Page 49 - Odisha

Cabinet reshuffle: 3 new ministers to take oath in Odisha on Monday

New ministers will be inducted into the Odisha cabinet on Monday, with Governor Ganeshi Lal scheduled to administer the oath to them at a ceremony here at 10 am, officials said. Bhanjanagar MLA Bikram Keshari Arukha, who resigned as the speaker of the assembly last week, and Rourkela MLA Sarada Prasad Nayak and Bangiriposi legislator Sudam Marandi will be inducted into the cabinet. The governor, who was on a private visit to his home state of Haryana, returned to Bhubaneswar on Sunday, a day ahead of the scheduled event. The ceremony will be held at the convention centre of the Lok Seva Bhawan in Bhubaneswar around 10 am, according to the invitation sent to the press, including PTI, by the Chief Secretary's Office. Last week, School and Mass Education Minister Samir Ranjan Dash and Labour Minister Srikant Sahu resigned. No appointment was also made in place of Health Minister Naba Kishore Das, who was assassinated in January. Odisha's cabinet can have 22 ministers, including the C

Odisha CM may reshuffle his cabinet on Monday, to fill three vacancies

Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik is likely to reshuffle his cabinet on Monday, official sources said. There are three vacancies in the state cabinet, and the new ministers are likely to be inducted at a simple ceremony around 9.30 am on Monday at the Lok Seva Bhawan, they said. This will be Patnaik's second cabinet reshuffle in his fifth term as the chief minister of the state. Governor Ganeshi Lal, who will administer the oath to the new ministers, is at present on a visit to his home state, Haryana, and is scheduled to return on Monday. But, he has been requested to return on Sunday, sources said. Last week, School and Mass Education Minister Samir Ranjan Dash and Labour Minister Srikant Sahu resigned. No appointment was made in place of Health Minister Naba Kishore Das, who was assassinated in January. Along with the two ministers, Speaker Bikram Keshari Arukha also resigned last week. The Parliamentary Affairs Department was preparing in full swing for the swearing-in cer

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

Odisha CM Naveen Patnaik owns property worth Rs 65.40 crore, shows CMO

Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik has property worth Rs 65.40 crore and no liability as of December 2022 while 14 of his ministers are crorepatis. The CMO website, which was updated on Friday, showed that the valuation of the chief minister's property rose by Rs 43 lakh from Rs 64.97 crore in 2020-21. All ministers in Odisha submit details of their assets on an official portal. According to the website, Patnaik's movable property increased in 2021-2022 while immovable assets remained the same. Patnaik owned movable property worth Rs 12.52 crore, which included bank accounts in New Delhi, Bhubaneswar, Hinjilicut, and Bargarh, along with jewellery and a four-wheeler. His immovable assets include a two-thirds share in Naveen Nivas', his residence near Bhubaneswar airport worth Rs 9,52,46,190 (approximately), and a 50 per cent share in the property at 3, Dr APJ Abdul Kalam Road, New Delhi worth Rs 43,36,18,000 (approximately). Patnaik has fixed deposits worth Rs 1 crore in HDFC, R

Odisha likely to get second Vande Bharat Express, says Ashwini Vaishnaw

Odisha is likely to get a second Vande Bharat Express, Railways Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said here Thursday. The first semi high speed train in Odisha on the Puri-Howrah was flagged off by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the virtual mode during the day. The union minister, who was speaking at a programme at Puri railway station after the flagging off, said the railways is planning to launch Vande Sleeper and Vande Metro in Odisha. The second Vande Bharat Express in Odisha is likely to run on Puri-Bhubaneswar-Cuttack-Angul-Rourkela route, he said. There are plans to run Vande Metro in Puri-Bhubaneswar-Cuttack in January-February next, Vaishnaw, who is elected to Rajya Sabha from Odisha, said. Vaishnaw said he along with Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan will request Prime Minister Narendra Modi to give another Vande Bharat and Vande Metro to Odisha. Odisha will now have world class railway, telecom, internet and highway connectivity, he said. The Modi government has allocated ar

PM Modi flags off Odisha's first Vande Bharat, launches railway projects

Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched railway projects worth Rs 8,200 crore in Odisha on Thursday and flagged off the state's first Vande Bharat Express that will connect Puri to West Bengal's Howrah. Addressing the function through video-conferencing, Modi said new India is building its own technologies and reaching those to the different corners of the country. "The Vande Bharat Express will further strengthen the religious, cultural and spiritual connection between Howrah and Puri," he said. Fifteen Vande Bharat trains are operational in the country at present and those are boosting both connectivity and economy, Modi said. "There was a time when new technologies and facilities used to remain limited to Delhi or the big cities. But now, India has chosen a new path. This new India is making technologies on its own and reaching those to different corners of the country," he said, referring to the indigenously developed semi-highspeed train. The prime minister said that as the cou

