Page 3 - Naveen Pattnaik

Five-time MLA, former BJD minister Balabhadra Majhi joins Congress

Five-time MLA and former Biju Janata Dal (BJD) minister Balabhadra Majhi has joined the Congress

Rs 800-cr heritage corridor project inaugurated around Jagannath temple

Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Wednesday inaugurated the Rs 800-crore heritage corridor project around the historic Sri Jagannath Temple in Puri. The Srimandir Parikrama Prakalpa was officially unveiled by Patnaik in presence of Gajapati Maharaja of Puri Divyasingha Deb and representatives of around 90 temples and thousands of devotees. The project has been possible due to the blessings of Lord Jagannath, the CM said. It includes parking areas, a new bridge and a road to ease pilgrim movement, a pilgrimage centre, restroom facilities, cloakrooms, toilets and other amenities for devotees in and around the Jagannath temple, officials said. The pilgrim town of Puri has been decked up with flowers, colourful lights and graffiti for the occasion, they said.

Odisha CM inaugurates India's largest Sports Science Centre in Kalinga

This Sports Science Centre features specialised labs to ensure that athletes receive care and support tailored to their unique needs, cultivating their potential and propelling them towards excellence

CM Patnaik launches affordable bus service in Odisha's Nabarangpur

Launching the programme through video conferencing from Bhubaneswar, Patnaik said LaccMI will bring happiness and joy to every household in the district

India can do anything to save lives: Patnaik on Uttarkashi tunnel rescue

Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik said that rescuing all 41 workers, who were trapped inside an under-construction tunnel in Uttarakhand, proved that the country can do anything and everything to save the lives of its citizens. Patnaik thanked the rescue team for evacuating the 41 labourers, including five from Odisha, from the Silkyara tunnel after almost 17 days. It was a festival-like atmosphere on Tuesday evening in the villages of the five workers from the state as people distributed sweets, beat drums and danced to the tune of music. The family members of the five were now relieved and had thanked the government and all agencies involved in the massive rescue operation. "It gives me immense pleasure to learn about the successful rescue operation and I am very happy that our workers will return home safe," Patnaik said in a statement. The state government has sent a team and the family members of the trapped Odia labourers to the site in Uttarkashi district, he said. The

Odisha CM Naveen Patnaik's former private secretary Pandian joins BJD

"What favours Pandian is there is no negative wave against him in the party," said Brahmananda Satpathy, senior political science professor

V K Pandian, Odisha CM Naveen Patnaik's former aide, joins Biju Janata Dal

The development holds significance for the BJD ahead of next year's Lok Sabha polls, as the party has started bolstering its organisational units in various constituencies

Odisha govt to redevelop 26 ancient temples in CM Patnaik's home turf

The Odisha government has sanctioned Rs 42.51 crore for the redevelopment of 26 ancient shrines in the Ganjam district, an official said on Thursday. Renovation, restoration and reconstruction of the ancient shrines located in 12 of the 13 assembly constituencies, except Berhampur, in Ganjam, the home turf of Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, will be undertaken with the fund, he said. The Works Department will execute the project, he added. The district administration has recommended the government for renovation and infrastructure development of these old and historic temples on the basis of public demand, the official said. Earlier, the government had sanctioned Rs 48.97 crore for the district for giving a facelift to 997 village temples. The tenders for execution of the projects are under process, said Assistant Chief Engineer (Works) Durga Charan Behera. Among these 26 shrines is the 300-year-old Marda temple in Polasara block, known as Sharan Shrikshetra, where the deities of t

Hitching a (political) ride: The road ahead for Odisha CM's all-weather man

Government employees, ruling BJD eaders, and service associations have queued up in Naveen Niwas, the residence of Odisha CM, to congratulate V K Pandian following his new assignment

Odisha CM Patnaik unveils projects worth Rs 1,200 crore in Kalahandi

Asserting that Kalahandi was the "transformation model" of Odisha, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik Wednesday unveiled projects worth Rs 1,200 crore in the district. Patnaik inaugurated projects worth Rs 300 crore, which included the Saheed Rendo Majhi Medical College and Hospital and an affordable bus service that will connect the villages to block headquarters. He also laid the foundation stones for projects worth Rs 900 crore. "Kalahandi is our model. From education, health, communication and industry to agriculture, all the sectors have seen positive development, fulfilling the dreams of the people. Kalahandi has changed its history, and added new success stories. Kalahandi is providing rice to the whole country today," the chief minister said. He said that in Kalahandi, 63 buses will run under under the Location Accessible Multimodal Initiative (LAccMI), connecting villages to the block headquarters. Patnaik took a bus ride to Balrampur from the meeting venue in the Kalahandi ...

