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Traffic Regulations In Bhubaneswar Strengthened

Bhubaneswar: traffic regulations in Bhubaneswar are often being tightened to prevent accidents in the capital, said reports on Tuesday. According to reports, Commissionerate Police has taken another step in this series. Strict action will be taken if the rules are broken after the red light is on at the traffic post, said reliable [] The post Traffic Regulations In Bhubaneswar Strengthened appeared first on Pragativadi | Odisha News, Breaking News Odisha, Latest Odisha News .

Pragativadi 19 Mar 2024 10:45 am

SRC asks collectors to prepare contingency plans to deal with heatwave conditions during elections

SRC asks collectors to prepare contingency plans to deal with heatwave conditions during elections As Lok Sabha and Odisha Assembly elections will be held in the peak summer, the state's Special Relief Commissioner (SRC) has asked district collectors to prepare contingency plans and precautionary measures to deal with heatwave like conditions during the polls. The Election Commission of India has announced four phase polling in Odisha on May 13, 20, 25 and June 1 for the simultaneous elections to the Lok Sabha and Odisha Assembly. SRC Satyabrata Sahu in a letter to district collectors told them that several rallies will be held due to the elections and proactive measures need to be taken by the district administrations. The approach should be provisioning of drinking water, temporary shelter, rescheduling of working hours, rescheduling of timing of schools/ public educational institutions and providing better medical emergency services and public health, and others to reduce the negative impact of extreme heatwave conditions, Sahu said. Sahu told the collectors that detailed instructions have been communicated to you on preparedness and precautionary measures to be taken in view of the heatwave conditions. He also sought the personal attention of collectors for effective heatwave management in districts. ''Any untoward situation shall be brought before the undersigned (SRC) for immediate intervention'', he said in the letter. Meanwhile, Odisha's Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) N B Dhal said district collectors who are also district election officers, have been asked to take measures to tackle the issues related to heatwave and scorching heat situation in polling stations and outside. IMD sources said that the maximum temperature in Odisha during the month of May could be in the range of 39 degrees Celsius to 45 degrees Celsius in many parts of the state particularly in the western region. ''The temperature during the third week of May in the western region of the state used to remain in the range of 40 degrees Celsius to 45 degrees Celsius while it is 37 degrees Celsius to 41 degrees Celsius in the coastal region'', U S Dash, a senior weather scientist at the Regional Meteorological Centre, Bhubaneswar said.

devdiscourse 19 Mar 2024 10:04 am

Ayush doctors warn of non-cooperation

Bhubaneswar: All Odisha Ayush Doctors Association (AOADA), representing Ayush doctors of Odisha working under the National Health Mission (NHM), has announced an indefinite non-cooperation movement from March 20 unless the government meets their demand for job regularisation. The decision comes after the government fails to regularise AYUSH doctors working in community health centers (CHCs) and []

orissapost 19 Mar 2024 9:33 am

DGP convenes pre-poll meet

Bhubaneswar: For smooth and safe conduct of the upcoming assembly and general elections, state director general of police (DGP) Arun Kumar Sarangi Monday virtually held a cooperation meeting with SPs and Range DIGs of neighbouring states of West Bengal, Jharkhand and Chhattisgarh. Addressing reporters here after the meeting, Sarangi informed, We had a cooperation meeting []

orissapost 19 Mar 2024 9:29 am

Prepare plan to tackle heatwave, SRC tells DCs

Bhubaneswar: Keeping in view the upcoming Lok Sabha and Assembly elections during a scorching summer, the state government Monday directed all the District Collectors (DCs) to prepare a heatwave contingency plan. In a letter, Special Relief Commissioner (SRC) Satyabrata Sahu said, You are aware, General Election, 2024 has been declared by the Election Commission of []

orissapost 19 Mar 2024 9:21 am

Priest gets 18 month in jail for sexually harassing foreigner

Bhubaneswar: The Judicial Magistrate First Class (JMFC) Court here Monday awarded rigorous imprisonment (RI) of 18 months to a priest of Lingaraj Temple after holding him guilty of sexually harassing a 28-year-old Swedish woman outside the 11th-century shrine in the City, February 19 this year. JMFC Payal Gupta convicted Kundan Mahapatra alias Kundu for the []

orissapost 19 Mar 2024 9:17 am

Spl police unit to keep an eye on social media

The Times of India 19 Mar 2024 5:47 am

Cops asked to track down criminals evading NBWs

The Times of India 19 Mar 2024 5:46 am

Congress, BJD gear up for Lok Sabha poll in Koraput

The Times of India 19 Mar 2024 5:45 am

SRC asks collectors for heatwave management plan

The Times of India 19 Mar 2024 5:45 am

Youth, girlfriend held for murder

The Times of India 19 Mar 2024 5:45 am

Royal Bengal tiger sighted in Sundargarh dist came from MP

The Times of India 19 Mar 2024 5:44 am

Boys death case: NHRC asks govt to pay 4L relief to kin

The Times of India 19 Mar 2024 5:44 am

11 held for illegal fishing

The Times of India 19 Mar 2024 5:44 am

BDA switches on streetlights on new four-lane road

The Times of India 19 Mar 2024 5:43 am

After 3-week trial, 18 months jail for priest who molested Swede

In a swift judicial process, the trial of the alleged molestation case involving a Swedish national in Bhubaneswar concluded within just three weeks. The court sentenced Kundan Mahapatra to 18 months of imprisonment on Monday, as per Debabrata Mohapatra's report. This marks the fastest trial in Odisha, where justice was served within 28 days of the crime, as confirmed by the commissionerate police.

