Odisha Assembly

Odisha Assembly adjourned amid uproar over mango kernel deaths

The Odisha Assembly on Tuesday was adjourned for about an hour as opposition BJD and Congress members shouted slogans over the death of three tribal women by eating mango kernel gruel allegedly due to lack of foodgrain. As soon as the House made obituary reference to six ex-members, Speaker Surama Padhy allowed Question House. However, the BJD and Congress MLAs trooped into the well of the House and protested the death of tribal women in Kandhamal district. The members raised slogans against the Mohan Charan Majhi government accusing it of failing to streamline public distribution system for which the people at Mandipanka village in Kandhamal district faced food scarcity leading to the death of three tribal women. As the din continued in the well of the House, the Speaker adjourned the proceeding till 12.25 pm. Earlier, Leader of the House and Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi moved an obituary reference and the House paid tribute to six of its ex-members. The obituary reference wa

Revenue implication of Rs 4,162 cr as Odisha's iron-ore grade declined: CAG

The Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG) which conducted an audit of six iron-ore mines in Odisha has observed that after the auction of the selected mines, there was an "abrupt and abnormal decline in the grade of iron-ore and its classification", as reported by new lessees. "The decline of grade of iron ore has resulted in a revenue implication of approximately Rs 4,162.77 crore for the financial years 2020-21 and 2021-22 in the form of lesser royalty and premium (post auction)", the CAG said in its report No 6 of the year 2024, which was laid before the Odisha Assembly on Wednesday. Though more than 83 per cent production was reported in the grade of 62-65 per cent Fe (iron) in the pre-auction period, the same came down to approximately 16 per cent in the two years after auction (2020-2022), it said. Similarly, the auditor said, the share of grades 60 per cent Fe and below went up from approximately 11 per cent of total production to more than 60 per cent of total ...

Odisha passes appropriation bill for Rs 95,000 cr, house to meet on Aug 20

The Assembly on Wednesday passed the Odisha Appropriation (Vote-on-Account No.2) Bill, 2024, which authorises the state government to withdraw Rs 95,000 crore from the Consolidated Fund for use in August and September of the current 25 financial year. Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi, who also oversees the finance department, presented the Bill. It was passed by a voice vote despite protests from the Opposition, including members of the BJD and Congress, who walked out. This is the second Vote-on-Account passed within the same financial year. The first was approved in February, covering the months of April, May, June, and July. Since the current Vote-on-Account expires on Wednesday, July 31, well before the budget's passage, the state introduced this second Vote-on-Account to cover expenditures for August and September. Before the House passed the Bill, Majhi explained, "I have presented a Bill of Rs 95,000 crore for the House's approval. This appropriation includes 30 per cent ...

Who is Mohan Charan Majhi? Key details about Odisha's 15th Chief Minister

Replacing former BJD CM Naveen Patnaik, Mohan Majhi was named the Chief Minister of Odisha after BJP swept the 2024 Assembly polls in Odisha

'Pandian not my successor, people of Odisha to decide': Naveen Patnaik

The Biju Janata Dal suffered a defeat in the Odisha assembly polls at the hands of the Bharatiya Janata Party, putting an end to the 24-year-old reign of Naveen Patnaik

Odisha CM likely to be chosen in BJP Parliamentary Party meet on June 7

The chief minister of Odisha's maiden government of the BJP is likely to be selected during its Parliamentary Party meeting in New Delhi on Friday, leaders of the saffron camp said. The BJP trounced the BJD, which was ruling the state for 24 years in a row, winning 78 seats in the 147-member Odisha Assembly. Three of these 78 MLAs were ministers in the state earlier but it is not essential that the chief minister would be chosen from among the new assembly members only, a senior BJP leader said on Thursday. Union minister Dharmendra Pradhan, who was elected from Sambalpur Lok Sabha constituency, however, is also one of the front-runners for the chief minister's job. Besides him, names of senior MLAs Suresh Pujari, Jayanarayan Mishra and K V Singh Deo are also doing the rounds as probable candidates for the chair. "The Parliamentary Party is the highest decision-making body of the BJP and it will meet in New Delhi tomorrow," Bhubaneswar MP Aparajita Sarangi said. The Parliamentary

Odisha Election Results: How did BJP end Naveen Patnaik’s 24-year rule?