PM to flag off Puri-Howrah Vande Bharat, launch projects in Odisha on Thurs

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will lay the foundation stone and inaugurate several railway projects valued at more than Rs 8,000 crores in Odisha on Thursday via video conferencing, officials said. He will flag off the Puri-Howrah Vande Bharat Express on Thursday from the pilgrimage town of Odisha, a South Eastern Railway official said in Kolkata. The train will cover the 500 km distance between Howrah and Puri, the abode of Lord Jagannath, in around six and a half hours. Apart from that, Modi will lay the foundation stone for redeveloping Puri and Cuttack railway stations so that passengers can get all modern amenities in future. The prime minister will also dedicate 100 per cent electrification of the rail network in Odisha. This will reduce the operating and maintenance cost and reduce reliance on imported crude oil, an official of the East Coast Railways said in Bhubaneswar. Modi is also scheduled to dedicate the doubling of the Sambalpur-Titlagarh rail line, a new broad gauge

Run by half-engine govt, Odisha suffers from governance deficit: Pradhan

Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan on Tuesday alleged that Odisha suffers from a "governance deficit" which has "led to massive malnutrition" among tribals, and the state government is run by a "half-engine". His comment came three days after BJD president and Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, in a veiled attack on the BJP, said it was good governance and not a 'double engine' government that could help a party win an election. Notably, the BJP used its oft-repeated slogan of 'double engine' government (BJP government at the state and the Centre) in Karnataka where the party suffered a heavy loss at the hands of the Congress last week. In a scathing attack on the chief minister, Pradhan said, "Odisha suffers from governance deficit and only half engine' exists in the state. Therefore, Odisha is hit by misrule and bad governance. The state's health survey report speaks volumes." The Union education minister, however, did not name the BJD supremo. He expressed concern over the "rising"

Odisha CM Patnaik flags off maiden flight from Bhubaneswar to Dubai

Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Monday flagged off the maiden flight from Bhubaneswar to Dubai at the Biju Patnaik International Airport here. A total of 174 travellers aboard the first direct flight from Dubai to Bhubaneswar, which landed at 4 pm, were welcomed by state ministers Aswini Kumar Patra and Tukuni Sahu. A total of 170 passengers boarded the Dubai-bound flight from Bhubaneswar. They were presented with 'Uttariya' (traditional stole), sweets and flowers, before the flight took off at 6 pm. Speaking on the occasion, Patnaik said aligning Odisha with a global tourism destination such as Dubai will bring in industrial development by facilitating investments, promote tourism and increase connection with the Odia diaspora. He said Dubai being a major tourism junction in West Asia, provides a gateway to European and American markets. Besides people who had booked their tickets after Utkal Dibasa on April 1, various sportspersons and delegates from Mission Shakti, Worl

Naveen steers clear of Oppn unity; Cong says it's to keep agencies out

Whenever there is a move to form a Third Front or a common political platform of non-BJP or non-Congress parties, leaders start searching for Odisha CM Naveen Patnaik

Not single or double engine, governance is important: Odisha CM Patnaik

Stating that history is the witness to such behaviour of the opposition, the Chief Minister said people of Odisha have never tolerated such disrespect towards women

BJD wins Jharsuguda bypoll with a margin of 48,721 votes in Odisha

The ruling BJD in Odisha retained the Jharsuguda assembly seat on Saturday, as its candidate Dipali Das defeated her nearest BJP rival Tankadhar Tripathy by 48,721 votes, an election official said. Das secured a total of 1,07,198 votes, while Tripathy bagged 58,477 votes. Congress candidate Tarun Pandey came third with 4,496 votes, the Election Commission official said. Dipali is the daughter of Odisha Health Minister Naba Kishore Das, whose assassination in January allegedly by a police officer necessitated the by-poll. Naba Kishore Das had won the seat by a margin of 45,740 votes in the 2019 general elections.

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's Delhi visit sparks speculations in Odisha political circle

A day after meeting his Bihar counterpart Nitish Kumar, Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik Wednesday left for a four-day trip to the national capital, leading to speculations being bandied about in the state's political circles. Though the chief minister's office said that Patnaik has a number of official engagements to meet union ministers during his stay in Delhi, sources in the ruling BJD claimed that he may meet political leaders from other parties too. He is scheduled to return to Odisha on May 13, Patnaik's sudden visit to Delhi sparked speculations that the BJD president may meet some opposition leaders who are already in touch with Nitish Kumar and Mamata Banerjee on forming an opposition grouping ahead of the 2024 elections. The Odisha chief minister's move is being apparently seen as aimed at sending a message to the BJP which has of late become an aggressive foe in Odisha ahead of the 2024 general elections. Though the BJD officially has claimed it was maintaining equ

Odisha election: 55.20% voting till 3 pm in Jharsuguda assembly bypoll

A total of 55.20 per cent of the 2.21 lakh voters exercised their franchise till 3 pm on Wednesday in Odisha's Jharsuguda assembly constituency, where a by-election is underway, an Election Commission official said. Long queues were seen in front of several polling stations even before the voting process started at 7 am. "There is no report of any untoward incident. Voting is underway peacefully amid tight security arrangements in all 253 polling stations. At least 55.20 per cent of eligible voters have exercised their franchise till 3 pm," Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Nikunja Bihari Dhal said. Dhal said the pace of voting reduced in the afternoon due to intense heat as 42 degrees Celsius was recorded in Jharsuguda at 3 pm. He said drinking water and watermelon were distributed among the voters standing in the queue. The voting will continue till 6 pm. Over 2.21 lakh voters, including 63 members of the transgender community, are eligible to exercise their franchise in the ...