The Times of India 19 Mar 2024 3:51 am

Coach Fulton opts to go with almost full list of probables

NEW DELHI, March 18: Drag-flicker Harmanpreet Singh will lead a 27-member strong Indian team in a five-match away hockey Test series against Australia, with chief coach Craig Fulton opting to go with almost the entire core group of probables undergoing training in Bhubaneswar. India will leave for Australia on April 1 and play their opening [] The post Coach Fulton opts to go with almost full list of probables appeared first on The Shillong Times .

The Shillong Times 19 Mar 2024 3:50 am

Top cops of Odisha, Bengal, Bihar & Jharkhand discuss security arrangements for polls

Bhubaneswar, March 19 (IANS) A key inter-state meeting of senior police officers of Odisha, West Bengal, Chhattisgarh and Jharkhand was held at the DGP Camp Office here on Monday. Senior police officers of the neighbouring states participated in the meeting through video conference. We held discussions on how to thwart illegal transportation of firearms, drugs, []

bhaskarlive 19 Mar 2024 2:18 am

Top cops of Odisha, Bengal, Bihar & Jharkhand discuss security arrangements during polls

Bhubaneswar, March 19 (IANS) A key inter-state meeting of senior police officers of Odisha, West Bengal, Chhattisgarh and Jharkhand was held at the DGP Camp Office here on Monday. Senior police officers of the neighbouring states participated in the meeting through video conference. We held discussions on how to thwart illegal transportation of firearms, drugs, []

bhaskarlive 19 Mar 2024 1:17 am

Bus Meets With Mishap In Athgarh; Narrow Escape For 50 Passengers

Athgarh: As many as 50 passengers escaped narrowly after the bus they were travelling dashed into the roadside barricades near Bhogara village on State Highway 65 on Monday. According to reports, the incident took place at around 10 pm when the bus was en route to Deogarh from Bhubaneswar after crossing Kuchinda. Sources said, the [] The post Bus Meets With Mishap In Athgarh; Narrow Escape For 50 Passengers appeared first on Pragativadi | Odisha News, Breaking News Odisha, Latest Odisha News .

Pragativadi 19 Mar 2024 12:40 am

Son of Adam of Odia Filmmakers, Wins Best Musical Film

Bhubaneswar: Son of Adam a film by Odisha-based director-producer duo Amartya Bhattacharyya and Swastik Choudhury has won the Best Musical Film award at Festival Internacional de Cine Independiente de Madrid (FICIMAD) 2024. The award was announced on Friday atLa Filmoteca Espaola (Cine Dor) in Madrid, Spain. The movie was shot in places like Keonjhar, Puri, [] The post Son of Adam of Odia Filmmakers, Wins Best Musical Film appeared first on Pragativadi | Odisha News, Breaking News Odisha, Latest Odisha News .

Pragativadi 18 Mar 2024 11:48 pm

Ahead of elections police upload NBW lists of Bhubaneswar, Cuttack on website

Odisha's DGP Sarangi instructs police to locate criminals evading NBWs for peaceful elections. Public cooperation sought to inform about criminals. The commissionerate police said they have uploaded on their website names of 2,934 anti-socials of Bhubaneswar against whom NBWs have been pending since long. Most of them are wanted in cases related to murder, attempt to murder, dacoity and hooliganism, among others.

The Times of India 18 Mar 2024 11:44 pm

For smooth elections, Odisha police form special unit to curb social media misuse

Odisha police take action against election-related misinformation on social media. Special unit led by IGP Ahamed. Strict measures against fake content. Coordination with DCPs, SPs. District police monitor social platforms. Cyber experts train on deepfake.

The Times of India 18 Mar 2024 11:25 pm

Utkal University holds workshop for college principals

The Times of India 18 Mar 2024 10:43 pm

Police Conducts Flag March In City

Bhubaneswar: Commissionerate Police today conducted a flag march in the state capital. The city police force and 2 platoons of CRPF jawans were in todays flag march in Bhubaneswar. Ahead of the general elections, flag marches are being carried out with CRPF jawans and policemen in various areas of the Commissionerate Police to make the [] The post Police Conducts Flag March In City appeared first on Pragativadi | Odisha News, Breaking News Odisha, Latest Odisha News .

Pragativadi 18 Mar 2024 9:59 pm

NHRC awards Rs 4 lakh compensation to kin of boy died after school gate falls on him

NHRC recommends Rs 4 lakh compensation to next of kin of deceased 7-year-old boy from Cuttack district after an iron gate fell on him at Ankola Nodal Upper Primary School. Odisha Chief Secretary directed to ensure compensation disbursement.

