Page 5 - Odisha

Cabinet approves 4 new semiconductor projects with ₹4,600 crore investment

Four semiconductor units in Odisha, Andhra Pradesh, and Punjab, plus Lucknow Metro's Phase-1B, aim to create jobs, expand connectivity, and boost India's manufacturing base

BJD to move Orissa HC on 'vote discrepancies' in 2024 Assembly, LS polls

The BJD said that it would approach the Orissa High Court regarding "discrepancies" during the 2024 assembly and Lok Sabha polls, as the EC has "failed" to give any satisfactory reply to the regional outfit on the issue. BJD spokesperson Amar Patnaik, MLA Dhruba Charan Sahoo and former MP Sarmistha Sethi made the announcement at a press conference here on Monday. "Around eight months ago, BJD had submitted fact-based evidence to the Election Commission of India (ECI) regarding the vote discrepancy observed during last elections and sought a reply, but a satisfactory reply has not been received yet. Therefore, the Biju Janata Dal has decided to approach the High Court regarding this matter," Patnaik told reporters here. "Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has recently raised questions about the transparency of the elections, following which the party's state unit is also raising the issue now. However, the BJD had flagged this long before that. Gandhi also sought the audit system demanded

Apart from Bhubaneswar, 4 cities to be developed as digital hubs: Odisha CM

Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi said that his government is making efforts to develop four more cities, apart from Bhubaneswar, as digital hubs and enabling the youths to equip themselves with AI, cybersecurity and several other emerging technologies. He also said the government is keen to bring development of the IT and electronics sector to Cuttack, Rourkela, Sambalpur and Berhampur. The state government has signed four MoUs for research, running the O-chip programme, strengthening technical collaboration and startup networks in the state, an official said. An MoU was signed between the Department of Electronics & IT and IIT Bhubaneswar for research, pilot projects, policy inputs, and innovation ecosystem development during a two-day programme here, he said. Another agreement was inked between the state-owned Odisha Computer Application Centre and Semiconductor Fabless Accelerator Lab (SFAL) to run the O-chip programme, he said. The programme aims at creating an ...

Congress alleges irregularities in Odisha's 2024 Assembly, LS polls

The opposition Congress in Odisha on Saturday alleged that irregularities had taken place in the state during the simultaneous elections to the assembly and Lok Sabha last year. Addressing a press conference, state Congress president Bhakta Charan Das claimed that about 42 lakh votes were cast in the state between 5 pm and 9 pm on the day of the polling. "How come such a huge number of voters came to the polling stations in the evening?" he questioned. Das also raised questions on the BJD not winning a single Lok Sabha seat in the state. "The BJD won 51 assembly seats, but was unable to win a single Lok Sabha constituency. The BJD won four or five assembly seats in some Lok Sabha constituencies, but its candidates could not become MPs. How did it happen?" he asked. The Congress won only one Lok Sabha seat, Koraput, as it has won six out of the seven segments that are part of it, he said. Thanking the leader of the opposition, Rahul Gandhi, for bringing the alleged irregularities

No person involved in burning of Puri teen girl, says Odisha Police

Odisha Police have claimed that no person was involved in the burning of a 15-year-old girl, who has succumbed to her injuries, even though the victim's mother alleged that three unknown miscreants set her daughter on fire. The girl, who was undergoing treatment at AIIMS-Delhi after sustaining burn injuries in the incident which took place near her house in Balanga area of Puri district on July 19, died on Saturday. She was earlier airlifted from Bhubaneswar to the national capital for better treatment. The police, however, did not make it clear how the girl "caught" fire. Odisha Police, in a post on X, said, "We are deeply saddened to hear the news of the death of the victim girl in the Balanga incident. The police have conducted the investigation with utmost sincerity. The investigation has reached its final stage. According to the investigation conducted so far, it is clear that no other person is involved. Therefore, we request everyone not to make any sensitive comments regardi

Investors see strong growth potential in Odisha, says Luxembourg envoy

Ambassador of Luxembourg to India, Peggy Frantzen, on Wednesday said that the business community of her country see Odisha as one of the "investor-friendly" states with huge potential for growth. The Luxembourg Ambassador was speaking at a function marking the inauguration of the corporate office of VCL India Private Limited here. "We are very pleased to see the long-term partnership and cooperation in the steel sector, strengthened through VCL's presence in India. I wish VCL a lot of success in the coming years in its relationship with its customers in and around India," she said. On the occasion, Mario Kratz, chairman, VCL SA & CEO, SAB Group, said, "Our move to Bhubaneswar is driven by our commitment to being closer to our customers and contributing actively to Odisha's vibrant industrial landscape. We see this as a long-term partnership with the state and its industries." VCL Managing Director and global head, Rainer Zilliken, highlighted that Odisha is emerging as a ...

