Odisha Govt

Internet suspended in Odisha's Malkangiri after clash between 2 villages

The suspension order was issued under Section 20 of the Telecommunications Act, 2023, which grants the Central and State Governments broader powers

High-pitched election campaigning for Nuapada by-election in Odisha ends

The high-pitched election campaign for Nuapada by-election in Odisha ended on Sunday evening after weeks of rallies and road shows by senior leaders. The bypoll, necessitated following the death of BJD MLA Rajendra Dholakia on September 8, is the first electoral battle after the BJP formed the government in the state last year. Though the electioneering started from the 11th day memorial meeting of the late MLA, it gained momentum after Dholakia's son Jay joined the BJP on October 11 after quitting his late father's party, BJD. Dhokalia was elected to the assembly on a BJD ticket in 2009, 2019 and 2024. Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi, his Chhattisgarh counterpart Vishnu Deo Sai, BJD supremo Naveen Patnaik, deputy chief ministers from Odisha and Chhattisgarh, Union minister Jual Oram, a dozen ministers and MPs and around 100 MLAs from the two states campaigned in the seat. The seat also saw road shows for the first time. The Congress has fielded Ghasiram Majhi, a local tribal le

Odisha imposes 7-month fishing ban to protect nesting Olive Ridley turtles

The Odisha government on Saturday imposed a seven-month-long ban on sea fishing activity within 20 km of the coast at the river mouths of Dhamra, Devi and Rusikulya as part of its annual Olive Ridley turtle conservation programme, officials said. The ban on sea-fishing, however, remains enforced round-the-year in the Gahirmatha coast, which is widely regarded as the largest habitation corridor of these highly endangered marine species. Besides, Gahirmatha has been accorded the status of a marine sanctuary in view of the congregation of turtles, said forest officials. The ban on sea fishing activity would remain effective from November 1 to May 31. It ensures the safety of marine animals during their breeding and mating season, said officials, adding that the ban has been clamped in accordance with Sections 2, 7 and 4 of Orissa Marine Fishing Regulation Act (OMFRA), 1982 and provisions of Wildlife Protection Act, 1972. The ban will be strictly implemented as it is done every year to

Odisha on high alert as cyclone likely to bring heavy rain from Oct 27

The disaster management teams in Odisha are on high alert due to a brewing cyclonic storm in the Bay of Bengal, which is forecast to bring heavy rainfall to the state from October 27.While the cyclone is not expected to make a direct landfall in Odisha, it is still likely to cause widespread downpours and gusty winds.Revenue & Disaster Management Minister, Suresh Pujari, assured that the state is prepared for the cyclonic storm expected to hit on October 22nd or 29th. He affirmed that the health, water, resource, and energy departments are ready to tackle the situation."Odisha is highly vulnerable to natural disasters such as heavy rainfall, flooding, river swelling, and cyclones. We are preparing for an impending cyclonic storm predicted to hit its coast on the 22nd or 29th. Departments, including Health, Water Resources, Energy, and Agriculture, are fully prepared. Local Administrations across Odisha, especially in vulnerable areas, have made arrangements for relief centres, ..

Two killed in Odisha's Gajapati landslide; CM announces ₹4 lakh ex-gratia

Chief Minister also held discussions with the district collector to assess the situation and directed Commerce and Transport Minister Bibhuti Bhusan Jena to visit Gajapati and oversee relief operation

Deep depression triggers heavy rain across Odisha, IMD issues alert

Heavy rain continued to lash Odisha on Thursday as the depression in the Bay of Bengal intensified into a deep depression and is moving towards the coast prompting the state government to deploy men and machinery in identified vulnerable districts to tackle the situation, an official said. Almost all parts of the state have received heavy rain since Wednesday, especially the coastal and southern region. The IMD issued an alert for heavy rains for all the 30 districts of Odisha on Thursday. In a statement, the IMD said that the deep depression formed on Wednesday night over the Bay of Bay of Bengal is moving towards the coast with a speed of 17 kmph. The system at 5.30 AM of Thursday lays centered at about 190 km south-southeast of Gopalpur, 190 km east-southeast of Kalingapatnam (Andhra Pradesh), 230 km south of Puri (Odisha), 250 km east of Visakhapatnam (Andhra Pradesh) and 310 km south-southwest of Paradip (Odisha), it said. The system is very likely to cross Odisha and adjoinin