The Times of India 18 Mar 2024 9:58 pm

Odisha SRC Releases Heat Wave Contingency Plan For General Elections 2024

Bhubaneswar: The Odisha Special Relief Commissioner (SRC) on Monday released the Heat Wave Contingency Plan for General Elections 2024 and asked collectors of all districts to take mitigation, preparedness and response measures to tackle the heat wave conditions. Special Relief Commissioner & Additional Chief Secretary to Govt, Satyabrata Sahu, IAS, has written a letter to [] The post Odisha SRC Releases Heat Wave Contingency Plan For General Elections 2024 appeared first on Pragativadi | Odisha News, Breaking News Odisha, Latest Odisha News .

Pragativadi 18 Mar 2024 9:37 pm

IIT Bhubaneswar holds annual social, cultural festival

IIT Bhubaneswar's 15th Alma Fiesta celebrated with 'Dying art form' and 'Enigmatic Paracosm Unraveling mystery at a time' themes. The event featured cultural performances, drama, dance, music, painting, and quiz competitions, emphasizing Indian culture preservation.

The Times of India 18 Mar 2024 9:04 pm

Love Triangle Murder in Bhubaneswar; Police Arrest Main Culprit, Girl Aide

Bhubaneswar: Cracking down the Love triangle murder case, the Commissionerate police arrested Kanha Pradhan and Niharika from Salia Sahi slum in Bhubaneswar for the murder of Anjan Behera. The Police seized the sharp-edged blood-stained weapon from their possession. The manhunt is underway to nab four others, who were involved in the crime, informed Bhubaneswar DCP [] The post Love Triangle Murder in Bhubaneswar; Police Arrest Main Culprit, Girl Aide appeared first on Pragativadi | Odisha News, Breaking News Odisha, Latest Odisha News .

Pragativadi 18 Mar 2024 8:59 pm

Love Triangle Murder, Police Arrested the Main Culprit

Bhubaneswar: Cracking down the Love triangle murder case, the Commissionerate police arrested Kanha Pradhan and Niharika from Salia Sahi slum in Bhubaneswar for the murder of Anjan Behera. The Police seized the sharp-edged blood-stained weapon from their possession. The manhunt is underway to nab four others, who were involved in the crime, informed Bhubaneswar DCP [] The post Love Triangle Murder, Police Arrested the Main Culprit appeared first on Pragativadi | Odisha News, Breaking News Odisha, Latest Odisha News .

Pragativadi 18 Mar 2024 8:59 pm

Senior Clerk-Cum-Cashier, Peon Arrested By Vigilance For Taking Rs 20k Bribe

Bhubaneswar: The Odisha Vigilance on Monday arrested a senior clerk-cum-cashier and a peon, both the office of Superintending Engineer (SE), RW (PH) Division, Bhubaneswar, while taking Rs 20,000 bribe from a contractor for facilitating the release of his pending bills. According to a Vigilance Directorate press release, Sr. Clerk-cum-Cashier Sadasiba Sahoo, posted at office of [] The post Senior Clerk-Cum-Cashier, Peon Arrested By Vigilance For Taking Rs 20k Bribe appeared first on Pragativadi | Odisha News, Breaking News Odisha, Latest Odisha News .

Pragativadi 18 Mar 2024 8:46 pm

Naveen Patnaik writes open letter to people; assures to make Odisha No. 1 state by 2036

Bhubaneswar: Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik Monday urged the people of Odisha to unite and strive towards building a stronger state ahead of the upcoming Lok Sabha and Assembly elections. In an open letter written in Odia, he emphasised the importance of collective effort in shaping the future of Odisha, expressing gratitude for the opportunity to []

orissapost 18 Mar 2024 8:20 pm

Top Govt Officials Discuss Mobilisation Of Armed Forces During General Elections In Odisha

Bhubaneswar: In preparation for the ensuing General Elections 2024 in Odisha, top govt officials of the state today convened an important meeting regarding the deployment of Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) and State Armed Police Forces (SAPF). In this meeting held at Lok Seva Bhawan, Chief Secretary Pradeep Kumar Jena, Home Department Additional Chief Secretary [] The post Top Govt Officials Discuss Mobilisation Of Armed Forces During General Elections In Odisha appeared first on Pragativadi | Odisha News, Breaking News Odisha, Latest Odisha News .

Pragativadi 18 Mar 2024 8:14 pm

Royal Bengal Tiger Sighted in Sundergarh after 2 Decades

Bhubaneswar: After almost two decades A Royal Bengal Tiger (RBT) has been sighted in Odishas Sundargarh, informed by district Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (Wildlife) Susanta Nanda today. The tiger must have travelled a few hundred miles to reach Odisha to crave out its new territory, he revealed on social media X. The big cat [] The post Royal Bengal Tiger Sighted in Sundergarh after 2 Decades appeared first on Pragativadi | Odisha News, Breaking News Odisha, Latest Odisha News .

Pragativadi 18 Mar 2024 8:04 pm

Odisha DGP Reviews Police Preparedness For General Elections 2024

Bhubaneswar: The Odisha Director General of Police, Arun Kumar Sarangi, today conducted a cooperation meeting with SPs and Range DIGs of the bordering areas of Bengal, Jharkhand, and Chhattisgarh, in light of the forthcoming Assembly and Lok Sabha elections. The meeting was held to ensure a peaceful and impartial poll and to make the necessary [] The post Odisha DGP Reviews Police Preparedness For General Elections 2024 appeared first on Pragativadi | Odisha News, Breaking News Odisha, Latest Odisha News .

