Page 26 - Odisha

PM launches development projects worth over Rs 19,500 cr in Odisha

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday launched multiple development projects worth over Rs 19,600 crore in Odisha's Jajpur district. Modi said the BJP-led central government was committed to the development of eastern India, which is filled with natural resources. Our government works for the present as well as for the future, with the aim of making a Viksit Bharat' (developed India), he said during a programme here. The projects that were launched are related to different sectors, including Oil & Gas, Railways, Road, Transport & Highways and Atomic Energy. Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik and Union ministers Dharmendra Pradhan and Bishweswar Tudu were also present on the occasion.

PM Modi to dedicate projects in Odisha, Rahul to visit Mahakaleshwar Temple

PM Modi will visit Odisha to dedicate and lay the foundation stone of multiple development projects, while Rahul Gandhi is set to visit Mahakaleshwar Temple today

PM to unveil development projects worth over Rs 19,600 cr in Odisha today

The projects are from sectors including oil and gas, railways, roads, transport and highways and atomic energy

Odisha approves 22 industrial projects worth investment of Rs 4,000 crore

Furthering its industrialisation process, Odisha government on Monday approved 22 projects worth an investment of Rs 4,066 crore. The proposals got the state government's nod at the State Level Single Window Clearance Authority (SLSWCA) meeting chaired by Chief Secretary PK Jena. The projects are in different sectors such as green energy equipment, chemicals, textiles and apparel, steel, iron & ferro alloys, aluminium downstream, food processing, power & renewable energy, IT infrastructure and infrastructure & logistics, a release said. The projects after proper implementation are likely generate 25,525 jobs in 12 districts, officials said. In the green energy sector, Waaree Clean Energy Solutions Pvt Limited is planning to establish its electrolyser manufacturing plant in Khurda, with a project cost of Rs 435 crore, promising 300 jobs. In the chemical sector, Shalimar Paints has proposed to set up its unit in Balasore for paints varnish and its applied products project, ..

9 Bangladeshis detained for unauthorised entry into Puri's Jagannath Temple

Nine Bangladeshis were detained by the Odisha Police for allegedly entering the Jagannath Temple in Puri unauthorisedly, an officer said on Monday. They were detained on Sunday evening after a few Vishva Hindu Parishad activists found that several Bangladeshi non-Hindus entered the 12th-century shrine, flouting the temple norms, and lodged a complaint at the Singhadwar Police Station, he said. After getting the complaint, a police team reached the spot and detained the tourists for questioning, Puri Additional SP Sushil Mishra said. We have received a complaint that some non-Hindu people from Bangladesh have entered the temple. We have detained nine Bangladeshis and started questioning them, the additional superintendent of police said. As per temple norms, only Hindus are allowed to enter the shrine. If they are found to be non-Hindu, action will be taken against them, as per law, Mishra said. We are verifying their passports. It was found that one of them is a Hindu. We are che

Deciphering Naveen Patnaik: What is Odisha CM's political grammar?

The Odisha CM was once seen as the quintessential outsider, partly because of his struggle with the Odia language. Now he stands on the cusp of history

Centre raises concern about 5 states not signing PM SHRI School MoU

The Centre has expressed strong concerns about five states not signing MoUs with the education ministryfor PM SHRI schools and Punjab not implementing it despite continuing to take funds under the Samagra Shiksha scheme, sources said on Thursday. Odisha, West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Delhi have not yet signed the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Union Ministry of Education, while 30 states and union territories (UTs) have done so. The scheme targets to upgrade 14,500 schools and is expected to benefit 1.8 million students. It also aims to ensure these schools serve as model institutes and encapsulate the spirit of National Education Policy (NEP) 2020. The government has already selected 6,448 schools from 28 states and UTs for the upgrade in the first round. "Despite taking funds from Centre for Samagra Shiksha Scheme, the refusal of five States/UTs, namely Odisha, West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Delhi to sign MOUs for PM SHRI schools reflects a troubling patter

Gates meets Odisha CM, discusses tech-driven farmer empowerment initiatives

Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates called on Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik at his residence here and discussed technology-driven farmer empowerment initiatives. Gates, who arrived here on Tuesday, held discussions with the chief minister about various state government initiatives. "Pleasure meeting @Microsoft co-founder and philanthropist Mr @BillGates. Had a wonderful discussion on our technology-driven farmer empowerment initiatives, several welfare initiatives like #JagaMission, #MissionShakti, #OdishaSchoolTransformation, #BSKY and healthcare transformation," Patnaik said on X. He appreciated the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation for supporting innovation in extending inclusive benefits to the people. "Thanked him for his praise for Odisha's welfare initiatives and success in different sectors through #5T transformative governance," he added. In the morning, he visited a slum in Bhubaneswar and interacted with the residents. He visited the Biju Adarsh Colony in the Maa ...

