Page 8 - Odisha

Political parties in Odisha start preparations for Dec 5 Padmapur bypoll

Political parties have begun preparations for the December 5 by-election in Padmapur assembly constituency in Odisha's Bargarh district. Although no nominee has been decided yet, parties have started tasking senior leaders with selection, and names are being discussed for candidature. The Congress has set up a committee headed by senior leader Kishore Patel for candidate selection, while the BJD is awaiting Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik to select a name. The BJP may field its former MLA Pradip Purohit. Odisha's Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) S K Lohani said the model code of conduct has come into force in the entire district with the announcement of the polls during the day. The seat was laying vacant after the death of BJD MLA Bijay Ranjan Singh Bariha on October 3. Lohani said the formal notification on the bypoll will be issued on November 10. As per the schedule, candidates can file their nomination papers till November 17, while the last date for withdrawal of candidatures h

Post-poll violence reported in Odisha's Dhamnagar; 3 injured, house burnt

Ahead of the counting of votes polled in the recently conducted bypoll, violence was reported in Dhamnagar assembly constituency in Odisha's Bhadrak district, leaving at least three people, including a woman, injured and a house burnt, police said on Saturday. Incidents of violence were reported from three different locations in Tihidi block on Friday night and Saturday, they said. A father-daughter duo was attacked with iron rods by supporters of a political party in Talagopabindha village on Friday night. They have been admitted to the Bhadrak district headquarters hospital, an officer said. The injured alleged that party supporters attacked them for voting in favour of another party in the by-election on November 3. They claimed they were earlier threatened against going to cast their votes. An FIR was registered with Tihidi police station and further investigation is underway, IIC Dibyalochan Behera said. In another incident, a person was attacked by supporters of a rival part

Odisha consumer court orders mall to pay Rs 25K for charging for carry bag

The court has directed the shopping mall authorities to release the compensation amount within 30 days from the date of the receipt of the order

President Murmu to visit Jagannath temple in Odisha's Puri on Nov 10

Later in the day, she will visit Jaydev Bhawan and inaugurate Odia textbook for engineering and a portal (e-Kumbh) before flying back to Delhi

Jaipur set to host 11th edition of India StoneMart international exhibition

Scheduled to be held at the Jaipur Exhibition and Convention Centre, Sitapura Industrial Area, from November 10 to 13, the exhibition is considered one of the biggest of its kind in India

Odisha only state to achieve 100% house water connection in 85 towns: CM

As of now, as many as 740 Jal Sathis are managing 8.4 lakh consumers and water charges to the tune of Rs 67 crore have been collected

After Morbi mishap, suspension bridge in Odisha closed for repair works

"The bridge will be closed down for devotees on Tuesday. If the bridge will be found safe, it will be used with a minimum capacity. If needed, the bridge will be completely shut down," said collector

Odisha govt officer held for possessing crypto worth over Rs 1.75 crore

The Odisha Police on Saturday arrested a government engineer after cryptocurrency valued at over Rs 1.75 crore was found in his possession, officials said. The arrested Additional Chief Engineer (Planning, Monitoring, Design & Investigation) under Rural Water Supply and sanitation was to retire on Monday. He was arrested on the charge of possessing assets disproportionate to his known sources of income. A vigilance court remanded him to jail custody for 14 days. The cryptos were found in a raid on the additional chief engineer by the Vigilance Department in a corruption case, they said. The raid which began on Friday continued on Saturday. As soon as the officer and his family found the investigators at their doorstep, they tried to destroy evidence of the cryptocurrency they possessed, said an official statement. The investigators carried out simultaneous searches of his properties across Khurdha, Sambalpur and Bargarh districts after search warrants were issued by a judge. Th

CM Patnaik inaugurates Odisha Travel Bazar, state's flagship exhibition

Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Friday inaugurated Odisha Travel Bazar, the flagship annual exhibition of Odisha Tourism

SAIL inks pact with AAI for initiation of commercial flights from Rourkela

State-owned SAIL on Friday said that it has entered into a pact with Airport Authority of India (AAI) for facilitating the start of commercial flights from Rourkela in Odisha. Steel Authority of India Ltd (SAIL) has signed the operation and management contract with AAI through its unit Rourkela Steel Plant. The public sector enterprise had in 2018 signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) for use of its own airport, under the regional connectivity scheme UDAN, for operation of commercial flights. The civil aviation ministry has rendered financial support for the upgradation of this airport. The Odisha government will deliver security, fire and ambulance services besides assisting with other local clearances. AAI, on behalf of SAIL - Rourkela Steel Plant, will operate and manage the airport. Regional Connectivity Scheme (RCS) -UDAN, a flagship project of the central government launched by the civil aviation ministry, envisages enhancing the regional air connectivity by providin

Drones to monitor illegal prawn ponds in Odisha wetlands in 4 districts

The Orissa High Court on Wednesday accepted a proposal submitted by Amicus Curiae Mohit Agarwal for the deployment of drones to monitor illegal prawn culture ponds or gherries encroaching wetlands in at least four coastal districts of the state. "A division bench headed by Chief Justice S Muralidhar has accepted my proposal and has directed the state government to provide necessary infrastructure and funds to deploy drones for monitoring the illegal gherries, which are coming up even within 24 hours of their demolition by the authorities," Agarwal said. The districts in which the drones will be deployed are Balasore, Kendrapara, Puri and Ganjam and the state government has been asked to submit an affidavit in this regard by the next date of hearing on December 5, Agarwal said. The Amicus Curiae had made the proposal for the deployment of drones after it was revealed from different affidavits made by the district administrations that physical deployment of police force is unable to .