Pragativadi 18 Mar 2024 7:47 pm

Heavy rains likely in parts of Odisha over next two days

Bhubaneswar: Heavy rains, accompanied by thunderstorms, are likely to lash parts of Odisha over the next two days, the weather office said. An orange alert was issued for Bolangir, Sonepur, Kalahandi, Boudh, Angul, Dhenkanal, Nayagarh, Mayurbhanj, Keonjhar and Jajpur districts for Tuesday, asking them to remain prepared for heavy rains. A yellow alert has been []

orissapost 18 Mar 2024 6:08 pm

Elections 2024: Odisha BJP chief leaves for Delhi with names of candidates

Bhubaneswar: Amidst speculation surrounding a possible pre-poll alliance between the ruling Biju Janata Dal (BJD) and opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in Odisha, the state president of the saffron party, Manmohan Samal, left for New Delhi Monday for discussions with the central leadership regarding the list of potential candidates for the upcoming Lok Sabha and []

orissapost 18 Mar 2024 3:57 pm

Seagrams Royal Stag BoomBox Puts Forth a Spell-Binding Experience in Jaipur, Rajasthan, with Musicians Badshah, Dino James, Neeti Mohan and Ali Merchant

Business Wire India Ali Merchant, Badshah, Neeti Mohan and Dino James for Royal Stag BoomBox Jaipur Celebrating the spirit of Living it Large, Seagrams Royal Stag presents the second edition of Royal Stag BoomBox, a one-of-its-kind musical festival where the best-loved melodies of Bollywood meet the pulsating beats of hip-hop. The youth festival held its second on-ground experience of the year in Jaipur, Rajasthan, on March 16 th , 2024. The city came alive as Royal Stag BoomBox audaciously brought together polar opposites of the music industry to create an original soundscape. With an enthusiastic audience of close to 10,000 people, Jaipur came alive with the youthful energy of Royal Stag BoomBox. The venue, Jaipur Exhibition & Convention Centre, was alight with dazzling colors and sounds, bringing various aspects of culture, merchandise, food, and numerous interactive experiences for the attendees to enjoy under one roof. The ambience of the occasion was distinctly youthful, resonating with the city's vibrant spirit. Alongside the headline acts, a plethora of other performances captivated the audience leading up to the evening, including showcases by local bands, dancers, rappers and beatboxers. As the evening approached, Ali Merchant took the stage, officially opening the evening with his mashups. Then, rapper Dino James ignited the crowd with the pulsating rhythms of hip-hop. As the night unfolded, singer Neeti Mohan graced the stage, weaving magic with her captivating melodies. The festival culminated in a spellbinding performance by Badshah, which took the evening to another level. Excited about the association, rapper Badshah shared, My experience performing in Jaipur for Royal Stag BoomBox was truly memorable. I am eagerly looking forward to meeting my fans in Bhubaneswar next with the property! Singer Neeti Mohan shared, I am excited to be collaborating with Royal Stag BoomBox for another edition! We created some beautiful memories last year and I hope the musical experience is going to be even more special this year. It was wonderful reconnecting with my fans in Jaipur at the venue, and I'm eagerly looking forward to my next performance in Bhubaneswar. Rapper Dino James shared, I think Royal Stag BoomBox is a unique musical platform that really connects with the youth of India. Jaipur was the second city that we visited with Royal Stag BoomBox this year and I had an amazing experience performing here. Artist Ali Merchant said, Royal Stag BoomBox is back with a bang with new Hip-Hop X Bollywood collabs! Each of the cities I've performed in has shown up with great energy. The audience in Jaipur was equally amazing. Kartik Mohindra, CMO, Pernod Ricard India said, Music and live experiences bring people together and are natural enablers of conviviality. Royal Stag continues to celebrate music as its key youth passion pillar. Carrying forward the brands Live It Large ethos and youth connect; we are excited for the launch of the second edition of Royal Stag BoomBox. The kind of response and engagement we received for the festival last year was truly overwhelming. This year, the platform is set to elevate the experience by blending the melodies of Bollywood with the pulsating beats of Hip-hop, along with art and cultural experiences, truly exemplifying the brand philosophy of living it large. Speaking about the second edition of Royal Stag BoomBox, Ajay Gupte, CEO-South Asia, Wavemaker said, Wavemaker is thrilled to continue to be a part of the journey of Royal Stag BoomBox. More than just a musical festival, it represents a cultural movement embracing the 'Living It Large' spirit of the brand. Royal Stag BoomBox guarantees an unforgettable blend of swag, emotion, and the vibrant synergy between Bollywood and hip-hop. The beats of this generation will resonate loudly, and we are confident that the second edition will be another massive hit, just like the last one . Commenting on the association, Preeti Nayyar, Senior Vice President - New Business Development & Brand Partnerships, Universal Music Group said, As we launch the second season of Royal Stag BoomBox, UMGB (Universal Music Group for Brands) is thrilled and honored to collaborate with Royal Stag for Royal Stag BoomBox, in partnership with GroupM - WAVEMAKER. As UMG for Brands, we are dedicated to shaping culture through music, artists, and experiences uniquely crafted for our