Page 24 - Odisha

Tata Power awards contracts worth Rs 11,481 cr to local suppliers in Odisha

Tata Power-led Odisha Discoms have awarded contracts worth Rs 11,481 crore to local contractors and suppliers, an official said. The joint ventures between Tata Power and the Odisha government, placed orders worth Rs 8,690 crore with local MSMEs and Rs 2,791 crore to non-MSMEs by the Discoms over the past three years since taking over the state's power distribution operations. These contracts, spread across two major categories like materials and services, have been awarded to local contractors and suppliers. Odisha discoms - TP Central, TP Southern, TP Northern, and TP Western Odisha Distribution Limited have forged agreements with 6,645 local vendors and suppliers, the official said. The company in a statement said that these collaborative partnerships serve as the backbone for day-to-day operations and services, with a special emphasis on encouraging local vendors to employ residents from the nearby regions. Within the service sector, covering meter reading, billing, network .

CM Majhi inaugurates operation centres of four IT companies in Bhubaneswar

Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi on Friday inaugurated operation centres of four new IT companies here which is expected to strengthen Odisha's position as a key destination for IT, professional services, and Innovation. Majhi inaugurated the operation centres of Chubb Business Services, Integreon Managed Solutions, Bourntec Solutions, and Secuodsoft Technologies virtually. The presence of these companies in Odisha is a testament to our state's commitment to fostering a business-friendly environment. From IT to Manufacturing, from Research and Development to Professional Services, Odisha's diverse industrial landscape is expanding rapidly, Majhi said. Stating that Odisha has set a target to make Odisha a USD 500 Billion economy by 2036 and a USD 1.5 trillion economy by 2047, the chief minister said the IT/ITeS and the larger services sector will play a critical role in helping us achieve these goals. "Our focus is and will remain on creating an environment that nurtures businesses

India's 1st Silicon Carbide manufacturing facility to be set up in Odisha

Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi Friday graced the ground-breaking ceremony of India's first silicon carbide manufacturing facility to be set up in Odisha at an investment of Rs 620 crore. The project will be developed by RIR Power Electronics Limited, a leader in India's semiconductor power electronics technology at the EMC Park, Infovalley, Bhubaneswar. This development places India and the state of Odisha squarely at the forefront of the global power electronics market, an official said. Attending the event, Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi said, The establishment of RIR Power Electronics Limited's facility is another notable step in our ongoing journey to make Odisha a leading semiconductor hub in India. He said this new facility will not only create state-of-the-art products but also open up a wealth of opportunities for our talented youth, providing them with avenues to work at the cutting edge of technology right here in Odisha. The facility will attract skilled ..

India successfully tests Agni-4 ballistic missile off Odisha coast

The successful test was carried out under the aegis of the Strategic Forces Command

Odisha set to lead petrochemical sector: Union minister Anupriya Patel

Union Minister Anupriya Patel on Friday said Odisha is ready to become a leader in the petrochemical sector which is projected to be a USD 1 trillion industry by 2047. Addressing a conference "Advanced India: Indian Chemicals and Petrochemicals Paving the Future" here, she said the eastern state with its skilled manpower and strategic coastal location is poised to become a major hub in the sector. She also said the India Chem 2024 summit, scheduled to take place in Mumbai from October 17-19 after a two-year hiatus, is expected to attract significant global participation. Odisha, with its skilled manpower and strategic coastal location, is poised to become a major hub for chemicals and petrochemicals, and will offer vast opportunities for manufacturing, employment and exports, Patel, the minister of state for chemicals and fertilizers, said. The sector, currently valued at USD 220 billion, is projected to surpass USD 1 trillion by 2047, she said, adding that the government's focus o

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.

NLC India aims to start early mining of Odisha's Machhakata coal block

State-owned NLC India Ltd is aiming to start the mining of Machhakata coal block in Odisha ahead of schedule. Machhakata coal block is the second commercial coal block and the biggest among the NLCIL's mining projects. NLC India Ltd (NLCIL) had emerged as the successful bidder for Machhakata (Revised) coal block in Angul district of Odisha under the commercial coal block e-auction held in July. The Machhakata coal block, having reserves of 1.4 billion tonnes (BT), with average Grade of G10-G11, and capacity of 30 MTPA, is expected to be one among the top five biggest mines in the country, NLCIL said in a statement. "NLCIL aims to commence the mining ahead of schedule. This marks another milestone towards realising NLCIL's Corporate Plan 2030," the statement added. Machhakata Coal Block's vesting order was issued on Thursday. The company had earlier said that it is committed to its capacity addition in line with its vision of achieving more than 100 million tonnes per annum (MTPA)

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 govt to set up model school in every panchayat, says CM Majhi

The Odisha government has decided to set up a model school in each panchayat of the state, Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi said here on Thursday. While addressing an event here to celebrate Teacher's Day, Majhi said the model schools would be established to enhance the quality of education, and will be named after Odisha's first Education Minister Godabarisha Mishra. There are more than 6,700 panchayats in the state. The government will also start the 'Madho Singh Haath Kharch Yojana', under which every tribal student will get Rs 5,000 per year, the chief minister said. Around 3 lakh students belonging to the Scheduled Tribe (ST) category will benefit under the scheme and it will help in addressing the dropout of the tribal students, Majhi said. Majhi said that the Odisha government is committed to preparing the framework of the state's education system according to the National Education Policy 2020. The government is taking all necessary steps in this direction, he said. The

Odisha CM Majhi pledged Rs 5 cr aid for Tripura flood relief efforts

CM Saha expressed his gratitude to the Odisha CM for his generous support and commitment to helping Tripura during this challenging time, the statement added

UN, Odisha govt launch India's first 'grain ATM' to boost food security

Odisha and WFP are introducing 'Annapurti' 24-hour grain ATMs statewide to enhance food security. The first machine was launched in Bhubaneshwar on August 9

Suicide among students in Odisha rises by 58% in 3 years till 2023

Suicide among students in Odisha has increased by 58 per cent in three years till 2023, the assembly was informed on Monday. In a written reply to a question from BJD legislator Dhruba Charan Sahoo, Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi said the number of suicide cases among students has increased from 119 in 2021 to 173 in 2022 and then gone up to 189 in 2023. The state has witnessed more such cases among girl students than boys during the period. Altogether 218 boys died by suicide in the three years, while the number was 263 for girl students. The state has reported altogether 17,778 suicide cases in three years from 2021. The chief minister said 5,649 suicide cases were registered in 2021, 6,140 in 2022 and 5,989 in 2023.