BJP has ended credibility crisis in politics, claims Rajnath in Odisha

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Thursday claimed that the BJP has ended the "credibility crisis in politics" created by the Congress and the party has won the trust of people by fulfilling promises. Singh addressing party workers of three Lok Sabha constituencies of Nabarangpur, Kalahandi and Bolangir, said: "The people had lost their trust in politicians as the Congress people do not fulfil promises made to people during elections. However, the BJP won the trust of the people by fulfilling all its promises. Therefore, the crisis of credibility in politics has ended. People now have faith in Prime Minister Narendra Modi." Launching a scathing attack on the Congress, the Defence minister said that the Congress used to "forget" the promises made to the people after elections for which the people had "lost faith" in politicians. However, things have changed since Narendra Modi came to power in 2014, he said. "You can check our election manifesto and find that all the promises are met

Rajnath on cluster tour in Odisha, to hold public meeting at Mayurbhanj

The Minister will leave for Odisha from Vishakhapatnam in a few hours to attend meeting with ex-servicemen, BJP party bearers and attend public gathering

Odisha's first vaccine manufacturing plant to start production by May 2024

Commercial production at the Sapigen Biologix vaccine plant in Odisha, the first such facility in the state, will commence by May this year, officials said on Sunday. The plant at the Biotech Park in Andharua near here will have a capacity to produce 2.4 crore doses of different vaccines per day, they said. At full capacity, this facility will be the biggest vaccine-producing plant in the country, the Chief Minister's Office (CMO) said in a statement. It is expected to produce over 15 vaccines for various diseases, including cholera and malaria. The Rs 1,500-crore vaccine plant will create direct employment for 1,500 people, with most of them being local recruits, the CMO said. The variety of vaccines produced in Bhubaneswar will be supplied to many parts of the world, it added. V K Pandian, the chairman of '5T' technology-led transformative initiatives on Sunday visited the sub-units and interacted with the management and employees. He urged all government agencies to assist i

Patnaik lays foundation stone for Rs 3,000 cr textile facility in Cuttack

Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Saturday laid the foundation stone for the Rs 3,000-crore Welspun Group's Integrated Textiles Manufacturing Facility and Warehousing Complex at Choudwar in Cuttack district. The proposed complex is expected to create employment for over 10,000 people in and around Choudwar region. Speaking on the occasion, Patnaik said once the complex comes up, Choudwar will get back its glory of being the textile hub of Odisha. "Choudwar was developed as an industrial hub by former chief minister Biju Patnaik in the 1950s. Today, once again, a new history has been created in Choudwar," Patnaik said. The CM also informed that cotton farmers in the districts of Kalahandi, Bolangir, Rayagada and Gajapati will benefit from the complex, which will also provide employment opportunities for women. "Women will be provided skill training," he said. The state industrial department and Industrial Promotion and Investment Corporation of Odisha (IPICOL) had given a ...

Rajya Sabha elections: BJP fields Vaishnaw from Odisha; BJD extends support

The Bharatiya Janata Party has released names of four candidates for Madhya Pradesh and one for Odisha for Rajya Sabha biennial elections, slated for February 27

Odisha to give Rs 1,000 to PDS beneficiaries, interest free loans to youth

Ahead of the Lok Sabha and assembly elections, the Odisha government on Monday decided to distribute Rs 1,000 one-time assistance to all ration card holders and provide interest-free loans up to Rs 1 lakh to 2 lakh youths of the state. The cabinet of Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik approved a total of 26 proposals, including the distribution of Rs 1,000 livelihood assistance to 95.90 lakh PDS beneficiary families, state Food Supplies and Consumer Welfare Minister Atanu Sabyasachi Nayak told reporters after the cabinet meeting. The minister said that the public distribution system (PDS) beneficiary families face hardship in fetching different items for consumption due to the rise in market prices, which is why the one-time assistance would be provided. The government also decided to provide two jute bags of 20 kg and 10 kg capacity to each of the PDS families for their daily use, free of cost, Nayak said, adding that the fund requirement for procurement and distribution of the jute bag

Odisha CM raises pension for beneficiaries under social security schemes

In a relief for the distressed people covered under various social security schemes, Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik Saturday announced a hike of Rs 500 each in their monthly pension. As many as 36.75 lakh beneficiaries would receive the revised amount from February. Each of them will receive the minimum enhanced amount between February 20 and 25, a release issued by the CMO said. The beneficiaries include elderly, widows, persons with disabilities, unmarried women, AIDS patients, transgenders, orphan children and widows of COVID victims. In 2008, the state government introduced the Madhu Babu Pension Yojana (MBPY) after merging two old schemes of the 1980s. Under the MBPY scheme, beneficiaries up to 79 years of age were eligible for a monthly pension of Rs 500, while those beyond 80 years Rs 700 per month. Similarly, beneficiaries with 60 per cent or more disability and above 80 years of age were eligible for a monthly pension of Rs 900. They will now get Rs 1,000, Rs 1,20

