Page 30 - Odisha

Implement Centre's scheme on higher education: Pradhan urges Odisha CM

Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan wrote to Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, urging him to implement the PM-USHA scheme in the state that aims to improve higher education and graduate employability. In his letter to Patnaik, Pradhan said the Pradhan Mantri Uchchatar Shiksha Abhiyan (PM-USHA) will continue till March 2026 with a total outlay of Rs 12,926.10 crore but the states are required to sign a MoU with the Ministry of Education for its implementation. "The PM-USHA Scheme is an important step of the central government towards implementing the vision of National Education Policy, 2020, to attain higher levels of access, equity, and excellence in the states/UTs higher education system by prioritising the unserved and underserved areas," the letter, written on Wednesday, said. The focus should be on districts that have a low gross enrolment ratio (GER), higher population of Dalits and tribals, and are affected by left-wing extremism, among others, it said. Besides,

Cyclone: Odisha remains on alert as intensity of rains likely to increase

The southern districts of Odisha were on alert on Tuesday night as the intensity of rains is likely to increase as an impact of severe cyclone Michaung that made landfall in neighbouring Andhra Pradesh, officials said. The storm made landfall in the afternoon near Bapatla between Nellore and Machilipatnam in Andhra Pradesh, with a maximum sustained wind speed of 90-100 kmph, gusting up to 110 kmph. Light rainfall has been recorded in Malkangiri, Koraput, Rayagada, Ganjam, Gajapati and Kalahandi districts of Odisha till the evening, and the intensity is likely to increase overnight, officials said. After landfall, the cyclone is likely to move northwards and weaken into a depression, they said. "The maximum rainfall recorded so far in the affected districts till the evening was only 50 mm," said Gyana Das, the Additional Special Relief Commissioner (SRC). In Koraput, the district administration said that the situation was being closely monitored, and precautionary measures were bei

Orissa HC grants bail to honey trap scandal accused Archana Nag in ED case

The Orissa High Court has granted bail to honey trap scandal accused Archana Nag in an ED case registered against her. A single judge bench of Justice G Satapathy on Monday allowed the applicant to furnish a bail bond of Rs 2 lakh. The accused has been warned to not commit any offence while on bail and asked to deposit her passport with the court. She has also been asked to appear before the courts as and when required. With the granting of bail in the ED case, Nag, who was arrested in October last year, has received bail in all cases registered against her and is likely to walk out of prison. The high court had earlier granted her bail in two other cases registered against her by Bhubaneswar city police. Nag and her associates had allegedly extorted crores of rupees from affluent people by blackmailing them of releasing their intimate videos, captured by the accused after honey trapping them. Cases were registered against Nag with Nayapalli and Khandagiri police stations in ...

Rainfall in southern part of Odisha's as cyclone 'Michaung' nears landfall

Odisha's southern districts continued to receive light to moderate rainfall on Tuesday in the wake of severe cyclone Michaung', which is likely to make landfall between Nellore and Machilipatnam in Andhra Pradesh in a few hours, the India Meteorological Department said. Rainfall has been recorded in Odisha's Malkangiri, Koraput, Rayagada, Ganjam and Gajapati districts since Monday evening, officials said. Gajapati received 8.5 mm rainfall, followed by 8.3 mm in Koraput, 3.9 mm in Ganjam, 2.5 mm in Malkangiri and 1.5 mm in Rayagada between 5.30 pm on Monday and 8.30 am on Tuesday, the Met Department said. IMD Director General Mrutyunjay Mohapatra had said on Monday that though there will be no major impact on Odisha, heavy rain is likely at some places in the eastern state on Tuesday. The severe cyclonic storm over westcentral Bay of Bengal along and off south Andhra Pradesh coast moved northwards with a speed of 12 kmph during the past six hours and lay centered at 8.30 am of Tuesd

SC seeks Environment ministry's views on capping iron ore mining in Odisha

The Supreme Court Monday asked the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change to give its view on whether iron ore mining in Odisha can be capped, keeping sustainable development and intergenerational equity in mind. The top court perused the affidavit of the Union Ministry of Mines filed in response to its earlier query whether any cap can be put on mining in Odisha keeping in mind the limited iron ore reserves there and said it does not have the view of the Environment Ministry. "We want the view of the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC). This ministry is the expert body and it can tell us about the impact of the iron ore mining on the environment and the concept of intergenerational equity," said the bench comprising Chief Justice of India D Y Chandrachud, Justice J B Pardiwla and Justice Manoj Misra. The order was passed after a counsel for the petitioner Common Cause, an NGO, said the iron ore is set to be exhausted in 25 years keeping in mind t

In touch with state govt: PM Modi cautions as 'Cyclone Michaung' approaches

He also urged BJP workers in Tamil Nadu, Puducherry, Odisha, and Andhra Pradesh to join the relief and rescue efforts and support the local administration