partners. With this musical odyssey, our goal is to deliver a ground-breaking fusion of 'Melody meets Hip-Hop' featuring live festivals and original music, creating a unique experience for the fans. For many years, music has been a key consumer engagement pillar for the brand. Royal Stag BoomBox audaciously brings together two distinct genres of the music industry, the melody of Bollywood and the gully vibe of Hip-Hop, to create the original sound of todays generation, the Generation Large . This is a tribe that tends to make rather than follow trends; a tribe that is in constant search of soul-touching experiences. Royal Stag BoomBox intends to stir the imagination of this generation, blending music they have inherited, Bollywood scores, with the genre that speaks to them, Hip Hop. This cultural movement manifests itself in two unique, engaging formats: The On-ground format: this format will travel to Indias biggest youth hubs Indore, Jaipur , Bhubaneswar, and Pune offering marquee musical performances with interactive Phygital activations like insta-live sessions, art showcases, AR/VR installations, AI-based engagement, selfie-booths and more. Last year, the festival witnessed a footfall of over 50K across multiple cities generating 180 Mn+ digital views & 13 Mn+ social interactions. The In-studio format: a unique musical concept featuring three original Melody x Hip Hop music tracks that will be released as singles and videos across platforms. The 4 original songs from season 1, Pehle Jaisi Baat Nahi Ft. Dino James X Jasleen Royal, Hoodie Ft. Bali X Nikhita Gandhi, Mohabbat Ft. Amit Trivedi X SlowCheeta and Imtihaan Ft. EPR X Neeti Mohan garnered close to 70 Mn+ views across multiple OTT & audio platforms. Royal Stag BoomBox upcoming experiences: City Date Headliner Hip Hop Melody DJ Pune 23 rd March, 2024 Armaan Malik Dee MC Nikhita Gandhi Ali Merchant Bhubaneswar 30 th March, 2024 Badshah Ikka Neeti Mohan Ali Merchant AboutRoyal Stag BoomBox For many years, music has been a key consumer engagement pillar for the brand. Today, the youth tilts towards exploring exciting new forms of music. Contemporary genres such as hip-hop are becoming increasingly popular among the youth of the country, while Bollywood melodies remain integral to their cultural milieu. Royal Stag BoomBox intends to stir the imagination of this generation, blending music they have inherited, Bollywood scores, with the genre that speaks to them, Hip Hop. This mix will have the swag and emotional heft of Hindi cinemas best compositions and the throbbing vibe and vigor of hip-hop. Link: www.royalstagfan.com AboutRoyal Stag Seagrams Royal Stag is the flagship brand of Pernod Ricard India. Royal Stag has been a consistent star since launch, and a brand quite often credited to have changed the rules of the game. It is for the young, daring, confident, progressive, and inspiring individuals who embody self-belief. The brand has been inspiring the youth of India through its communication around the philosophy of Its Our Life. We Live It Large. AboutPernod Ricard India Pernod Ricard India (P) Ltd. is a fully owned subsidiary of Pernod Ricard SA and is a fast-growing multinational alcohol beverage company delivering quality products to its consumers across the country. With leading brands in each category, Pernod Ricard holds one of the most dynamic and premium portfolios in the industry led by Seagrams whiskies such as Royal Stag, Royal Stag Barrel Select, Blenders Pride, Blenders Pride Reserve Collection, Imperial Blue, 100 Pipers and a wide range of International premium brands that include Chivas Regal, Ballantines, The Glenlivet, Royal Salute and Jameson Irish whiskey. Some of the eminent brands in white spirits category include ABSOLUT vodka, Jacobs Creek and Campo Viejo wines, Martell cognac, Beefeater and Monkey 47 gin, Kahla and Malibu liqueurs, Mumm and Perrier-Jout champagne. Pernod Ricard India is recognized as an industry leader with various recognitions and achievements that help the company deliver quality products to consumers. Seagrams whiskies are exported to 28+ countries across the world. Pernod Ricard India is a socially responsible organization with a strong belief to strengthen corporate citizen by addressing social, economic and environmental sustainability in all key states.

BusinessWire India 18 Mar 2024 3:55 pm

Ganja worth Rs 1.50 crore seized in Odishas Boudh

Bhubaneswar: Ganja worth over Rs 1.50 crore was seized in Odishas Boudh district, police said Monday. Acting on a tip-off, a team of the Boudh Model police station conducted a raid in Bidamaska forest near Dimbirikhol village and seized 1,560 kg of ganja, Superintendent of Police Raj Prasad said. When the police personnel approached the []

orissapost 18 Mar 2024 2:02 pm

3.35 crore people eligible to vote in Lok Sabha, Assembly polls in Odisha

Bhubaneswar: Around 3.35 crore people, including 1.65 crore women, are eligible to vote in the upcoming Lok Sabha and Assembly polls in Odisha, an official said Monday. The Lok Sabha and the Assembly elections will be held in four phases between May 13 and June 1. There will be 37,809 polling stations, including 33,429 in []

orissapost 18 Mar 2024 2:00 pm

Amid alliance suspense, BJP says it has shortlisted names

Uncertainty looms over BJD-BJP alliance for Odisha elections, impacting Congress candidate announcements. Naveen Patnaik to reveal BJD candidates. Nrushingha Charan Sahu optimistic about BJD's future. Suresh Routray anticipates Congress benefits from alliance talks.