CM Patnaik inaugurates, lays foundation of projects worth Rs 541 cr

Amid protests by opposition workers, Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Saturday inaugurated and laid the foundation of projects worth Rs 541 crore. He inaugurated nine projects worth Rs 341 crore and laid foundation of four other projects with an estimated cost of Rs 200 crore. The nine inaugurated projects include Rs 90-crore Netaji Bus Terminal built on 15 acres of land at Khannagar area of Cuttack on the banks of Kathajodi River. He had laid the foundation of the bus terminal on the occasion of the the 125th birth anniversary of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose on January 23, 2021. Cuttack-Barabati MLA Mohammad Moquim, who was expelled from Congress, boycotted the event alleging that locals were ignored in the construction and operation of the project, while BJP activists staged a protest, demanding the rehabilitation of vendors displaced by the project. Patnaik, who attended the function amid tight security, said the terminal, which was named after Netaji who was born in Cutta

Odisha CM flags off 190 police vehicles to enhance operational capabilities

The official press note added further that a total of 224 vehicles of different makes will be added to the police fleet in 2023-24 at the cost of Rs 33 crore

Amit Shah praises CM Patnaik for containing naxal violence in Odisha

In the backdrop of Odisha's ruling BJD announcing its opposition to the no-confidence motion against the NDA government at the Centre, BJP stalwart and Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Saturday called Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik as "popular" and hailed him for becoming the CM for five times in a row. Shah, who in 2019 had referred the BJD government as a "jala hua transformer" (burnt out transformer), while sharing dais with Patnaik in an official programme said, "Patnaik has created the record of becoming the chief minister of Odisha for five times in a row. He is a popular chief minister." Shah, who is considered as the No. 2 in the central government as well as in the ruling BJP, apparently missed no opportunity to praise Patnaik. The Union minister also praised the chief minister and the BJD government for the decline in naxal violence and Maoist influence in the state. "Odisha government and Naveen Babu have always supported the Centre to combat naxals," Shah said, adding th

India wins Intercontinental Cup 2023, Odisha CM announces Rs 1 crore reward

India wins Intercontinental Cup for the second time, defeating Lebanon by 2-0 last night at the Kalinga Stadium in Bhubaneshwar. The Odisha CM announced Rs 1 crore reward to the Indian team.

Make arrangements for Ratha Jatra in Puri keeping in mind hot weather: CM

Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Tuesday directed officials to make arrangements for devotees during Ratha Jatra keeping in mind the prevailing hot weather in Puri. Attending a meeting of the Ratha Jatra Coordination Committee through the virtual mode, he said it must be ensured that devotees return from the festival with a feel-good experience. "We must give special attention to the devotees coming from across the country and abroad, and ensure that they return with feel-good factor," Patnaik told the meeting. Maintaining that Lord Jagannath is the biggest identity of Odisha, he said rituals at proper time should be ensured so that the festival, which will be starting on June 20, passes off smoothly. He appealed to everyone, including the servitors of the 12th-century shrine, to extend support so that the festival is held smoothly. Chief Administrator of the Shree Jagannath Temple Administration (SJTA) Ranjan Das said preparations were underway, and the administration was

Odisha CM sanctions Rs 183 cr projects in local bodies of 10 districts

Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik has approved Rs 183.81 crore in the second phase in favour of 42 urban local bodies covering 10 districts

Odisha CM Naveen Patnaik's assets increase by Rs 42.90 lakh in 2022

Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik held properties worth Rs 65.40 crore as of December 2022, which is Rs 42.90 lakh more than his assets possessed by December 31, 2021

Biju Janata Dal to go solo in Lok Sabha polls 2024: Naveen Patnaik

Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Thursday said his Biju Janata Dal (BJD) will go solo in the next year's Lok Sabha polls as it has "always" done, days after JD(U) leader Nitish Kumar met him amid efforts to forge a united opposition flank. Talking to media in the national capital after a meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi over developmental issues related to his state, Patnaik said Nitish Kumar's visiting him Bhubaneswar was a "courtesy call" and reiterated his party's position of remaining equidistant both from the Congress as well as the BJP. Patnaik has been at the helm in Odisha since 2000 and his BJD is among some regional parties which have maintained a neutral stand on the issues involving clashes between the ruling BJP and Opposition. At times, it has supported the BJP in Parliament as well. Patnaik said he met the prime minister to raise issues related to his state. In the meeting that lasted around 20-25 minutes, Patnaik raised issues related to infrastructu

CM Patnaik launches heavy lift logistics drone in Odisha Skill Conclave

Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik launched first of its kind heavy lift logistics drone (can transport 50kg over 10kms) made by Odisha-based start-up BonV Aero

Odisha CM Naveen Patnaik conducts virtual cabinet meeting from Japan

Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Sunday conducted a cabinet meeting online from Japan. This was his first cabinet meeting held from a foreign location. Patnaik, who is on a visit to the East Asian nation to attract investments to Odisha, presided over the cabinet meeting through the virtual mode from Kyoto, around 6,000 km from state capital Bhubaneswar. His cabinet colleagues also took part in the meeting separately through virtual mode. They held threadbare discussions and files were processed and documents signed online through the Odisha State Wide Area Network (OSWAN), a CMO statement said. "We have been a pioneer in leveraging the latest technology as part of our 5T charter to improve the effectiveness of the governance systems and delivery of public services. Technology has served as an enabling tool in transforming the delivery of good governance and public goods and services," Patnaik was quoted as saying in the statement. This digital cabinet pushes the boundary o