Uttarakhand tunnel: 21 workers from Jharkhand, Odisha, Assam reach home

It was a grand homecoming for 21 Silkyara tunnel workers from Jharkhand, Odisha and Assam who reached their respective states on Friday. In Jharkhand capital Ranchi, 15 workers, who spent 17 gruelling days inside the tunnel in Uttarkashi, were given a rousing welcome when their plane landed shortly after 8pm from Delhi. State Labour Minister Satyanand Bhokta who received the workers at the airport said, "A big mission has been accomplished. The government will extend all help to them." The workers were taken to Chief Minister Hemant Soren's residence in a special bus where he interacted with them and enquired about their wellbeing. Interacting with workers, Soren said, "Glad you all have returned to Jharkhand after emerging victorious from the Uttarakhand tragedy. The whole country was praying for all of you. All of you will be connected to employment related and other schemes of the state government. I have given instructions about this to the officials. I will keep taking ...

Cocaine worth Rs 220 cr seized at Paradip port, Vietnamese crew detained

In a major drug haul, cocaine worth Rs 220 crore was seized from a ship at the Paradip port in Odisha's Jagatsinghpur district, officials said on Friday. Twenty-two suspicious packets were spotted in a crane on the ship anchored at the Paradip International Cargo Terminal (PICT) on Thursday night, they said. After the crane operator found it, he informed the authorities, suspecting it to be some kind of explosive. After tests, it was confirmed to be cocaine, they said. In a statement, the Customs Commissionerate said that they searched the ship around midnight acting on intelligence inputs and found the packets of cocaine. The Panama-registered cargo ship, named MV Debi, began its voyage from Egypt and arrived here via the Gresik port in Indonesia. It was scheduled to depart for Denmark with steel plates from here, officials said. "Twenty-two packets were recovered from a crane on the ship. The powder-like substance was confirmed as cocaine after examination using a special kit. T

60 projects worth more than Rs 18K cr sanctioned from OMBADC fund: Official

The Odisha government has sanctioned 60 projects worth more than Rs 18,000 crore from Odisha Mineral Bearing Area Development Corporation (OMBADC) funds till October this year, an official said. OMBADC chief executive officer G Rajesh said this during the meeting of the board of directors of the corporation held under the chairmanship of chief secretary Pradeep Kumar Jena on Thursday. OMBADC, a special-purpose vehicle of the Government of Odisha, was incorporated under the Companies Act, 2013 in December 2014. Rajesh said that the board has approved 60 projects under different sectors amounting to more than Rs 18,000 crore against the total collection of Rs 20,700 crore till October 2023. The 18 departments, which are executing the OMBADC projects, have utilised 72 per cent of the released amount which stands at Rs 10,868 crore, he said. The highest expenditure of 93 per cent has been made by the Housing and Urban Development department followed by Panchayati Raj and Drinking Wate

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

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

Lines drawn over Odisha govt's third attempt to amend tribal land law

Odisha's political arena ignites as the BJD government takes a third swing at amending a decades-old law, leaving the fate of tribal land hanging in the balance and opinions on fire

Odisha CM approves 12 key projects with investment of Rs 84,918 crore

Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik has approved 12 key projects with a cumulative investment intent of Rs 84,918.75 crore. These projects will create employment opportunities for 42,281 people across various sectors, an official said. The investment proposals in apparel and textiles, green hydrogen and green ammonia, steel, power and renewable energy, chemical and petrochemical downstream sectors were approved at the High-Level Clearance Authority (HLCA) meeting chaired by the chief minister on Friday, the official said. These projects will be located across the state in the districts of Cuttack, Dhenkanal, Ganjam, Jajpur, Jharsuguda, Kendrapada, Malkangiri, Rayagada, Sambalpur and Sundargarh. In the apparel and textiles sector, Welspun Living Limited received the nod of the HLCA to establish an integrated textile and logistics facility at Choudwar in Cuttack district, with an investment of Rs 3,050 crore. The project has the potential to create employment for 20,210 people, an .

Industrial projects worth Rs 21.73 trn approved by Odisha govt: Minister

To make Odisha an industrial hub in eastern India, the state government has approved 848 industrial projects in different sectors with an estimated potential investment of Rs 2l.73 lakh crore, Industries Minister Pratap Keshari Deb told the Assembly on Friday. Replying to a question of BJD member Prafulla Samal, the minister said the state government has taken some tangible steps for promotion of industries in various sectors across the state to make Odisha an industrial hub in eastern India. As a result of these initiatives, 848 industrial projects in different sectors of industry have been approved through State Level Single Window System for establishment of industries with an estimated potential investment of Rs 2l,73,871.34 crore and estimated employment generation of 9,14,895 people, he said. To attract investors the state government has implemented Industrial Policy Resolution (IPR), 2022 and formulated 24 sector specific policies, Deb said. "The government is committed to .