The Times of India 18 Mar 2024 1:01 pm

First-timers pledge votes for development, equality

First-time voters prioritize development and law and order. Odia overseas electors' enrolment surged; concerns on voting turnout for NRI electors with proposed proxy voting rights.

The Times of India 18 Mar 2024 12:54 pm

Odisha: Siblings tried to extort over 300 govt officials by posing as ED, held

BHUBANESWAR/BERHAMPUR: With the Enforcement Directorate (ED) gaining notoriety over its probe into several high-profile cases and arrests of political leaders and bureaucrats in the recent years, two brothers took advantage of the fear induced by the agencys name to extort money from government officials in Odisha. The duo Tarinisen Mohapatra (30) and his brother Brahmashankar (27) of Dhenkanal was arrested by the Special Task Force (STF) of state Crime Branch on Saturday. They had allegedly attempted to extort money from nearly 350 Odisha government officials by impersonating as the Central agencys officers and were reportedly successful in many cases. So far, the agency has traced transactions of over Rs 16 lakh in the bank accounts of the accused. The matter came to light after a complaint was lodged by Chhatrapur sub-collector Debadatta Mohanta with the STF over demand of money by the accused from him by impersonating as an additional director of ED. The STF investigation revealed Tarinisen and Brahmashankar led a luxurious lifestyle and had borrowed huge sum of money from several people in Dhenkanal town. They had fled over a year back after the lenders started demanding their money. They had shifted to Ranchi and started working with an NGO - Upkar. As the NGO based out of the Jharkhand capital was not making profits, the accused hit upon the idea to make some quick money. The duo decided to target collectorate, tehsil, RTO officials and others. They impersonated as ED officers as the central agency is in news recently for its raids pertaining to various cases, sources said. The accused saved their names as one Sanjaya Mishra ED on Truecaller and WhatsApp profiles. They allegedly used to contact government officials by claiming that they were additional director of ED Sanjay Mishra and had received a complaint against them from Vigilance department regarding corruption. They threatened that the Central agency was about to initiate an inquiry and raids against them. If any government official did not respond to their voice /WhatsApp calls, they sent SMSes/WhatsApp messages which read - This side Sanjaya Mishra, additional director of Enforcement Department. My investigation officer tried to connect but you did not attend the call. Make an instant call. It is very urgent, else I cannot control the Vigilance, ED officials revealed. They demanded money from the officials on the pretext of settling/closing the inquiries and cases against them. Tarinisen and Brahmashankar called around 340 government officials in the last three to four months. In most instances, they did not succeed but in some cases they managed to extort money. They received the money through their PhonePe and Google Pay wallets, said STF IG, Jai Narayan Pankaj. After receiving money from their targets, they sent them fabricated clearance letters issued by ED and Central Vigilance Commission. STF is investigating whether the duo extorted money from Jharkhand government officials too by using similar modus operandi, Pankaj added. Pankaj said, Tarinisen is a BCom graduate and Brahmashankar a Plus Two pass out. Brahmashankar had taken admission in BCA but did not complete the course.

The New Indian Express 18 Mar 2024 12:53 pm

Anglia Ruskin University, NIWSASS and Tata Coffee project to add value to Koraput Coffee chain

BHUBANESWAR: The Agriculture department has entered into an agreement with UK-based Anglia Ruskin University, NIWSASS and Tata Coffee to launch a project that would enhance the capacity of Koraputs tribal coffee growers. The coffee growers will be trained on value-addition to the arabica coffee grown on the hills of Koraput, quality management and market linkages. A meeting in this regard was organised among all the stakeholders recently. Principal secretary of Agriculture department Arabinda Kumar Padhee said by teaching farmers about post-harvest processing, grading, sorting, and packaging techniques, the aim is to help them produce high-quality coffee beans that meet international standards. This will not only enhance the market value of their produce but also increase their bargaining power in trade negotiations. The focus is also market linkage as despite the rich coffee-growing potential of Koraput, tribal coffee growers often face challenges in accessing markets. The project aims to bridge this gap by organising them into producer organisations that would help them operate at a larger scale and negotiate better prices, establish strong national and international market linkages.

The New Indian Express 18 Mar 2024 12:35 pm

Manmohan Samal In Delhi With List Of Probable BJP Nominees For Upcoming Elections in Odisha

Bhubaneswar: Manmohan Samal, BJP Odisha unit president, is in Delhi with the list of the partys probable candidates for the upcoming Lok Sabha and Odisha Assembly elections. Balasore BJP MP Pratap Sarangi and Organisational Secretary Manas Mohanty are also in the national capital for the meeting. Vijay Pal Singh Tomar, BJP election in-charge for [] The post Manmohan Samal In Delhi With List Of Probable BJP Nominees For Upcoming Elections in Odisha appeared first on Pragativadi | Odisha News, Breaking News Odisha, Latest Odisha News .