Odisha plans to supply broken rice for ethanol as paddy cultivation rises

The Odisha government is planning to supply broken rice for ethanol production, with more farmers taking up paddy cultivation following an increase in the procurement rate, officials said on Tuesday. The state has the main ethanol plant in Bargarh district, which uses both rice grain and rice straw to produce the item for fuel blending, they said. There are smaller ethanol plants in the state as well, utilising grain feedstock, with the Food Corporation of India (FCI) allocating surplus rice to them for the ethanol blended petrol (EBP) programme. A discussion regarding the proposal was held at the first meeting of the Inter-Ministerial Committee for procurement for the Kharif 2025-26 season on Monday, officials said. The meeting, chaired by Deputy CM KV Singh Deo, who is in charge of the Agriculture and Farmer Empowerment Department, discussed the preparation of a roadmap for post-paddy purchase management, they said. The government has planned to procure the Kharif crops by the e

Intel CEO to attend Odisha's plant launch; chip output in 2 years: Official

PC chip major Intel CEO Lip-Bu Tan is likely to visit Odisha later this year for the ground-breaking ceremony of 3D Glass Solutions' semiconductor plant, a senior state government official said on Wednesday. The ground-breaking ceremony of the silicon carbide company SicSem is scheduled for next month, and the commercial production of chips is expected to start in two years, Odisha Electronics and IT Department Principal Secretary Vishal Kumar Dev told PTI. "Chief Minister (Mohan Charan Majhi) was here, and they (SiCSem and 3DGS) have given a commitment to start the unit soon. SiCSem's ground-breaking will be done next month, and the other company, 3D Glass Solutions (3DGS), they are looking for a date from Intel CEO Lip-Bu Tan. He plans to visit Odisha also. That is when the ground-breaking will happen. Hopefully, in the next two to three months," Dev said. 3D Glass semiconductor packaging unit to be set up by Heterogeneous Integration Packaging Solutions Pvt Ltd, which is backed

Odisha floods: Over 170 villages inundated, IMD warns of heavy rain

More than 170 villages in Balasore, Bhadrak and Jajpur districts of North Odisha were under flood water for the second consecutive day on Tuesday, even as the IMD has warned of heavy rainfall in the next few days due to fresh low pressure area in the Bay of Bengal, officials said. While 130 villages under three blocks of Baliapal, Bhograi and Jaleswar were flooded by the water of river Subarnarekha, around 45 villages in Jajpur are inundated by Baitarani flood water. Dhamnagar and Bhandaripokhari blocks of Bhadrak district are also affected. Some villages in Keonjhar and Sundergarh districts have also been hit by the flood, officials said. "Jajpur district has been severely hit due to a breach on the embankment of Kani river, a tributary of Baitarani river. I am going to the affected areas in Jajpur," Revenue and Disaster Management minister Suresh Pujari said, adding that relief and rescue operations are in full swing in affected districts. The minister said many people have been .