Naveen Patnaik resigns as CM day after BJP wins Odisha Assembly elections

Naveen Patnaik's resignation comes after his party, BJD, managed to secure only about 50 seats, falling significantly short of the majority mark of 74 seats in the 147-member Assembly

Odisha election result 2024: BJP crosses majority mark, BJD trails behind

In Odisha, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has surpassed the halfway mark, while the ruling Biju Janata Dal (BJD) led by Naveen Patnaik is currently trailing

Odisha Assembly polls: BJP challenges Naveen Patnaik's BJD in tight race

The BJP is leading in 73 seats in Odisha, followed by Patnaik-Biju Janata Dal at 50 seats and Congress is leading in 13 seats, shows the trend on Election Commission website available for 138 seats

2024 Odisha Legislative Assembly elections: Here's all you need to know

As voting is currently underway in the fourth phase of the Odisha Assembly polls 2024, here's a quick look at the assembly seats, polling dates and key candidates

Odisha election: What is Jagannath Temple-linked 'missing keys' controversy

The keys of inner Ratna Bhandar, the treasure trove of the Jagannath Temple in Puri, are missing since 2018. This issue is BJP's key poll planks in Odisha as it aims to oust the Patnaik government

LS polls: 2 former India hockey team captains fighting elections in Odisha

They have played captain innings in astroturf while representing the Indian hockey team, but this time they are trying their luck in the electoral battlefield in Sundergarh district, often referred to as the cradle of hockey in Odisha. They are Hockey India president and former Rajya Sabha MP Dilip Tirkey and ex-Indian hockey team captain Prabodh Tirkey. While Dilip Tirkey is the ruling Biju Janata Dal candidate for the Sundergarh (ST) Lok Sabha constituency, his junior and former India hockey captain, Prabodh Tirkey is the Congress candidate from the Talsara (ST) assembly segment also in Sundergarh district. Both the BJD and Congress have picked Dilip Tirkey and Prabodh Tirkey in the electoral battle as Sundergarh is known as the cradle of hockey in the state and the game is very popular among the masses. According to Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, "Hockey is a way of life in tribal-dominated Sundergarh where toddlers start walking with hockey sticks." Dilip Tirkey, 46, is

LS polls highlights: Bihar leader Pappu Yadav joins Congress in Delhi

Lok Sabha elections 2024 updates: Catch all the latest updates on the announcements related to General Elections here

Odisha govt presents Rs 1.18 trillion vote-on-account in Assembly

Noting that Odisha has now become more than a 100 billion dollar economy, Odisha Finance Minister Bikram Keshari Arukha Thursday presented an interim budget of Rs 1.18 lakh crore for the first four months of the 2024-25 fiscal in the assembly. The state government has presented a vote-on-account instead of a full budget in view of the upcoming elections to the Lok Sabha and Odisha Assembly. The government estimated that the total budget outlay for the next financial year will be Rs 2.55 lakh crore, which is about 11 per cent more than the annual budget of 2023-24. Keeping in view the requirement of funds for expenditure on payment of salary, pension, interest payment, repayment of principal, relief, old age pension, scholarship of ST & SC students and other on-going scheme and programmes, a sum of Rs 1,18,000 crore is proposed in the vote on account, the minister said in the House. Of the total Rs 2.55 crore provision, Rs 1,03,500 crore has been allocated for administrative ...

Politics should not be done on sensitive crime issues: Odisha CM Patnaik

Recalling the efforts made by his government during the COVID-19 pandemic, CM Patnaik said that oxygen produced in Odisha saved thousands of lives throughout the country

Former Odisha minister and Assembly Speaker Maheswar Mohanty passes away

Senior BJD leader and former Odisha Assembly speaker Maheswar Mohanty died at a private hospital here on Tuesday. Mohanty, who was also a former minister, was 67. He is survived by his wife and two sons. He was admitted to the hospital on November 1 after suffering a cerebral stroke, and died at 3.25 am on Tuesday, hospital sources said. Mohanty was elected to the Odisha Assembly from Puri constituency five times. He had successfully contested the assembly elections as a Janata Dal candidate in 1995 and as a BJD nominee in 2000, 2004, 2009 and 2014. Born on February 26, 1956, Mohanty had also served in the Naveen Patnaik government as a cabinet minister and had held portfolios such as Panchayati Raj, Revenue, Law and Tourism departments between 2011 and 2019. He was the speaker of the assembly from 2004 to 2008. Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik condoled Mohanty's death and described him as a "popular leader with high organisational skills". He played an important role in the develo

Over 1,000 security personnel deployed for Odisha Assembly session

Over 1,000 security personnel including 125 police officers have been deployed under a three-tier security arrangement in and around the Odisha Assembly for the monsoon session beginning Friday, an official said. Odisha Director General of Police (DGP) Sunil Bansal on Thursday reviewed the security arrangements. Police commissioner Soumendra Priyadarsi, ADG (law and order) Sanjay Kumar and director intelligence Sanjeeb Panda briefed the DGP about the security arrangements made for the session. As it is an important session during which the supplementary budget will be placed, a three-tier security arrangement internal, campus and peripheral has been made in and around the Assembly, said the DGP. Bhubaneswar DCP will directly look after the security arrangements under the supervision of the police commissioner, he said. He informed that 30 platoons (one platoon comprises 30 personnel) of police force along with officers of the commissionorate police have been mobilised for the ...

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

Insult to Odisha daughter: Chaos in state assembly over Rashtrapatni remark

Chaos reigned supreme in the Odisha assembly on Thursday as opposition BJP MLAs protested over Congress MP Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury's remarks on President Droupadi Murmu