Pragativadi 18 Mar 2024 12:34 pm

Bhubaneswar Diary: Painful wait for Congress over BJP-BJD alliance

It seems the Congress is more concerned with the delay in the official confirmation regarding the alliance between the ruling BJD and BJP in the state. As the party does not have the required number of candidates for the 21 Lok Sabha and 147 Assembly constituencies, it is expecting that some rebel aspirants from the BJD and BJP camps will cross over to the party once there is official announcement of the alliance. But as the reported talks between the two erstwhile drags on, it has put the Congress in a very difficult situation. Screening committee meeting for shortlisting first phase candidates was held in New Delhi last week. Sources in the party said that announcement of candidates have been deferred indefinitely. A senior leader told this paper that the party is passing through a very difficult situation. If the alliance talks breaks at the last moment, the party will be left high and dry as it does not seem to have an alternate course of action. ~ Bijay Chaki Ticket aspirants kept out of BJP SEC meeting In a rare display of maintaining internal democracy, the BJPs state election committee (SEC) decided to keep those members out of the meeting for shortlisting candidates when the particular constituency for which they were contenders came into consideration. Of the 19 members of the committee including three special invitees and one ex-officio member, 14 were in attendance. Leaving three members, state general secretary (organisation) Manas Mohanty, Odisha election co-in-charges Vijay Pal Singh Tomar and Lata Usendi, the rest of the members are ticket aspirants. However, no one is sure if the norm was followed strictly. I am not sure if state party president Manmohan Samal, also chairman of the SEC abstained when candidates were shortlisted for Chandbali Assembly seat for which he is the aspirant, sources aware about the principle decided by the committee said. It would be difficult to know as some of the members were coming out while the discussion was on. Of the five members who could not make it to the meeting, four are ticket aspirants. ~ Bjoy Pradhan Cash for faith at Lingaraj raises hackles Lingaraj temple in the Capital City, like every year, saw a mammoth gathering on the occasion of Mahashivaratri this time. However, the arrangements put in place by the temple administration left a bad taste for many. The administration decided to cash in on the religious fervour by introducing VIP passes for the devotees who were willing to pay Rs 500 for getting priority access to the sanctum sanctorum. This, though, did not go down well with the devotees who were unaware of the arrangement and waited for several hours in serpentine queues to get a glimpse of the presiding deity on the auspicious occasion. A majority of them were also waiting to break their fast after offering prayers in the shrine. It is not that we cannot pay Rs 500, but what about those who cannot afford it. We used to proudly say that Lingaraj temple never discriminated between the rich and the poor like other popular temples. Sadly, that isnt the case anymore, rued a devotee. Last year too, some servitors of the temple offered similar passes to devotees and the price ranged between Rs 150 and Rs 800, depending on the paying capacity and urgency of the person. ~ Diana Sahu

The New Indian Express 18 Mar 2024 12:01 pm

BJD encashes Rs 944.5 crore but names no donor

BHUBANESWAR: Biju Janata Dal (BJD), the richest regional party in the country, has encashed electoral bonds worth Rs 944.5 crore in last six years between July 16, 2018 and July 15, 2023. As per the second set of SBI electoral bond data released by the Election Commission of India (ECI) on Sunday, BJD encashed Rs 244 crore in nine months between July 7, 2018 and April 5, 2019. During the period, the party had received 214 bonds of Rs 1 crore denomination, 299 of Rs 10 lakh denomination and 10 of Rs 1 lakh denomination. The party had submitted the bond details in a sealed cover as directed by the Supreme Court in its interim order on April 12, 2019. The bond details are believed to be pertaining to the period not made public by the poll panel in the first phase. On March 14, the ECI had publicised bond details during the period from July 20, 2019 to November 24, 2023. The Naveen Patnaik-led party redeemed electoral bonds worth Rs 213.5 crore in 2018-19, Rs 50.5 crore in 2019-20, Rs 67 crore in 2020-21, Rs 291 crore in 2021-22, Rs 152 crore in 2022-23 and Rs 170.5 crore in 2023-24 (till September 30 last year). The regional party received a total of 905 electoral bonds of Rs 1 crore denomination each, 394 of Rs 10 lakh denomination each and 10 of Rs 1 lakh denomination each during the six-year period. It encashed bonds worth Rs 354 crore during 2020-21 and 2021-22 Covid pandemic period. As per the analysis of bond details shared in two phases, the total monetary contribution that BJD got through electoral bonds stood at Rs 944.5 crore. BJD topped the chart of regional parties in terms of receiving electoral bonds as donations. It was followed by DMK, which has received bonds worth Rs 656.5 crore. BJD is the fifth highest receiver of the bonds among all the parties in the country after BJP (Rs 6,986.5 crore), TMC (Rs 1,397 crore), Congress (Rs 1,334.35 crore) and BRS (Rs 1,322 crore). Although the latest data shared by the ECI did not indicate the exact details of the companies that donated to BJD, several companies, including Megha Engineering and Infrastructure Ltd, Utkal Alumina International Ltd, Jindal Steel and Power Ltd, Vedanta Ltd, Rungta Sons Pvt Ltd, Essel Mining and Industries Ltd, Grasim Industries Ltd, Thriveni Earth Movers Pvt Ltd, M/S SN Mohanty, Indrani Patnaik, Misrilall Mines Pvt Ltd, Orissa Metaliks Pvt Ltd, Shree Jagannath Steels and Power Ltd, Ramco Cements Ltd, JK Paper Ltd and Welspun Group, which are into infrastructure, mining, metal and other businesses in Odisha figure in the list of bond purchasers.

