money was given out at a function as part of the state government's special package for the poor people engaged in kendu leaf trade. As a part of the package, Rs 1,000 was given to each kendu leaf plucker, and Rs 1,500 to each seasonal staff and binders in the first phase as an interim measure, an official statement said. Kendu leaf is used to wrap bidis, and is one of the significant forest produce on which about 8 lakh people have a right for their livelihood. Though the people of 12 districts got the assistance, those belonging to Baragarh will get it after the Model Code of Conduct imposed for the December 5 bypoll to Padampur assemb

Railways plan to launch Jagannath Express during next Rath Jatra: Vaishnaw

Indian Railways is planning to launch Jagannath Express', on the lines of the Ramayana Express, during the Rath Jatra festival in Puri next year, Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said on Saturday. Semi high-speed Vande Bharat Express trains will also be launched in Odisha soon, he said on the sideline of a programme. The proposed Jagannath Express will be introduced during the Rath Jatra festival in Puri to showcase Odisha's rich culture, art, tradition and cousin, he said. It will be the second theme-based tourist circuit Bharat Gaurav' train after Ramayan Express. The seaside town of Puri is famous for the 12th-century temple of Lord Jagannath. The minister said that Odisha will soon get to see Vande Bharat Express. By the month of January or February next year, the country will be manufacturing around four trains a month, he said adding: We are examining the electrification and other essential parts for running the Vande Bharat train in the state. Claiming that railway ...

Naveen Patnaik urges Sitharaman to withdraw 18% GST on Kendu leaf

Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Saturday urged the Centre to withdraw GST being imposed on kendu leaf trade in the interest of livelihoods of about eight lakh poor people. Patnaik dashed a letter to Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, barely three days after announcing a special package for the welfare of kendu leaf pluckers. "Imposition of GST (18%) on kendu leaves is adversely affecting the trade. As a result, it affects the livelihoods of Kendu leaf pluckers, binders, and seasonal workers and the implementation of social security and welfare schemes for them," Patnaik said in the letter. The CM said kendu leaf, a minor forest produce (MFP), is the financial backbone of about eight lakh leaf pluckers, binders, and seasonal workers of Odisha and they mostly belong to the tribal community and poorest of the poor of the society. He said tribals collect the leaves as part of their right defined under the Scheduled Tribals and Other Traditional Forest Dwellers (Recognit

Patnaik announces Rs 146 cr winter aid for needy as Odisha shivers in cold

With the Met department forecasting a further dip in mercury in Odisha over the next few days, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik announced winter assistance of Rs 146 crore for the needy. As many as 48 lakh beneficiaries of the Madhu Babu Pension Yojana and National Pension System will get Rs 300 each to buy blankets, a release issued by the chief minister's office said, adding the amount will be credited by December 1. While reviewing the cold conditions in the state during a meeting with top officials on Friday evening, Patnaik asked officials to ensure the safety of the poor, especially the elderly, during the winter session. He said that as per available data, the conditions in the tribal-dominated Kandhamal and Koraput districts were severe. Patnaik advised the Panchayati Raj and Urban Development departments, and district collectors and civic authorities to take immediate action to ensure that no one remained unattended or in a helpless condition during the chilly nights. So far

Odisha fast emerging as a technology resource hub of India: CM Patnaik

Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Thursday said the state is now "fast emerging as a technology resource hub" of the country and creating jobs for youths. During the inauguration of Happiest Minds IT development centre here, he stated that the new facility will further strengthen the state's position in the sector. Patnaik claimed that the state has been taking giant strides in the IT sector in recent years and the growth momentum is "accelerating". "Odisha is now fast emerging as a technology resource hub of India and creating jobs for youths," he said. The centre at Fortune Towers here will accommodate more than 1,000 people and the company is looking to expand its capacity to serve global clients abroad. Highlighting the IT friendly ecosystem available in Bhubaneswar, Patnaik said most of the companies in the sector have set foot in the state capital. The enabling environment, facilitation service and huge talent pool available here have turned Odisha into a coveted ...