Special pilgrimage train for elderly flagged off from Bhubaneswar

Pilgrimage train is part of an initiative of tourism department under Baristha Nagarika Tirtha Yatra Yojana to help elderly people carry out their spiritual journey in places of religious importance

DMRC roped in as consultant for 1st phase of Rs 6,255 cr Bhubaneswar Metro

The Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) was roped in as a turn-key consultant for the construction of the Bhubaneswar Metro's first phase, from the airport to Trishulia Square in Cuttack, officials said on Monday. A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed between the Bhubaneswar Metro Rail Corporation and the DMRC for the project, which will be completed in four years, they said. Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik said the agreement signals the emergence of a new epoch in the transportation history of Odisha. "We are now poised to transform the transportation landscape in the state's capital region. This is a flagship programme under the 5T (teamwork, technology, transparency, timely completion leading to transformation) initiative of the government that will also symbolise the emergence of a new Odisha," he said. The first phase of the project will be built at a cost of Rs 6,255 crore, Patnaik said, adding that this is the single largest investment made for any infrastructure proj

Dharmendra Pradhan launches PM SHRI scheme in Odisha schools run by Centre

Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan on Sunday launched the Pradhan Mantri Schools for Rising India (PM SHRI) scheme, intended to develop thousands of schools across the country, in Odisha. Out of 97 Central Schools and Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalayas, the scheme will be implemented in 63 institutes run by the Centre in the first phase in the state, Pradhan said. The Centre had asked all the states and Union Territories to sign MoUs with the Department of School Education and Literacy of the Ministry of Education for implementation of the scheme. The Odisha government, however, is yet to do it. "The PM SHRI scheme will be implemented in the state with more than Rs 120 crore," the union minister said. For 2023-24, the Centre has sanctioned Rs 50.8 crore for the state's schools run by the Centre, of which Rs 12.7 crore has already been released in the first instalment. A total of Rs 7.27 crore was released for 37 central schools and Rs 5.43 crore for 26 Jawahar Navodaya ...

Odisha govt's nod for 8 investment projects worth over Rs 1,397 crore

The Odisha government has approved eight projects with a total investment proposal of over Rs 1,397 crore in six districts, a statement said. These projects will generate employment opportunities for 2,860 people in the state. The State Level Single Window Clearance Authority on Friday gave its nod to eight proposals with a total investment of Rs 1397.18 crore, the statement said. The government has green-lighted the proposal of Sintex BAPL Ltd to set up a plastic pipes and tank manufacturing unit in Sambalpur district with an investment of Rs 479.47 crore. Hindalco Industries Ltd's plan to invest Rs 241.05 crore to build a white-fused alumina manufacturing unit in the same district got a go-ahead from the administration. The authority gave its nod to the proposal of HIL India to invest Rs 250 crore to set up a pipe manufacturing unit in Balasore. The state government also approved the proposals of Mega Flex Plastics Ltd (Rs 62.38 crore), Sandhu Tubes Pvt Ltd (Rs 99.54 crore), KA

Cyclone 'Midhili' to bring rainfall in coastal West Bengal, Odisha on alert

The deep depression over the Bay of Bengal on Friday intensified into a cyclonic storm and will graze past the Sunderbans before making landfall on Bangladesh coast with a maximum wind speed of 80 kmph, India Meteorological Department (IMD) said in a bulletin. The cyclonic storm named 'Midhili' will cross the Bangladesh coast during November 17 night or early hours of November 18, it said. The system over the Bay of Bengal lay centered at 5.30 am on Friday at about 190 km east of Paradip (Odisha), 200 km south-southeast of Digha (West Bengal) and 220 km southwest of Khepupara (Bangladesh), the national weather agency said. "It is likely to continue to move north-northeastwards and cross Bangladesh coast close to Khepupara with wind speed of 60-70 kmph gusting to 80 kmph during November 17 night or early hours of November 18," the IMD said. The name 'Midhili' was given by the Maldives. Countries affected by the Arabian Sea and Bay of Bengal cyclones rotationally give names of cyclon

CM Patnaik sanctions Rs 45 cr to build community centres for minorities

Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Tuesday approved Rs 45 crore for constructing 150 multi-purpose community centres for preserving the culture and heritage of the people belonging to minority communities in the state. The construction of multi-purpose cultural-cum-community centres will be taken up in 22 districts, he said. An amount of Rs 45 crore has been sanctioned for setting up these centres, he said. These facilities will serve Christians, Muslims, Buddhists and Sikhs. This initiative will go a long way towards the creation of space for the minority communities to undertake various community-based activities in the multi-purpose centres, the chief minister said. The announcement about the assistance for these community centres comes after 'Nabin Odisha' and '5T' transformational initiative chairman V K Pandian met the members of Cuttack Oriya Baptist Church, Church of Christ (Union Church), Bhubaneswar and BJD Minority Cell on Monday. '5T' refers to teamwork, technolo