Page 2 - Odisha Government

Odisha CM Mohan Charan Majhi flags off Subhadra Yojana Awareness Rath

Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi on Saturday flagged off Subhadra Yojana Awareness Rath (chariot) which will roam across Odisha creating awareness on the scheme. Accompanied by deputy chief minister Pravatai Parida, who is also the women and child development minister, Majhi said that the Subhadra Yojana will empower women across the state. The chief minister said the awareness chariots will sensitize people on the scheme and how to apply for it. More than 1 crore women will benefit under the Subhadra scheme in the state, he said. "It's an opportunity to fulfil the dream of every woman. The scheme is also an identity of Odia Asmita (pride)," Majhi said. Parida said that the registration for the Subhadra Yojana will continue till the last beneficiary submits her form. "There is no deadline for submitting the Subhadra Yojana form. We will ensure that no beneficiary is left out and all eligible beneficiaries get the benefits of the scheme," she said. The DyCM said that before

572 tribal girls, women raped in Odisha in five years: Development minister

As many 572 tribal girl students and women have become victims of rape during the last five years in Odisha, the SC-ST Development Minister Nityananda Gond told state Assembly on Friday. In a written reply to a query by Congress legislator Tara Prasad Bahinipati, Gond said the 572 tribal girls had become victims of rape under Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989, during the past five years. Out of the 572 rape cases, trials have been completed in 32 cases, while chargesheets have been filed in 509 cases, he said. Gond said that another 31 cases are under investigation.

Odisha govt gave subsidy of Rs 154 cr to EV owners since FY23: Bibhuti Jena

The Odisha government has so far provided subsidy of Rs 154.27 crore to electric vehicle owners since the 2022-23 financial year, a minister said on Thursday. The sale of EVs has also shown an increasing trend in Odisha, after the government started giving subsidy from September 1, 2021, Transport Minister Bibhuti Bhusan Jena said. Jena said this in a written statement in the assembly. The state government has so far distributed a subsidy of Rs 154.27 crore to EV owners since the 2022-23 financial year, Jena said. While a subsidy of Rs 8.83 crore was disbursed during 2022-23, it was increased to Rs 57.21 crore during 2023-24. The Odisha government has provided subsidy for 14,182 EVs registered during the fiscal year 2022-23, which rose to 36,518 during 2023-24, it said. During 2024-25 till August, the Odisha government has already distributed subsidies for 38,766 EVs registered in the state, the statement said. The state is providing a maximum subsidy of Rs 20,000 for each two-w

Odisha CM Majhi announces Rs 10 cr aid for calamity-hit Kerala, Tripura

Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi on Wednesday announced a grant of Rs 5 crore each for Kerala and Tripura to support recovery efforts following natural disasters in both states. Majhi expressed his condolences for the devastation caused by these calamities during telephonic conversations with Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and Tripura Chief Minister Manik Saha. The Chief Minister's Office (CMO) said Majhi conveyed Odisha's readiness to assist with post-disaster recovery and reconstruction. Kerala was struck by a severe landslide, while Tripura has experienced significant flooding. In light of these events, Majhi said, "Odisha will provide Rs 5 crore each from the Chief Minister's Relief Fund (SMRF) to support the recovery efforts in both Kerala and Tripura." Both Vijayan and Saha expressed their gratitude for Odisha's support. Majhi also thanked the leaders for their assistance to Odia residents in their states during recent natural disasters.

Odisha CM Majhi launches 481 developmental projects worth Rs 1,151 crore

Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi on Saturday launched 481 developmental projects worth Rs 1,151 crore across different districts. He launched the projects during an event organised here to celebrate local self-governance day. The chief minister also gave appointment letters to 27 newly recruited municipal service officers. Speaking on the occasion, Majhi highlighted the importance of self-governance in providing basic facilities to citizens and underscored the need for elected public representatives to work above politics to fulfil people's expectations. The elected public representatives need to shoulder the burden of Panchayati Raj and the existing self-governance system in urban areas, he said. Majhi also advised all elected public representatives, including councillors, vice-chairpersons and chairpersons of urban local bodies to rise above politics and work with the municipal administration towards fulfilling people's expectations. Majhi also underlined the need for .