Odisha CM Naveen Patnaik launches 'Safal' common credit portal for farmers

Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik Wednesday launched a common credit portal SAFAL' (Simplified Application for Agricultural Loans) for the welfare of farmers. The facility will enable farmers and agri-entrepreneurs to access more than 300 term loan products of over 40 banks, the chief minister said while launching the portal. It has also been integrated with Krushak Odisha and will have access to 70-plus model project reports. The application can revolutionise credit provisions for farmers and agri-entrepreneurs, he said. Expressing satisfaction over the launch of the portal, Patnaik said that the application is a one-stop solution for farmers and agri-entrepreneurs to avail formal sector credit from public and private sector banks, Regional Rural Banks, State Cooperative Banks, and Small Finance Banks. The portal will ease the loan application process benefiting both the farmers and banks significantly, the chief minister said. It will also reduce information asymmetry by se

Indian Super League 2022-23: Odisha FC registers 1st home win of the season

Odisha FC secured all three points against Kerala Blasters with a dramatic 2-1 comeback win in the Indian Super League (ISL) at the Kalinga Stadium here on Sunday

NCMC reviews preparedness for possible cyclonic storm over Bay of Bengal

Union Cabinet Secretary Rajiv Gauba reviewed the preparedness of Central ministries, agencies and state governments to deal with the situation arising out of Cyclone Sitrang in the Bay of Bengal

Possible cyclone likely to hit Bengal, Odisha on Oct 25; warning issued

A low-pressure system over the Andaman Sea is likely to intensify into a cyclonic storm and reach West Bengal-Bangladesh coasts on October 25, causing wind gusting to 110 km per hour, the IMD said on Friday. Sanjib Bandopadhyay, the deputy director-general of Regional Met Centre in Kolkata, said that the system is likely to cause light to moderate rain in Gangetic West Bengal, with isolated heavy rain in the coastal districts of South 24 Parganas, North 24 Parganas and Purba Medinipur. He said that it is likely to cause light to moderate rain in Kolkata on October 24 and 25. "Wind speed of 45 to 55 km gusting to 65 kmph will occur in the coastal districts of South 24 Parganas, North 24 Parganas and Purba Medinipur on October 24, while on October 25, wind speed will reach 90 to 100 kmph gusting to 110 kmph," he told reporters here. Wind speed of 30 to 40 kmph gusting to 50 kmph will occur in Kolkata and adjoining districts of Howrah and Hooghly, he said. "It will not be a super cyc

Odisha, W Bengal mobilising resources as possible cyclone approaches

Odisha is bracing for heavy rainfall early next week under the impact of a possible cyclone in the Bay of Bengal, which is likely to skirt the state and move towards West Bengal and Bangladesh, the IMD said on Friday. The West Bengal government has initiated the process of evacuating people from low-lying areas in several districts, officials said. The weather system, which is presently in the form of a low pressure area over the North Andaman sea and adjoining areas, is likely to take shape of a depression on Saturday and a deep depression on Sunday, before intensifying into a cyclonic storm on Monday, and move in north and north-east direction towards West Bengal and Bangladesh, the IMD said. The cyclonic storm is expected to be christened Sitrang', as suggested by Thailand. Odisha's Revenue and Disaster Management Minister Pramila Mallick said that instructions have been issued to all the districts and coastal region authorities to deal with any eventuality. The system is likel

Odisha may face another cyclone this weekend: India Meteorological Dept

Odisha could be bracing for yet another cyclone, with the India Meteorological Department Tuesday forecasting the possible formation of such a weather system over the Bay of Bengal (BoB) this weekend. A low-pressure area is likely to form over the southeast and adjoining eastcentral Bay of Bengal over the next 48 hours, the IMD said. "It is likely to move west-northweswards and concentrate into a depression by October 22 morning over the central Bay of Bengal. It is very likely to intensify further into a cyclonic storm over west-central BoB subsequently," it said. IMD Director-General Mrutunjay Mohapatra said though the depression is likely to become well-marked and turn into a cyclonic storm, no forecast is being made on the intensity of the system and its path at present. "We may give more details of the cyclone only after the formation of a low-pressure area," he said. Odisha has encountered at least three major storms in 2021, including Yaas' (May), Gulab' (September) and Jaw

Odisha AAR says separate registration must for construction work in state

The ruling is in conflict with position taken by other AARs; industry wants CBIC clarification

Odisha emerging as leading destination for industries: CM Patnaik

Odisha is in a "take-off" stage and will witness a high growth in the next 10 years, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik said

At least 4 cities of Odisha to get 5G services by March 2023: Vaishnaw

Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw on Sunday said at least four cities of Odisha will get the 5G telephony services by March 2023 and 80 per cent area of the state will have access to the upgraded network by the end of next year. Around 200 big cities in the country will be covered in the first phase of the launch of 5G services, and it will be subsequently extended to towns and rural areas, he said on the sidelines of a programme here. "In the first phase, four-five cities of Odisha will get 5G services by March 2023, and by the end of next year, around 80 per cent area of the state will be covered," said Vaishnaw, the union minister for railways, communications, electronics and information technology. The time period for the first phase of launching the fifth-generation services is up to March 2023, he said. Prime Minister Narendra Modi had on October 1 launched the 5G services that promise to provide ultra high-speed internet on mobile phones. At least 13 major cities such as ...