Odisha

Odisha 2nd in India for max increase in green cover inside forest area

Odisha has ranked second in the country for maximum increase in green cover inside recorded forest area, according to the latest India State of Forest Report-2023. Published biennially by the Forest Survey of India (FSI) since 1987, the report, which was released by Union forest minister Bhupender Yadav on Saturday, provides a detailed assessment of the nation's forest and tree resources. According to the report, Odisha reported an increase of 118.17 sq km of forest inside the recorded forest area, while Mizoram was at the top position with an increase of 192.92 sq km. Karnataka recorded an increase of 93.14 sq km of forest, West Bengal (64.79 sq km), and neighbouring Jharkhand's growth was 52.72 sq km. In combined forest and tree cover, the state recorded a growth of 558.57 sq km and secured third position in the country. Chhattisgarh topped the list with an increase of 684 sq km, followed by Uttar Pradesh (559.19 sq km). Rajasthan was in fourth position with a 394 sq km rise, th

Raise voice against BJP's 'anti-people' policies: Former Odisha CM Patnaik

Ahead of BJD's 28th foundation day on December 26, its chief Naveen Patnaik on Wednesday urged members to remain dedicated to serving the people of Odisha, while the party announced a mass demonstration in Bhubaneswar on January 6 to highlight the price rise of essential commodities and other issues. Patnaik asked party supporters to "raise voice against the BJP government's 'anti-people' policies" and also highlight the impact of high inflation, which hits the poor and middle class. "The party leaders and workers need to create awareness among people on the state BJP government's failure in checking price rise of essential commodities and in fulfilling the promises made to the people," the BJD president said. In an open letter to all the party functionaries, Patnaik said the BJD's 28th foundation day "will be observed in all the assembly constituencies." Noting that the regional party is "totally dedicated to the service of people of Odisha since 27 years," Patnaik said though the

Coal scam: Special CBI court acquits former coal secretary, 5 others

he judge held the CBI had failed to prove beyond any reasonable doubt that any "misrepresentation" was made by the accused

Singapore High Commissioner Wong meets Odisha CM Majhi to discuss ties

Singapore President Tharman Shanmugaratnam is expected to visit India in January, during which he will also visit Odisha

Berhampur University Result 2024 released; here's how to check and download

Berhampur University declared the results of various UG and PG courses on its official website today, December 10, 2024. Students can check and download BU Results 2024 through the official website

Repair work for Puri Jagannath temple's Ratna Bhandar to start from Dec 16

The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) is likely to start repair work for the 'Ratna Bhandar' of the Jagannath temple in Odisha's Puri from December 16, an official said. The ASI has sought approval from the Niti sub-committee of the temple for the proposed repair work, ASI superintendent D B Garnaik said on Sunday. "After getting the time slot, we will start the work, most probably from December 16," he said. Earlier, the ASI had conducted the GPR-GPS survey of the 12th-century shrine's 'Ratna Bhandar' (treasury) with the assistance of the Hyderabad-based National Geophysical Research Institute. The institute submitted its survey findings to ASI last month, the official said. The repair work will be conducted as per the survey report and with the approval of the temple management, he said. The 'Ratna Bhandar' repair issue will be discussed during the Chhatisa Nijoga', the confederation of servitors of the Jagannath temple in Puri, scheduled for December 10, Puri Collector Sidd

CAG finds irregularities in payment to hospitals during Covid-19 in Odisha

The Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG) has found certain irregularities in funding to dedicated private Covid care hospitals (DCHs) set up in Odisha during the Covid-19 pandemic period. In a report tabled at the state assembly on Saturday, the CAG said the Odisha government in April 2020 had issued guidelines for operations of the DCHs, managed by private hospitals. The CAG examined the related records/ documents of 18 DCHs, located in the districts of Khurda and Cuttack. It was noticed that 51,967 Covid patients had been treated in these 18 DCHs in the first two waves of the Covid-19 pandemic, and Rs 724.50 crore had been incurred for the purpose. The audit observed irregularities in passing the bills for payment, without proper check/ verification of documents. Thus, payment of Rs 144.88 crore to the DCHs, without verification of basic documents/ records, was irregular, the CAG said in its report. Similarly, the auditor has also found irregularities worth Rs 2.73 cror

Took several tours of Odisha to speed up development work: Prez Murmu

President Droupadi Murmu on Saturday said she has broken the protocol and undertaken several tours of Odisha and her native Mayurbhanj district in order to speed up development work. Murmu, on the last day of her five-day visit to the state, was addressing a gathering here after laying the foundation for three new railway lines, besides a tribal research and development centre, Dandbose airport and sub-divisional hospital at Rairangpur. "Generally, there is no provision of visiting own state and district as the President. However, I broke the protocol and came down here frequently because of the difficulties faced by the people of this area. Keeping in view the requirements of this area, I do whatever is possible on my part," Murmu said. Murmu said she had met the incumbent Railway Minister several times when she was the governor of Jharkhand to press for the development of railways in tribal areas. "When I was the transport minister of Odisha in 2000, I had requested the incumbent