Odisha govt makes administrative changes, transfers 18 senior IAS officers

The Odisha government has transferred 18 senior IAS officers, a notification issued by the General Administration department said. Satyabrata Sahu was appointed Additional Chief Secretary (ACS), Home department while D K Singh was appointed Additional Chief Secretary, Revenue and Disaster Management department. Sahu is also allowed to hold additional charge of ACS, Forest, Environment and Climate Change department. Singh is allowed to remain in additional charge of Special Relief Commissioner, Odisha and Managing Director, Odisha State Disaster Management Authority. The additional appointment of Satyabrata Sahu as SRC and MD of OSDMA shall stand terminated from the date Singh takes over, the notification said. Surendra Kumar, ACS, General Administration and Public Grievance department with additional charge of ACS, Tourism and Parliamentary Affairs, is appointed as ACS, Steel and Mines department. He is allowed to remain in additional charge of ACS, General Administration and Publ

Upholding pride, Odisha to reach pinnacle of development: CM Majhi

Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi on Thursday said the state has embarked on a journey for change and development while upholding its Ashmita' (pride). After hoisting the Tricolour and taking a salute from the security forces during the Independence Day celebration at the Mahatma Gandhi Marg here, Majhi also announced several development programmes. Today is a very important day for Odisha. The state has embarked on a path of change. The people of Odisha have left the path of propaganda," the chief minister said. This is the first Independence Day function under the BJP government in the state. While paying tribute to the great sons and daughters of the soil who sacrificed for the nation, Majhi said, Odisha has vowed to reach the pinnacle of development with Asmita (pride) and Swaviman (self-respect)." Noting that he does not believe in showing big dreams to the people, Majhi said he is committed to fulfil promises made to the state. For the sake of my land, I know how to

Odisha CM Majhi talks to Mamata, urges her to improve potatoes supply

Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi on Sunday spoke to his West Bengal counterpart Mamata Banerjee and requested her to improve potato supply. During a telephonic conversation, Majhi said the supply of potatoes to Odisha had improved after their meeting in New Delhi, but now the situation deteriorated again. The CM urged his West Bengal counterpart Mamata Banerjee to intervene in the matter and resolve the problem, the Chief Minister's Office (CMO) said in a statement. "Banerjee has assured him of appropriate steps to resolve the issue," it said. The Odisha CM dialled Banerjee after the West Bengal Police allegedly installed CCTV cameras on the border villages to check unauthorized transportation of potatoes to Odisha. The Odisha government has started selling potatoes at Rs 100 for 3 kg in retail shops across the state under the public distribution system (PDS). Odisha Food Supply and Consumer Welfare Minister K C Patra on Sunday said potatoes have been sent to various plac

CM Majhi seeks cooperation from central officers to build 'New Odisha'

Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi on Sunday sought cooperation of senior officers from the state working in various central government departments to help build a 'New Odisha' by 2036, marking the state's 100th year of formation. Speaking to reporters in New Delhi after a meeting with Odisha cadre IAS and other senior officers on central deputation, Majhi emphasised the state's mission to become a developed state by 2047, coinciding with India's 100 years of Independence. The meeting was attended by Deputy Chief Ministers K V Singh Deo and Pravati Parida, Chief Secretary Manoj Ahuja, and other senior Odisha government officials. "The state government is working on a mission mode, implementing a 100-day action plan, a five-year plan, a 12-year programme leading up to 2036, and a vision extending to 2047," Majhi said. In a press statement, the Chief Minister's Office (CMO) highlighted Majhi's call for the officers' cooperation to expedite the implementation of proposals presented at

ASI to begin repairing Jagannath temple's Ratna Bhandar soon: Odisha min

Odisha Law Minister Prithviraj Harichandan on Sunday said the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) will soon begin repairing the Ratna Bhandar (treasury) of Jagannath Temple in Puri. The ASI will first assess and repair the outer chamber of the treasury, followed by the inner chamber, he said. "A minor correction has been made in the standard operating procedure (SOP) for the repair work and the date will be finalised soon," Harichandan said. He emphasised that the rituals of Lord Jagannath and his sibling deities will not be disrupted during the repair work. The Odisha government is also considering whether to perform laser scanning of the inner chamber to detect any secret compartments, Harichandan said. Addressing the issue of duplicate keys to the 'Ratna Bhandar', the law minister criticised the previous BJD government for allegedly creating "unnecessary drama" around the keys to avoid opening the treasury. "An investigation will be conducted, and those who played with the ..