Balasore student death: Police use water cannon to disperse protestors

Police also detained the BJD workers who are protesting over the Balasore student's death by self-immolation

Odisha student dies after self-immolation; CM Majhi vows strict punishment

The Odisha college student who set herself ablaze following alleged sexual harassment by a professor died at AIIMS here, the hospital said. The second-year Integrated B.Ed student of Fakir Mohan (Autonomous) College, Balasore, died on Monday night, after fighting for her life for three days. She took the extreme step on Saturday over alleged inaction against the professor and suffered 95 per cent burns. Expressing grief over the student's death, Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi said all culprits in the case will face the strictest punishment under law. The woman was first admitted to the Balasore district hospital and then shifted to AIIMS Bhubaneswar for advanced treatment. She was undergoing treatment in the ICU, Department of Burn Centre, according to officials. "The patient was resuscitated with IV fluids, IV antibiotics, intubated and put on mechanical ventilation. Despite adequate resuscitation and all possible supportive management, including renal replacement therapy at t

BJP appoints Manmohan Samal as Odisha president for 2nd consecutive term

The ruling BJP on Tuesday reappointed Manmohan Samal as its Odisha unit president. Samal's reappointment to the post was announced by the BJP's central election observer Sanjay Jaiswal in the presence of senior leaders at the party's state headquarters. He was the lone leader to file the nomination for the post and, therefore, elected unopposed, Jaiswal said. This will be Samal's second consecutive term and fourth term in all. His earlier three terms were from November 1999 to October 2000, October 2000 to May 2004, and March 2023 to July 2025. Born on April 15, 1959, in Bhadrak district, Samal belongs to the OBC community, which constitutes more than 50 per cent of the state's population.

Odisha seeks public info on Puri stampede that killed 3 during Rath Yatra

The Odisha government on Thursday sought information from public regarding the stampede that took place near Shree Gundicha Temple in Puri during a ceremony related to ongoing Rath Yatra festivities in which three persons were killed and 50 others injured. The state government through a public notice urged the people to share information, video footage or any other materials related to the stampede which took place early on Sunday for a proper and transparent inquiry into the incident. The public notice issued by the Planning and Convergence department, also mentioned that any individual or organisation can share their information regarding how such an incident took place. "The members of the public are urged to share information, video footage or any other material through the e-mail puritragedy.enquiry@odisha.gov.in by July 20," an official said. This apart, the notice said that the interested persons can meet and share information with Development Commissioner and Additional Chi

Odisha stampede: Cong seeks CM's resignation; ₹50 lakh for kin of deceased

The Odisha Pradesh Congress Committee (OPCC) on Monday demanded the resignations of Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi, Deputy CM Pravati Parida and Law Minister Prithviraj Harichandan, holding them accountable for the stampede in Puri that claimed three lives and left over 50 injured, a statement by the party said. The party also demanded Rs 50 lakh ex gratia for each of the deceased devotees and Rs 25 lakh for those seriously injured. While Majhi had announced Rs 25 lakh ex gratia for the families of the deceased, the Congress said the amount was insufficient. Three persons, including two women, were killed and over 50 others injured in a stampede near Shree Gundicha Temple in Odisha's Puri early Sunday during a ceremony related to the ongoing Rath Yatra festivities. The incident took place around 4.20 am when thousands of devotees had gathered near the chariots parked in front of the temple. Calling the tragedy a result of gross mismanagement, the party has demanded a judicial .

Odisha Vigilance launches multiple raids on properties of senior officer

The Odisha Vigilance on Monday launched simultaneous raids on the properties and office of a joint director-rank officer at eight locations in three districts in connection with its probe into his alleged disproportionate assets. The Vigilance Department launched the search operations on the properties of the Soil Conservation and Watershed Development joint director, following allegations that he amassed wealth disproportionate to his known sources of income. The official was a former project director (PD) of the Watershed Department in Rayagada. "Simultaneous searches are being conducted by Odisha Vigilance officials led by 10 deputy superintendents of police, eight inspectors, 10 ASIs, and other supporting staffers on the strength of search warrants issued by the Special Judge, Vigilance, Bhawanipatna," an officer said. The raids are being carried out at three places in Bhubaneswar, two locations in Kalahandi district and three places in Nabarangpur, the Vigilance officer ...