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 .

Spurious liquor claims 231 lives in Odisha over past 27 yrs, assembly told

As many as 231 people died after consuming spurious liquor in Odisha in 27 years between 1992 and 2019, Excise Minister Prithiviraj Harichandan informed the assembly on Saturday. In a written reply to a question of Congress MLA Nilamadhab Hikaka, the minister said the highest number of 134 people died after consuming hooch in Cuttack district in 1992. He said 41 people of Tukulipada in the then Bhubaneswar & Cuttack district lost their lives after drinking such liquor in 2012. The minister said spurious liquor also claimed 20 lives in Puri in 2001, 19 in Ganjam district in 2006, ten (three in Khurda & seven in Bolangir) in 2009 and seven in Bhadrak district in 2019. Harichandan said that the government, at present, doesn't have any proposal to provide assistance and rehabilitation to people falling ill due to the consumption of hooch and those addicted to liquor. A total of 433 country liquor (Mahua) shops are operating in Odisha and the government has collected Rs 227 crore ..

Odisha to establish breastfeeding cabins in offices, public spaces

This is one of the measures taken by the new BJP government after approving one day's paid menstrual leave for women employees on August 16

CM Majhi slams Mamata for making hateful, negative comments on Odisha

Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi slammed his West Bengal counterpart Mamata Banerjee for allegedly making "negative" and "hateful" comments on the coastal state. Referring to the alleged rape and murder of a trainee doctor in a Kolkata hospital, Majhi also alleged that Banerjee was making "vindictive" comments "without giving justice to the victim of the heinous crime". "If Bengal is set on fire, Assam, northeast, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand, Odisha and Delhi will also be affected," Banerjee had said, addressing a TMC students' wing rally in Kolkata on Wednesday. "Odisha is a peaceful state and its people are responsible...who has given you the authority to make negative, divisive and insensitive remarks on Odisha? The people of Odisha will not accept such a hateful, negative remark and insensitive attitude towards our state," Majhi said on X on Wednesday night. He urged Banerjee to refrain from making such comments. "Without giving justice to the victim of the heinous

Odisha govt culls over 11,700 chicken, health dept issues alert on bird flu

The Odisha government has culled over 11,700 chickens in Puri district's Pipili, following the detection of the H5N1 strain of avian influenza, an official said on Monday. After mass deaths of chickens at a local poultry farm in Pipili, culling began on Saturday and was completed on Monday evening. Additional culling in homes and nearby villages will take place on Tuesday, the official added. Jagannath Nanda, additional director of disease control, said 13 rapid response teams are handling the culling, with some poultry farm owners conducting culling independently. No other unusual chicken deaths have been reported elsewhere in the state, he added. In response to the outbreak, the state health department has heightened surveillance and issued an alert. Bijay Mohapatra, director of health services, emphasised that while bird flu is not new to Odisha, the department is working with stakeholders to manage the situation. He assured that sufficient medicines are available and urged poul

Odisha culls more than thousand chickens after Avian flu outbreak

The epicentre of the outbreak was in the Puri district, about 19 miles from the state capital Bhubaneswar, and follows the recent death of 1,800 birds at a local poultry farm

Cong allies with NC ahead of J-K polls as it is hungry for power: Odisha CM

Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi slammed the Congress for joining hands with the National Conference (NC) ahead of the Jammu and Kashmir assembly polls, alleging that the grand old party is "hungry for power". He sought clarification from Congress leader Rahul Gandhi whether his party would "support the National Conference's promise for a separate flag in Jammu and Kashmir". Does the Congress support any unrest in Jammu and Kashmir by increasing terrorist activities once again? Will the Congress have the support to promote separatists by talking to the arch-enemy Pakistan, instead of establishing peace by talking to the people of Jammu and Kashmir?" Majhi asked Gandhi in the video message. He also asked, "Will the Congress party support the cross-border terrorism by opening trade with Pakistan? Will this not affect the local ecosystem?" The BJP leader sought clarification from the Congress on "whether it supports the decision of the National Conference to give government jo

Odisha's unemployment rate at 3.9%, situation worse in urban areas: Govt

Odisha had an unemployment rate of 3.9 per cent, which was higher than the national average of 3.2 per cent, Skill Development and Technical Education Minister Sampad Chandra Swain told the assembly on Friday. In a written reply to BJD MLA Dhruba Charan Sahoo, Swain said Odisha was in the 21st position among all states and Union Territories in the unemployment rate as per the Periodic Labour Force Survey 2022-23 conducted by the National Sample Survey Office (NSSO). While the unemployment rate in the state's rural areas was 3.6 per cent, it was 6.2 per cent in the urban areas, he said. There were 11,04,229 youths -- 3,86,699 females and 7,17,530 males, who registered themselves with different employment exchanges in the state till May 31, 2024, he added. The highest number of 1,37,986 people registered at the special employment exchange for SC/ST. A total of 57,855 people registered with the employment exchange in Puri, followed by 54,001 people with the exchange in Berhampur in .