JSW, Odisha govt tie up for Rs 40K cr integrated EV manufacturing facility

The JSW group on Saturday signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Odisha government for establishment of an Integrated Electric Vehicle (EV) and EV Battery manufacturing project at an investment of Rs 40,000 crore in the state. At Naraj in Cuttack district the JSW group will set up an EV vehicle, and component manufacturing plant, while at Paradip in Jagatsinghpur district, it will set up a copper smelter and lithium refinery. The project consists of a 50 GWH EV battery plant, EV, lithium refinery, copper smelter and related component manufacturing units. The MoU was signed two weeks after the state cabinet approved a special incentive package for the group's ambitious EV and component manufacturing projects at Naraj in Cuttack and Paradip in Jagatsinghpur district. Speaking on the occasion, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik said this day marks a great leap forward in the state's journey towards industrial excellence and sustainable development.. "Powered by the 5T ...

Odisha govt presents Rs 1.18 trillion vote-on-account in Assembly

Noting that Odisha has now become more than a 100 billion dollar economy, Odisha Finance Minister Bikram Keshari Arukha Thursday presented an interim budget of Rs 1.18 lakh crore for the first four months of the 2024-25 fiscal in the assembly. The state government has presented a vote-on-account instead of a full budget in view of the upcoming elections to the Lok Sabha and Odisha Assembly. The government estimated that the total budget outlay for the next financial year will be Rs 2.55 lakh crore, which is about 11 per cent more than the annual budget of 2023-24. Keeping in view the requirement of funds for expenditure on payment of salary, pension, interest payment, repayment of principal, relief, old age pension, scholarship of ST & SC students and other on-going scheme and programmes, a sum of Rs 1,18,000 crore is proposed in the vote on account, the minister said in the House. Of the total Rs 2.55 crore provision, Rs 1,03,500 crore has been allocated for administrative ...

Railway Board approves Rs 244.77 cr to set up wagon workshop in Odisha

The Railway Board has approved Rs 244.77 crore for establishing a wagon periodic overhauling (PoH) facility at Kantabanji in Odisha's Balangir district. This decision comes in response to the demands of the local people, including public representatives, East Coast Railway (ECoR) said in a statement on Wednesday. Recognising the need for such a workshop in the region, Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw had assured local people that their demand would be met, it said. The detailed project report of the wagon PoH was submitted in September 2023. The facility will be set up on vacant land available with railways at Kantabanji. The ECoR said the workshop will help increase freight traffic in the region. This apart, the wagon maintenance will improve efficiency and reliability.

Lightning strikes claimed 1,472 lives in state in 5 years: Odisha minister

Lightning strikes have claimed 1,472 lives and left 145 people injured in Odisha in the last five years, state Revenue & Disaster Management Minister Sudam Marndi told the Odisha assembly on Wednesday. Replying to a query by Congress MLA Tara Prasad Bahinipati, the minister said the state government had declared lightning as a disaster in June 2015. An ex gratia of Rs 4 lakh each has been paid to the next of kin of those killed in lightning strikes in accordance with state disaster response fund guidelines, he said. Similarly, a compensation of Rs 2.50 lakh is being provided to any person in case he or she loses an eye (s) or any other organ leading to a disability of more than 60 per cent due to a lightning strike, he added. If the disability is between 40 per cent and 60 per cent, the compensation amount is Rs 74,000, he said. The government has also made a provision for a compensation of Rs 16,000 if a person requires hospitalisation for more than a week due to a lightning ...

Justice Chakradhari Sharan Singh sworn in as new chief justice of Orissa HC

Justice Chakradhari Sharan Singh on Wednesday took oath as the 33rd chief justice of Orissa High Court. Governor Raghubar Das administered the oath of office to the new chief justice in a swearing-in ceremony held on Orissa High Court premises here. Born on January 20, 1963, Justice Singh was enrolled as an advocate in 1990 after completing a law degree from the University of Delhi (Campus Law Centre). He was appointed as additional standing counsel in the central government in 1998 and continued as such till October 2001, official sources said. Singh also served as additional advocate general in Bihar and continued as such till his elevation as an additional judge, Patna High Court, in April 2012, they said. He assumed charge as acting chief justice of Patna High Court in February 2023. Last week, President Droupadi Murmu appointed him as the chief justice of Orissa High Court after consultations with the Chief Justice of India, they added.