Odisha Assembly's winter session to be held sans Covid-19 curbs: Speaker

The upcoming winter session of Odisha Assembly will be held without Covid-19 restrictions, Assembly Speaker B.K. Arukha said on Monday

Start-up Odisha growth fund gets Rs 1,000 cr commitment, disbursal in 5 yrs

Flags off Hall of Fame 2.0 with TiE Bhubaneswar

Odisha withdraws all Covid restrictions over substantial decline in cases

With a significant reduction in cases, the Odisha government on Saturday announced the withdrawal of all COVID-19 restrictions, including mandatory wearing of masks in public places and prohibition on large gatherings, officials said. The Health and Family Welfare Department issued a notification to this effect. "In view of the substantial decline of COVID-19 cases in the state over the past several months, the government after careful consideration is pleased to repeal 'The Odisha COVID-19 Regulations, 2020' as amended from time to time; with immediate effect," it said. However, the government advised people to follow COVID appropriate behaviour voluntarily, as and when needed. A total of 13,36,382 people have tested positive for the coronavirus since the outbreak of the pandemic in March 2020, and 9,204 people have died due to it, while 53 others succumbed to comorbidities, a health official said. As many as 13,27,039 people have recovered from the disease so far, he said.

Odisha cabinet gives nod to port development, child welfare policies

The Odisha Cabinet Friday approved two major policies related to port development and children's welfare besides 15 other proposals. The decisions included approval of Prarambh', the Odisha State policy for Children aimed at furthering children's right to survival, protection, good health, and proper education among other things for their holistic development, chief secretary SC Mohapatra said in a video message after the meeting. The Cabinet also gave its nod to the Odisha State Port Policy -2022 envisaging holistic development of the maritime eco-system in the state, promotion of private sector development in the maritime sector, and creation of employment opportunities for youths. The state currently has 14 notified non-major ports, of which the ports at Dhamra and Gopalpur are already functioning, while the ports at Astaranga and Subarnarekha Mouth (Kirtania) are at present under construction. The new policy aims to aid and promote the development of ports and port-related ...

Odisha: Pradhan writes to Tomar, seeks probe into farmers' insurance scheme

Claiming that irregularities have been committed in paying insurance sum to farmers in Odisha under a central scheme, Union education minister Dharmendra Pradhan sought a probe into the alleged malpractices. Pradhan, who held a meeting with farmers during his recent visit to Bargarh district, urged Union Agriculture and Farmer Welfare Minister Narendra Singh Tomar to institute an investigation into the "scam" pulled off in the implementation of Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY), and review the sum paid by the insurance company enlisted by the state government under the central scheme. "Keeping in mind the severity of this scam and the urgent need to provide justice to the aggrieved farmers, I take this opportunity to request you to probe this matter at your personal level and order a proper investigation towards the functioning of PMFBY and alleged malpractices by the officials of government of Odisha during CCEs (crop cutting experiment)," he wrote in a letter to ...

NABARD sanctions Rs 220 cr to Odisha govt for flood protection projects

NABARD has sanctioned the fund for construction of 57 flood protection projects and one bridge at a rural area

Odisha economic offence wing cracks multi-state economic crime network

The economic offence wing (EOW) of Odisha Police claimed to have cracked a multi-state cyber/economic network allegedly involved in cheating people. The network was operating from Rajasthan, EOW DIG JN Pankaj said on Tuesday. The DIG said that two persons identified as Mahmud Khan and Munfed Khan have been arrested with help of the police of the desert state. They were brought to Odisha on five-days remand after being produced before ACJM, Ramgarh, Alwar, Rajasthan. The group, as revealed so far, has opened nearly 2,000 mule accounts in different parts of the country mainly in Odisha, West Bengal, Bihar and Assam, Pankaj said. EOW also arrested one local accused identified as Anil Khiller from Baisinga area in Odisha's Mayurbhanj district who used to supply the SIM to the scamsters in Rajasthan. He has procured and sent at least 1,200 SIM cards to these scamsters, the EOW official said. Earlier, the EOW had registered a case on the allegation of opening mule accounts with Indian

Patnaik orders for filling up 7,540 teacher vacancies in govt high schools

Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Friday issued an order to fill up the vacant posts of teachers in various government high schools of the state.According to a statement from Chief Minister's Office, the Odisha Staff Selection Commission has been asked by the State Government to start the recruitment process for 7,540 high school teachers as soon as possible.As per the statement, after filling up these vacancies all vacant teaching posts in all 4848 government high schools of the state will be filled up.The Recruitment of TGT (Arts), TGT (PCM & CBZ), Sanskrit, Hindi, Urdu, Telugu, and Physical Education Teacher Posts will be filled through this recruitment.However, in two selection processes conducted in the year 2021-22, more than 13 thousand teacher posts were filled and appointed in various government schools.It is worth mentioning that while the state government has undertaken various programs in the state for the transformation under 5T initiative, the emphasis has ...