Voting begins for Assembly bypoll in Suar, Chhanbey seats in Uttar Pradesh

Polling for the by-election to Jharsuguda assembly seat in Odisha began at 7 am on Wednesday amid tight security measures, officials said. A total of 2,21,070 people are eligible to exercise their franchise in 253 booths. There are 1,10,320 male electors, 1,10,687 women and 63 of the third gender. Polling will continue till 6 pm. Odisha's Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Nikunj Bihari Dhal said all arrangements have been put in place to ensure peaceful voting. Over 1,000 poll officials and an adequate number of security personnel, including seven companies of paramilitary forces, have been deployed. Jharsuguda Superintendent of Police Parmar Smit Parshottamdas said that CCTV cameras and deployment of micro-observers and central forces have been ensured in 106 booths identified as critical, besides 30 as demanded by various political parties. He said 19 platoons comprising around 570 police personnel, besides 100 officers, have been deployed. Collector cum District Election Officer

Odisha Guv seeks report from govt on power disruption at Prez event

Odisha Governor Ganeshi Lal on Monday sought a report from the state government on the nine-minute power blackout during President Droupadi Murmu's speech at a university's convocation in Baripada. The governor, who is also the chancellor of the universities, asked Chief Secretary P K Jena and Vice Chancellor of Maharaja Sriram Chandra Bhanjadeo University, Santosh Tripathy, to file a detailed report on the power disruption in the auditorium while the President was delivering her speech on May 6. The governor has sought the report from the authorities within seven days. Tripathy confirmed receiving a letter from the Raj Bhavan and said he will submit the reply on Tuesday. Lal was present at the auditorium when lights went off during the President's address. Though the auditorium had plunged into darkness for nine minutes, Murmu continued to deliver her speech. However, the air-conditioners, microphones and fans in the auditorium were functioning normally during the whole blackout

President delivers speech in darkness, BJP seeks Odisha CM's apology

Lights went off as President Droupadi Murmu addressed the convocation of a university in her home district of Mayurbhanj in Odisha on Saturday, leading to a political row in the state. Murmu was addressing the 12th convocation of the Maharaja Shri Ramchandra Bhanjadeo University. Four minutes into the speech, lights went off due to a power snag, plunging the venue into darkness. Murmu continued her speech in the darkness, which lasted for nine minutes from 11.56 am to 12.05 pm before the power supply was restored. Terming it a major security lapse, state BJP president Manmohan Samal demanded an apology from Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik. "It is a shame for the entire state. Though the state government claims that Odisha is a power-surplus state, it cannot provide lights at the place where the country's first citizen is present. We demand an apology from the chief minister," he said. BJD vice-president Debi Prasad Mishra said an inquiry would be done to find the persons responsible

Bihar CM Nitish Kumar to travel to Odisha, meet Naveen Patnaik on Tuesday

Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik will meet his Bihar counterpart Nitish Kumar on May 9, amid talks of regional parties coming together ahead of the 2024 general elections, officials said. Kumar will meet Patnaik at Naveen Niwas' here around 12 pm, they said. The Bihar CM and JD(U) leader had recently announced that he would travel across the country to unite opposition parties ahead of the Lok Sabha polls next year. He has already met Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, West Bengal Chief Minister and TMC chief Mamata Banerjee, Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav, and Left leaders Sitaram Yechury and D Raja. Patnaik, the BJD supremo, had also met Banerjee in March. In December last year, Patnaik had invited both Banerjee and Kumar to witness the hockey world cup in Odisha.

President Murmu to embark on a 3-day visit to Odisha's Mayurbhanj district

President Droupadi Murmu will visit Odisha's Mayurbhanj district from May 4 to 6, a statement issued by the Rashtrapati Bhavan said on Wednesday. The President will lay the foundation stone for the Skill Training Hub and Community Centre at Pahadpur on Thursday. Subsequently, she will visit Brahma Kumaris Centre, Hatbadra to launch the Addiction Free Odisha' campaign of the centre, the statement said. On the same evening, President Murmu will attend a civic reception to be hosted in her honour by the Rairangpur Municipality at Rairangpur Stadium, it said. On May 5, the President will pay her tributes to Pt Raghunath Murmu on his birth anniversary. Later, she will visit Similipal Sanctuary. The President will grace the 12th convocation of Maharaja Sriram Chandra Bhanja Deo University at Baripada on May 6, the statement added.