Andhra Pradesh govt cancels two Adani projects at company's request

AGEL wrote to the government to cancel these projects due to boundary disputes between Andhra Pradesh and Odisha, which it termed 'local issues'

Mahima Gosain Express derails near Sambalpur; no casualties: Railways

A general compartment of the ShalimarSambalpur Mahima Gosain Express derailed near Sambalpur railway station on Thursday, but there was no report of any injury, an official statement said. The incident took place between the Sambalpur city station Sambalpur junction, shortly after the train departed from Sambalpur city at 9:18 am at a very slow speed, the East Coast Railway said in a statement. "No loss of life or property in this incident reported," the railway statement said. The guard of the train said that a major accident was avoided as the speed of the loco was very slow. Railway officials and local police have reached the site and shifted the passengers to another coach. The East Coast Railway statement said that the rear trolley of a general coach next to the guard van of 20831 Shalimar-Sambalpur Express derailed near Sambalpur City Station at a very slow speed. "Train already left for Sambalpur with all passengers. No one injured," it said. Railway officials including t

Two arrested by Odisha CID for making fake website to dupe tourists in Puri

The Criminal Investigation Department (CID) of Odisha Police has arrested two persons from Rajasthan for creating a fake website of a hotel to dupe tourists in Puri, officials said. The arrested persons have been identified as Aamir Khan (24) and Yusuf (27). Earlier, Anshuman Sharma, another accused person in the case, was arrested from Agra in Uttar Pradesh, the CID said in a statement issued on Monday. The arrests were made against a case registered on the basis of a complaint filed by the chief administrator of Jagannath Temple, Puri, it said. According to the police, the fraudsters had created a fake website and provided a mobile number to trap gullible people in the scam. They gave false assurance of accommodation at the hotel and provided mule bank accounts to transfer funds. However, the hotel's authority was completely unaware of the bookings and eventually received a lot of complaints, the CID said. The arrested accused persons were produced at Govindgarh court in Alwar i

Citizens' group condemns incidents targeting Bengali-speaking migrants

A group of prominent citizens under the banner Bharatiya Bhasha Samooh has expressed concern over the recent incidents related to Bengali-speaking migrant labourers in various parts of the country. The group said it believed that linguistic attack is a "serious threat to the diversity of our country". "In the last one month, there have been reports from various parts of the country that Bengali-speaking migrant labourers are being harassed, beaten, arrested, deported to Bangladesh, and not released despite valid identity documents being shown to the police," the group said in a statement on Sunday. The group feels that the only "crime" of Bengali-speaking people is that they speak in their mother tongue. It claimed that migrant workers from Delhi, Maharashtra and Odisha were directly sent to Bangladesh despite possessing valid Aadhaar and PAN cards. "We strongly condemn the arrest and harassment of these Bengali-speaking citizens. These actions violate the rights of migrant worker

Miscreants set 15-yr girl on fire in Odisha, victim undergoing treatment

A 15-year-old girl was set on fire by unidentified persons in Odisha's Puri district on Saturday, officials said. The girl was rushed to AIIMS Bhubaneswar in a critical condition, and she has suffered 70 per cent burn injuries, but she is able to speak, they said. Deputy Chief Minister Pravati Parida, who is in charge of the Women and Child Development Department, said the government will bear the expenses of the girl's treatment and that the police have been asked to arrest the culprits as soon as possible. The incident took place at Bayabar village in Balanga police station area around 9 am when the girl was going to her friend's house. Preliminary investigation revealed that three unidentified motorcycle-borne youths intercepted her, forcibly took her to the banks of Bhargavi River, sprinkled an inflammable substance on her body, and set her on fire, a police officer said. The spot of the incident is around 1.5 km from her house at Nuagopalpur Bustee and around 5-7 km from Bala

Odisha observes bandh over Balasore student's self-immolation case

Shops remained shut and traffic was disrupted in many areas, including Bhadrak and Mayurbhanj. In Bhadrak, markets were closed and public transport was affected