Odisha govt presents Rs 2.65 trn budget for FY25, renames several schemes

The BJP government in Odisha presented its maiden budget on Thursday with a total estimate of Rs 2.65 lakh crore for the 2024-25 fiscal, laying emphasis on agriculture and women empowerment. The size of the budget for the current financial year was around 15 per cent more than the budgetary estimate of Rs 2.30 lakh crore for the 2023-24 fiscal, Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi said in the assembly. Majhi, who also holds the finance portfolio, modified and renamed several popular schemes like KALIA, 'Biju Swasthya Kalyan Yojana' (BSKY) and 'Biju Pucca Ghar Yojana' (BPGY). He proposed an outlay of Rs 33,919 crore for agriculture, which is about 36 per cent more than the allocation made in the previous year. Of the total budget estimates, programme expenditure was pegged at Rs 1.55 lakh crore, administrative expenditure at Rs 97,725 crore and an outlay of Rs 3,900 crore for Disaster Risk Management Funds, he said. To ensure the speedy empowerment of women, as promised by the BJP in

Odisha govt asks transport officers to seize vehicles without fitness

The Odisha government has directed the transport authorities to seize vehicles, which are plying on roads without valid fitness certificates, and file cases. Transport Commissioner Amitabh Thakur has issued a circular, asking officers to take action against owners of vehicles which are being operated without valid fitness and registration certificates, an official statement said on Tuesday. The directions have been issued to not only impose fines but also to seize such vehicles and file cases as per the law, it said. All deputy transport commissioners and regional transport officers (RTOs) have been instructed to intensify the process for inspection of fitness and registration certificates throughout the state. According to the Central Motor Vehicles Act 1988, transport vehicles must have valid registration and fitness certificates, and for non-transport vehicles to have valid registration documents. Despite repeated awareness campaigns, some vehicle owners have been found violati

Nothing wrong in UP police diktat to display names of shopkeepers: Manjhi

Union Minister Jitan Ram Manjhi on Saturday asserted that he saw "nothing wrong" with fruit sellers along the 'Kanwar Yatra' route in Uttar Pradesh being asked to display their names at their stalls. Manjhi was responding to journalists' questions about the controversial UP police directive, which has faced criticism from the opposition and some BJP allies, including Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar's JD(U) and Union Minister Chirag Paswan's Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas). Manjhi, who heads the Hindustani Awam Morcha, said, "I cannot speak for other parties, but I see nothing wrong with such an order. What is the harm if people involved in businesses are asked to display their names and addresses prominently?" "In fact, such display only makes it easy for buyers to spot a favourite stall. It is wrong to view the episode through the prism of religion", said Manjhi, who made his parliamentary debut, at a ripe age of 79, in the recent elections. Manjhi's stance on the issue differs

BJP govt renames Biju Patnaik Sports Award to Odisha Rajya Krida Samman

The newly elected BJP government has renamed Biju Patnaik Sports Award as Odisha Rajya Krida Samman'. Odisha Sports and Youth Services Department on Friday issued guidelines for the Rajya Krida Samman' which will be awarded in eight categories annually, subject to availability of suitable candidates. The cash rewards remain unchanged. According to the guidelines, the lifetime achievement award for promoting sports will carry a cash prize of Rs 3 lakh, while Rs 2 lakh will be awarded for outstanding performance in sports, and Rs 1 lakh for excellence in coaching. Similarly, a cash award of Rs 1 lakh will be given in each of the following categories - best contribution to sports promotion, excellence in sports journalism, para-sports person of the year, upcoming athlete of the year (junior category), and sports technical official/support staff of the year. The award recipient must be a resident of Odisha and free of any criminal convictions. It will be conferred only once per lifetim

Puri Jagannath Temple's Ratna Bhandar opens after 46 years: What's inside?