BJD delegation meets central govt officials over AP's Polavaram project

A delegation of Biju Janata Dal (BJD) has met top officials of ministries of environment and tribal affairs in New Delhi and apprised them of adverse impacts of Andhra Pradesh's Polavaram irrigation project on livelihood, land and interest of indigenous people in Odisha's Malkangiri district, the party said on Thursday. The team met the central officials on Wednesday. The BJD delegation, led by senior leader and former minister Debi Prasad Mishra, had also met Union Jal Shakti Minister CR Paatil in the national capital on Tuesday and apprised him of the potential of submergence of large areas in Malkangiri due to the construction of the multi-purpose project in the neighbouring state. The team met Union Environment, Forest and Climate Change Secretary Leena Nandan and submitted a memorandum to her, highlighting how the Polavaram project would cause extensive damage to the flora and fauna in tribal-majority Malkangiri district of Odisha. The BJD memorandum said, The Polavaram projec

In Odisha, dogs attacked 777 people daily in 22 months: Govt data

Odisha recorded over 5.20 lakh dog bite cases between January 2023 and October 2024, according to data provided by the state government in the Assembly on Wednesday. This means stray canines or domesticated ones have targeted an average of 777 individuals every day during that period. In a written reply to a question from Rayagada MLA Kadraka Appala Swamy of the Congress, Fisheries and Animal Resources Development Minister Gokulananda Mallik said that a total of 5,20,237 dog bite cases were reported in Odisha during those 22 months. While 2,59,107 dog bite cases were reported during 2023, 2,43,565 such cases were recorded from January to October of 2024. The maximum number of such cases at 33,547, 32,561 and 29,801 were reported during January, February and March of 2024, respectively. According to the 2019 Livestock Census, Odisha has 17.34 lakh stray dogs. Following the Animal Birth Control Rule, 2023, municipalities and urban local bodies are implementing the Animal Birth Cont

Only 16 of 207 water supply projects completed in Odisha: Minister Naik

Only sixteen of 207 approved mega piped water supply projects have been completed in Odisha and the rest are in progress, a minister informed the assembly on Tuesday. Replying to a question by BJD legislator Souvic Biswal, Panchayati Raj and Drinking Water Minister Rabi Narayan Naik said the projects were targeted to be completed in two years after issuance of work orders. However, some projects got delayed due to various reasons, including delays in the conduct of detailed engineering surveys and investigations, identification of the source of water and approval of different departments, Naik said. Considering the prevailing issues and progress, steps are being taken to complete the ongoing 191 projects in three phases, he said. Fifty-six projects were targeted to be completed by March 2025, and an additional 54 would be to be completed by December 2025, the minister said. A target has been set to complete the remaining 81 piped water supply projects, which were started at the en

BJD, Cong MLAs express concern over potato scarcity in Odisha Assembly

Opposition BJD and the Congress members in the Odisha Assembly on Monday expressed concern over the acute scarcity of potato and the rising price of tuber in the retail market. The issue was raised during the Zero Hour by Opposition Chief Whip Pramila Mallik, who held the state government "responsible" for the potato scarcity in the state and rising prices. "The government has completely failed to control the price rise and provide essential items like potato to the people," Mallik said. Stating that potato scarcity is felt regularly when neighbouring West Bengal stops supply, the BJD leader said that the price of a kilogramme of potato is sold at Rs 50 to Rs 60. However, the Food Supplies and Consumer Welfare minister claimed that the price of potato remained at Rs 30 to Rs Rs 35. "Where did the minister get the potato at this price? Please give the address to people," she said. Mallik said the minister said that 300 trucks of potatoes were being imported from Uttar Pradesh, but t

Odisha Police Admit Card 2024 released today; here's how to check, download

The Odisha Police State Selection Board has shared the admit cards for the Constable/Sepoy recruitment exam today at 10 am. The exam is scheduled to take place on December 7, 2024

Indian Navy holds rehearsal at Puri beach ahead of Navy Day on Dec 4

Demonstration will showcase the Indian Navy's strength and versatility, offering spectators a rare glimpse into the operational capabilities of India's maritime force