President Droupadi Murmu to arrive in Odisha on Thursday on two-day visit

President Droupadi Murmu is scheduled to arrive here on Thursday for a two-day trip to Odisha during which she will go to the Jagannath temple in Puri, visit her old school, besides attending other programmes. The state government on Wednesday declared a half-day holiday for all offices, schools and colleges in the state capital region on this occasion. Educational institutes and government offices located in the Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation area will be closed after 1 pm, according to a notification issued by the revenue and disaster management department. This will be the first visit of Murmu, hailing from Odisha's Rairangpur area in the tribal-dominated Mayurbhanj district, to the state after becoming the President on July 25. As per the President's itinerary, Murmu will fly to Puri by an IAF chopper after she arrives at the Biju Patnaik International Airport here. She is scheduled to spend about one hour inside the 12th-century Shree Jagannath Temple in the pilgrim town.

Vedanta to plant 1 mn saplings in Odisha as part of afforestation efforts

Mining major Vedanta has announced that it will plant 10 lakh saplings in Odisha as part of its afforestation efforts, a statement said on Wednesday. The company has pledged to grow 7 million trees across the country, with 3.5 million in Rajasthan and a million in Odisha. The firm has joined hands with the World Economic Forum for the one trillion trees movement. "Our pledge will be instrumental in combating climate change and achieving net zero carbon emissions," Vedanta Non-executive Director Priya Agarwal Hebbar said. Vedanta Limited Group CEO Sunil Duggal said the company will be furthering its environmental conservation efforts through reforestation, agro-forestry, and mangrove restoration.

Odisha inks MoU with Ashok Leyland to develop driving training institutes

The upcoming facility will help enhance the HMV driving skills of the drivers particularly in mining areas of Odisha

1 killed, 6 injured as wild boars go on rampage in Odisha's Ganjam village

A 62-year-old woman was killed and six others were injured when wild boars attacked them in Odisha's Ganjam district on Sunday, police said. The incident happened in Ramapalli village near Kodala in Polasara forest range, they said. People of Ramapalli, Beruabadi and Marudi villages were working in their farmland when they were attacked by the wild boars, said Dilip Kumar Rout, the divisional forest officer (DFO) of Ghumusar South. Bharati Swain succumbed to her injuries while undergoing treatment at the Kodala Community Health Centre, he said. Those injured were later shifted to the MKCG Medical College and Hospital in Berhampur. The conditions of two of them are stated to be serious, officials said. "The wild boars, which have strayed into the area, have destroyed crops on acres of land," said Debendra Swain of Ramapalli village. The DFO said 30 forest personnel have been deployed to capture the wild boars.

Bypolls in six states: BJP wins in 4 of 7 Assembly seats; loses to TRS

RJD, Shiv Sena (Uddhav) win one each

Odisha by-poll: BJP's Suryabanshi Suraj widens lead over BJD in Dhamnagar

BJP candidate Suryabanshi Suraj widened his lead to 4,845 votes over his BJD rival Abanti Das for Dhamnagar bypoll in Odisha's Bhadrak district, Election Commission (EC) trends revealed on Sunday. According to the EC, Suraj secured 45,321 votes after the 10th round of counting, while Das bagged 40,476. Congress nominee Baba Harekrushna Sethi got 1,895 votes. An election official said a three-tier security arrangement is in place for the counting exercise. A central supervisor, an assistant supervisor and a micro-observer are present along with party agents at the counting centre, the official said. The Dhamnagar seat fell vacant following the death of BJP MLA Bishnu Charan Sethi in September. At least 68.98 per cent of the constituency's 2,38,417 voters had cast their votes in 252 booths of Dhamnagar on November 3. Suraj, son of the deceased MLA, said, I am fighting the election from Dhamnagar as a local who knows about the place and people here. Senior BJD leader and state min

650 Maoist supporters surrender in Odisha-Andhra Pradesh border: Official

As many as 650 active Maoist supporters -- residents of villages along the Odisha-Andhra Pradesh border -- surrendered before the police, a senior officer here said. Most of them are members of local village committees or Chetana Natya Mandali a cultural outfit linked to CPI(Maoist) in Swabhiman Anchal of Malkangiri district, once a Red corridor that lay cut-off from mainland Odisha, the police officer said. "The surrendered Maoist supporters hail from remote villages of Odisha and Andhra Pradesh. The supporters used to assist the cadres of the banned outfit in carrying out attacks on security forces and civilians, besides other violent activities," said Rajesh Pandit, DIG (south-western range). Raising slogans such as "Maobadi Murdabad, Ama Sarkar Jindabad", the sympathisers burnt Maoist literature, effigies, and uniforms worn by cadres of the banned outfit before surrendering on Saturday. The Swabhiman Anchal, comprising 182 villages, is experiencing a "quick turnaround", with