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Odisha Government
The Odisha government on Friday intensified relief and rescue operations and prepared to air-drop food packets in flood-hit Ganjam and Gajapati districts, where thousands of people have been marooned for over 24 hours due to floods triggered by incessant rain during cyclone Arnab, officials said. Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi, who also holds the Water Resources portfolio, expressed concern over the unexpectedly heavy rainfall in Ganjam and Gajapati districts. "As part of the preparedness for cyclone Arnab, the administration was expecting that the calamity could have a major impact in Malkangiri. However, nobody could imagine that such heavy rainfall could occur in Ganjam district and cause severe floods," Majhi said at a meeting here earlier in the day. He said Patrapur block in Ganjam district received 54 cm of rain in 24 hours, while several other places in Ganjam and Gajapati also recorded unusually heavy rainfall, triggering massive floods. Chief Secretary Anu Garg said, "
Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi has said students belonging to ST and SC communities will not have to deposit any fee at the time of admission in government medical and engineering colleges. Majhi issued the direction on Monday after learning that many meritorious Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe students face financial difficulties during admissions even after cracking tough entrance exams, an official release said. "To solve this problem, CM Majhi has directed that students belonging to ST and SC communities will not have to pay any fees at the time of admission, and for a period of six months after admission," it said. A guideline in this regard will be issued by the state government soon, the release added.
The final decision on claims and objections submitted during the ongoing Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls in Odisha will be taken by September 17, and the voter list will be published on September 21, an official statement said. The deadline for filing claims and objections for registration and revision ended on Wednesday, they said. A statement issued by the office of Odisha's chief electoral officer (CEO) said the final decision on all claims and objections will be taken by September 17 and the final voter list will be published on September 21. The CEO said that till August 19, notices have been issued to 58.36 lakh people. "Till now, a total of 3.09 crore eligible voters in the state have been considered for inclusion in the final voter list," it said, adding that the number may further increase as the hearing process is ongoing. Officials made it clear that the electors to whom notices have been issued but have been unable to submit the required valid certificate
The Odisha government on Saturday ordered a probe into the alleged discharge of excess water by a private power generation company into the Baitarani river without informing the authorities amid floods in Keonjhar district. Revenue and Disaster Management Minister Suresh Pujari, after reviewing the flood situation in northern Odisha, said the discharge had aggravated the situation in parts of Keonjhar. "The flood situation in Keonjhar district worsened after a private power generation company discharged excess water into the Baitarani without informing the authorities or the district administration," he told reporters. Pujari said he had directed the Keonjhar district collector to investigate the matter and take appropriate action. "The company had created a similar problem during the last monsoon as well. Taking this matter seriously, the district collector has been directed to conduct a detailed inquiry," he said.