Cong leader urges PM to visit Odisha's Kandhamal where 3 tribal women died

Former Union minister and senior Congress leader Srikant Jena urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to visit Manipanka village in Kandhamala district where three tribal women died after consuming mango kernel gruel allegedly do to scarcity of food grain. The PM is on a three-day visit of Odisha from Friday, during which he will attend the All India DGP/IGP Conference. Jena had earlier led a Congress fact-finding team to Mandipanka village in Kandhamal district where the three tribal women died. He alleged that the people consumed mango kernel gruel for lack of foodgrains. "I humbly request you to dedicate one day to visiting Mandipanka village to witness first hand the harsh realities of how tribal people are living in complete neglect. This visit would highlight their struggles and underscore the urgent need for immediate action to address these issues," Jena said in a letter to the Prime Minister on Friday. The Congress leader said that after visiting the affected village, a delegat

Odisha Govt deploys special teams to check illegal paddy inflow into state

The Odisha government has deployed special enforcement teams in various districts to curb the illegal inflow of paddy from neighbouring states during the procurement season, the state government said on Friday. So far, 84 enforcement teams have been deployed in various districts, including 10 in Bargarh district and 21 in Sambalpur district, it said. While the central government's minimum support price (MSP) for paddy is Rs 2,300 per quintal, the state government has announced an additional Rs 800 per quintal as assistance to farmers. This has triggered concerns that some traders may attempt to bring paddy from other states to sell it in Odisha at a higher price. The government has set a target of procuring 80 lakh tonnes of paddy during the current Kharif Marketing Season (KMS) 2024-25. According to the statement, the teams will monitor vehicles entering Odisha with paddy from neighboring states, as well as vehicles moving from mandis (paddy procurement centres) to mills and ...

PM Modi to attend all India DGP/IGP conference in Odisha's Bhubaneswar

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will attend the all India conference of director generals/inspector generals of police in Bhubaneswar for two days starting Saturday. The Prime Minister's Office said the three-day conference, which begins on Friday, will include deliberations on critical components of national security, including counter terrorism, Left Wing Extremism, coastal security, new criminal laws and narcotics. The conference, it said, will provide an interactive platform for senior police professionals and security administrators in the country to freely discuss and debate diverse national security-related issues besides various operational, infrastructural and welfare-related problems faced by police. Its deliberations will include formulation and sharing of professional practices and processes in tackling challenges relating to crime control, and law and order management, besides internal security threats. The statement noted Modi has encouraged organising the annual confere

Odisha govt approves investment projects worth Rs 1.36 trn across sectors

The Odisha government on Thursday approved 20 investment projects worth Rs 1.36 lakh crore, an official statement said. The High-Level Clearance Authority (HLCA) headed by Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi has approved the projects, poised to generate employment for over 74,350 individuals and significantly bolster the state's economic growth, it said. The approved projects span nine sectors including steel, chemicals, aluminium, aviation fuel, green energy and equipment, apparel and textiles, power and renewable energy and cement. These projects will be set up in 10 districts of Odisha such as Jajpur, Jharsuguda, Khurda, Sambalpur, Ganjam, Kalahandi, Malkangiri, Dhenkanal, Bhadrak and Jagatsinghpur, it said. "Through strong cooperation between the state and central governments, we have fostered a business-friendly environment that attracts investors to Odisha. Our focus is on creating an ecosystem that promotes inclusive growth, sustainability, and job creation," Majhi said. The

DGP conference: Odisha Police on high alert over possible security threats

Odisha Police has made extensive security arrangements to tackle any potential threats ahead of the three-day All India DGP/IGP conference beginning here on Friday. The national conference is scheduled to be attended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, and other dignitaries, officials said. In response to queries about a purported threat issued by Khalistani separatist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun to disrupt the meet, Additional Director General (Law & Order) Sanjay Kumar told PTI, "We are aware of all the threats and have made extensive security arrangements. We will ensure that no untoward incidents take place." On the specifics of security measures, Kumar said around 80 platoons (1 platoon consists of 30 personnel) of Odisha Police, along with 10 companies of the Central Armed Police Force (CAPF), including CRPF and BSF personnel, have been deployed at key locations. "The meeting venue and other important places are secured with three-tier security, while

PM Modi to attend 3-day all-India security conference in Odisha from Nov 29

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scheduled to undertake a three-day visit to Odisha from November 29 to attend an all-India conference of Director Generals of Police and Inspector Generals of Police in Bhubaneswar. He will arrive in Bhubaneswar on the night of November 29 and stay in Odisha till the afternoon of December 1, state Law Minister Prithiviraj Harichandan told reporters here on Monday. During his visit, the Prime Minister will attend the all-India conference of Director Generals of Police and Inspector Generals of Police in Bhubaneswar. The event is being held in the Odisha capital for the first time. It will be a three-day event from November 29 to December 1, he said. Odisha DGP Y B Khurania said that the DGPs of all the states and Union territories, and chiefs of all the security forces will attend the conference. The state will provide all logistical support for the conference and tight security arrangements will be ensured, Khurania said. Apart from Modi and Union H