Schools to stay shut in Bhubaneswar, Cuttack due to PM Modi's visit

The Odisha government has announced a school holiday in Bhubaneswar and Cuttack on June 20, 2025, due to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's scheduled visit to ensure smooth proceedings and events

Odisha Govt. plans to purchase land from needy tribals and dalits

To prevent non-tribals and non-dalits from grabbing land of STs and SCs, the Odisha government is planning to directly purchase land from needy people for which a corpus fund will be created, Revenue and Disaster Management minister Suresh Pujari said. Though there has been no such policy so far, Pujari on Thursday said. He that it is in the planning stage and to be implemented only after proper consultations with all the stakeholders including the people belonging to the Scheduled Castes (SC) and Scheduled Tribes (ST). The minister said that though there is a ban on non-tribals or non-dalits purchasing land from adivasis and SCs, it is noticed that they acquire land by different means. According to the provisions of the Odisha Land Reforms (OLR) Act, 1960, land belonging to STs and SCs cannot be purchased by non-tribals and non-SCs without the approval of the sub-collector. The minister said that it is found that the needy tribals and dalits sell their lands to non-tribals for ...

Odisha to set up greenfield airport at Paradip, heliports in 14 districts

In a bid to strengthen aviation infrastructure in the state, the Odisha government has decided to establish a Greenfield airport at the port town of Paradip, expedite the development of the Shree Jagannath International Airport in Puri and construct heliports in 14 districts. These decisions were taken during an Aviation and Network Construction Management' meeting chaired by Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi here on Thursday. In addition to discussions on expediting the proposed Shree Jagannath International Airport (SJIA) in Puri and the upgrade of Rourkela Airport, the meeting resolved to proceed with the establishment of a Greenfield airport at Paradip, according to an official release issued by the Chief Minister's Office (CMO). The meeting also focused on the development of key regional airports across the state, including those at Jeypore, Dand Bose, Rangeilunda, Gautama, Satibhata, Raisuan, Tushara, Jamadarpali, Malkangiri, Amarda Road, and Utkela, aiming to enhance regional

Odisha govt clears ₹1.65 trn investment proposals, to create 50K jobs

The Odisha government on Thursday approved 10 investment proposals, including those of Vedanta Ltd and JSW Steel, worth over Rs 1.65 lakh crore, having the potential to create over 50,000 jobs, a statement said. The approvals were given at a meeting of the High-Level Clearance Authority (HLCA), chaired by Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi. Among the projects for which approval was given was Vedanta Ltd's two projects in the Rayagada district. The mining major will invest Rs 50,537 crore for setting up a 6-mtpa alumina refinery, and Rs 40,991 crore for a greenfield 1.2-mtpa aluminium smelter. The HLCA approved JSW Steel Ltd's Rs 35,000 crore investment proposal for a 5-mtpa integrated steel plant in Keonjhar. It also approved Shyam Steel's 1.5-mtpa integrated steel plant worth Rs 5,200 crore in Bhadrak. Approval was also given to OCL Iron and Steel Ltd's Rs 3,000-crore integrated steel plant, which has a capacity of 1.2 mtpa, in Keonjhar. Orissa Thermal Energy Ltd's 2,400-mw (3 x

Odisha reports 3 child marriages daily, Nabarangpur dist leads: Govt data

Odisha has reported at least three such cases every day during the last six years, despite several initiatives taken by the administration, according to government data. Activists working in this field attribute tribal practice, dowry, migration of labourer families and parents' fear that daughters may elope to this startling figure. The data reveals that 8,159 child marriages have taken place across Odisha from 2019 to February 2025. Of them, 1,347 cases have been reported from Nabarangpur, the highest among all 30 districts of Odisha during that period. While Ganjam district is in the second spot with 966 cases, Koraput comes next with 636. It was followed by Mayurbhanj (594), Rayagada (408), Balasore (361), Keonjhar (328), Kandhamal (308) and Nayagarh (308). The lowest of 57 such instances have been found in Jharsuguda district in those six years. Social activist Namrata Chadha said, Child marriage cannot be fully stopped overnight. We have to create such an environment and soc