Ratna Bhandar is the treasure trove of the 12th-century Puri-based Jagannath Temple that has been in much discussion since the recently concluded Odisha Assembly elections

Former Odisha minister Surendra Nath Naik passes away at 87 due to illness

Former Odisha minister and senior BJD leader Surendra Nath Naik died here on Friday morning, his family said. He was 87. Naik was suffering from age-related ailments and died at his residence here, his family said. He was elected to the Odisha Assembly seven times from the Kakatpur constituency on Utkal Congress, Janata Dal and BJD tickets between 1971 and 2009. Naik had served as the minister of several departments, including excise, revenue, agriculture, school and mass education and panchayati raj under the leadership of Biju Patnaik and Naveen Patnaik. Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi, Deputy Chief Ministers K V Singh Deo and Pravati Parida, Speaker Surama Padhi and several others paid floral tribute to the politician in the state assembly. Majhi said Odisha has "lost a tall leader and the vacuum created by his demise will remain unfilled". He expressed condolences to the bereaved family of Naik. In a post on X, Singh Deo said, Heartfelt condolences on the passing of

Govt forms panel to oversee reopening of Ratna Bhandar of Jagannath temple

The Odisha government has formed a fresh high-level committee to supervise the reopening of Ratna Bhandar of Puri's Jagannath temple for repair and inventory of valuables stored inside the treasury. Odisha Law Minister Prithiviraj Harichandan, in a press conference on Thursday night, said that the panel has been formed in accordance with the direction of the Orissa High Court in this regard. In March this year, the previous BJD government had formed a 12-member committee led by retired judge of the Supreme Court, Justice Arijit Pasayat, to supervise the inventory of jewellery and other valuables stored in the Ratna Bhandar. The BJP government has dissolved the Justice Pasayat-led panel and formed the fresh committee. "A high-level committee is hereby reconstituted, under the chairmanship of Justice Biswanath Rath, to supervise the Shree Jagannath Temple Managing Committee in carrying out the inventorisation of valuables including jewelleries stored in the Ratna Bhandar," a ...

Odisha CM Majhi urges Jaishankar to establish UAE consulate in state

Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi on Saturday urged External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar for a UAE consulate in the state. Majhi raised the demand while meeting Jaishankar at his residence in New Delhi. The meeting was also attended by Deputy CMs Kanak Vardhan Singhdeo and Pravati Parida, according to a statement issued by the Chief Minister's Office (CMO). Since many people from Odisha are working in Dubai, a UAE consulate will be very helpful, Majhi said. He also drew the attention of Jaishankar to the eight people from Odisha stranded in Dubai and sought his support for their safe return. Jaishankar promised the CM that he would take urgent steps in this regard, the statement said. Majhi also discussed measures to attract foreign tourists to the state, including the setting up of an international tourism centre. Later, the CM met Union Health Minister JP Nadda, whom he urged for setting up medical colleges in those districts of the state that don't have one. Expansio

Odisha govt asks collectors to be prepared for possible flood situation

The Odisha government has asked all district collectors and municipal commissioners to remain fully prepared for probable flood situation in the monsoon season. In a letter to all collectors and municipal commissioners, Special Relief Commissioner (SRC) Satyabrata Sahu on Monday said IMD has forecasted that an intense spell of rainfall due to active monsoon would occur throughout the state from June 26. "As a result, there may be instances of flash floods, flood like situation, waterlogging and landslides at different locations. Keeping this in mind, you are requested to take immediate action," Sahu told the collectors. He said the field-level functionaries should not leave the headquarters and they should be deployed in strategic locations of flash flood or waterlogging and ready to meet any eventuality. As low-lying areas in urban pockets may have waterlogging and roads may be submerged, the SRC directed the urban local bodies (ULBs) to keep the drains and storm water channels ..

New Odisha govt seeks higher allocation of funds for infra development

The new BJP government in Odisha has submitted a memorandum to the Centre seeking the expansion of Paradip port, a second AIIMS at Sambalpur and higher allocation of funds to further accelerate infrastructure development in the state. The memorandum was submitted by Odisha Deputy Chief Minister K V Singh Deo who attended the meeting of finance ministers of the states before the Union Budget. The meeting was chaired by Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman in New Delhi on Saturday. The Odisha government memorandum sought higher allocation under the Scheme for Special Assistance to States for Capital Investment (SACI), 2024-25 to further accelerate infrastructure development, an official release said. Apart from the demand for the establishment of a second AIIMS at Sambalpur, the state government also sought expeditious completion of National Highways, specifically the Coastal Highway and Capital Region Ring Road (CRRR) projects, in Odisha. The new BJP government in Odisha also .