FM college rape: Rahul Gandhi assures support to college student's father

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday spoke to the father of the college student, who died after setting herself on fire in Odisha's Balasore district, over the phone and assured him of support in the fight for justice. The second-year B.Ed student of Fakir Mohan (Autonomous) College died at AIIMS-Bhubaneswar on Monday night after fighting for her life for three days. She had set herself on fire on the college campus on Saturday over alleged inaction against a professor who sexually harassed her. "Spoke with the father of the brave daughter who lost her life in the fight for justice in Balasore, Odisha. In his voice, I felt his daughter's pain, dreams, and struggle, assured him that the Congress and I stand with them at every step," Gandhi posted on X. "What happened is not only inhuman and shameful but a wound to the entire society. We will ensure in every way that the victim's family receives full justice," he added. The opposition led by Congress has called for an Odisha ban

UGC forms fact finding committee in Odisha student's self immolation case

Panel led by Raj Kumar Mittal will assess safety, grievance redressal and harassment policies at Balasore college after student's sexual harassment complaint went unheard

Balasore student death: Failed system can take life, says Patnaik

Leader of Opposition in Odisha Assembly Naveen Patnaik on Tuesday said the death of the college student who set herself ablaze following alleged sexual harassment by a professor was due to "failure of the system". Expressing his grief over the death of the college student, Patnaik in a long social media post said: "It is even more disturbing to think how a failed system can take someone's life. The most painful part is that this was not an accident, but rather the result of a system that remained silent instead of helping. Struggling for justice, the girl ultimately closed her eyes." With great courage, Patnaik said the student had written to the college principal, informing them about the sexual harassment she had faced. "Even after being ignored by the college authorities, she did not give up. To seek justice, she reached out to the Higher Education minister, the Chief Minister's office, and even a Union minister," Patnaik said. The former chief minister said the brave student als

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

H5N1 avian influenza detected in Odisha; govt culls over 6,700 birds

A bird flu outbreak has been confirmed in a poultry farm in Odisha's Puri district, prompting the state government to launch emergency containment measures, including mass culling of over 6,700 birds, a senior official said on Sunday. The state government resorted to mass culling of the birds after the National Institute of High Security Animal Diseases (NIHSAD), Bhopal, confirmed that samples collected from Bada Ankula village in Delanga block of the district tested positive for the H5N1 avian influenza virus, he added. Over 6,700 birds were culled on Saturday and Sunday following standard operating procedure (SOP) lay down by the Centre, he said. Sarat Kumar Behera, chief district veterinary officer (CDVO), Puri, informed that five rapid response teams (RRTs) along with health teams have been deployed in the area where bird flu cases were detected. "We have completely restricted the movement of live birds in and out of the infected zone," he said. After completing culling within

SC refuses to hear MBBS student's plea against termination of admission

The Supreme Court on Tuesday declined to entertain a plea of an MBBS student challenging the termination of his admission in an Odisha-based medical college without prior notice. A partial working day (PWD) bench comprising Justices Rajesh Bindal and R Mahadevan asked the student's counsel Harshit Agrawal to move the high court with his grievances. "The plea is dismissed as withdrawn," the bench said. Agrawal approached the apex court seeking re-admission to the MBBS course for the 20242029 academic session. He also sought a declaration that the termination of his admission, allegedly carried out without any notice or hearing, was illegal and in violation of principles of natural justice. The plea also called for the formulation and enforcement of uniform procedural safeguards in disciplinary matters across medical colleges to ensure transparency and fairness. During the brief hearing, the bench questioned Agrawal's decision to not move the high court and approach the apex court

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.

Wall collapse kills two in Odisha, heavy rain alert issued for 16 districts

Two women were killed and an eight-year-old girl was injured after a wall of an under-construction poultry farm collapsed due to heavy rain in Odisha's Nuapada district, police said on Monday. The incident occurred on Sunday in the Lakhana area after the wall collapsed, and the deceased were identified as Balmati Sabar (35) and Rupe Sabar (61), a senior officer said. Injured minor Ridhi Sabar is undergoing treatment, he said. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a heavy rainfall warning for 16 of 30 districts of Odisha for Monday. In a weather bulletin, IMD Bhubaneswar Centre said a low-pressure area had formed over the Gangetic West Bengal and neighbourhood on Sunday. It is likely to move slowly west-northwestwards across Jharkhand and north Chhattisgarh during the next two days. Under its impact, heavy rainfall started in several parts of Odisha, including the state's capital Bhubaneswar, since Sunday. The weather office said heavy to very heavy rain with light