The New Indian Express 18 Mar 2024 11:54 am

Bapi Sarkhels spouse Monideepa joins BJD

BHUBANESWAR: Working president of the Paradip-Erasama Industrial Development Council Monideepa Sarkhel accompanied by vice-chairperson of Paradip municipality Chhabilata Rout and nine councillors joined the ruling BJD here on Sunday. Monideepa is the wife of Congress leader Bapi Sarkhel who has kept away from active participation in programmes of the grand old party during the last several months. However, Monideepa was formally not a part of any political party. The council is an organisation floated by Bapi Sarkhel for the industrial development of the region. He is the president of the council. Besides, seven out of nine councillors were independent. On the day, Sarkhel and Rout accompanied by hundreds of BJP and Congress workers came to BJD headquarters Sankha Bhawan here for joining the party. They were welcomed by Rajya Sabha member Manas Ranjan Mangaraj, former minister and Nayagarh MLA Arun Sahu and Paradip MLA Sambit Routray. Sahu said the newly-inducted members will further strengthen the BJD in Jagatsinghpur district, particularly Erasama and Paradip. Thanking Chief Minister and BJD president Naveen Patnaik for taking them into the party fold, Monideepa said she joined the party as she was attracted by its policies and leadership. She pledged to work for the welfare of the local people under able guidance of the BJD president.

The New Indian Express 18 Mar 2024 11:53 am

BJD to delay announcement of its candidates by 15 days

BHUBANESWAR: The ruling BJD has deferred announcement of its candidates by at least a fortnight following announcement of the election dates. Sources in the party said it has enough time for announcement of candidates as the first phase of election is scheduled to start on May 13 for four Lok Sabha and 28 Assembly seats. The party has decided to wait till the first list of candidates is announced by the BJP. Besides, tickets will be announced in phases. A senior leader said this will serve two purposes. First, it will check dissatisfied ticket aspirants from resigning and joining other political parties as there will be very less time left. Besides, BJD can select such candidates who can effectively challenge the BJP candidates. BJD leader Nrusingha Charan Sahu told mediapersons that there are a large number of ticket aspirants in the party for every Lok Sabha and Assembly constituencies and some of them will be unhappy after not getting ticket. Some of them will join hands with the Opposition but it can be managed. Besides, there will be no rebellion in BJD as is being expected by some Opposition political party leaders after announcement of candidates, he said. Stating that BJD is always ready for elections, Sahu said the party is preparing for 2024 elections since the declaration of the 2019 election results. Naveen Patnaik will create history this time by becoming the chief minister for the sixth consecutive time, he said adding, the party will decide on the candidates at the right time. Meanwhile, senior Congress leader Suresh Routray said his party will announce its tickets after BJD and BJP declare their candidates. He said if there is an alliance between BJD and BJP, Congress will win 100 Assembly seats.

The New Indian Express 18 Mar 2024 11:51 am

Uneasy calm in BJP after alliance talks with BJD keep still

BHUBANESWAR: Amid macho posturing by BJD and BJP over their preparedness for the simultaneous elections to Assembly and Lok Sabha barely after two months, leaders and workers of the two parties are still in dark about a possible pre-poll alliance. While there is uncertainty in the alliance talks after the return of the state BJP leaders from New Delhi on Thursday, Union Minister Amit Shah added to the confusion when he said at a media conclave in Delhi that he cannot throw much light on the matter as Prime Minister Narendra Modi and party president JP Nadda have not decided how the party should move ahead in Odisha. Will PM Modi take the final call over BJD and BJP alliance? We, though, have every reason to believe that the channel for negotiation is still open. All the top leaders of the state were present at the party headquarters here on Saturday for the core committee meeting followed by a meeting of the partys state election committee to discuss electoral strategy and prepare a list of candidates for the upcoming polls. We are expecting someone to clear the air. All of them were silent on the issue, said a senior leader of the party. Apart from state BJP president Manmohan Samal and organising secretary Manas Mohanty, Union ministers Dharmendra Pradhan and Bishweswar Tudu, five of the eight members of Lok Sabha, national vice-president Baijayant Panda and national spokesperson Sambit Patra were present in the two meetings. CM Naveen Patnaik to meet BJD leaders on March 14 as alliance talks drag Odisha election in-charge Vijay Pal Singh Tomar who has not been acknowledging that talks on an alliance with the BJD were held and claiming so far that the BJP will fight the elections in the state alone sounded cautious on Sunday while speaking to reporters on the outcome of the marathon meeting that took place in the party office. A detailed strategy has been prepared for Odisha. We will contest in the Assembly and Lok Sabha seats with our full strength, Tomar said. While the state president of the party is trying his best to avoid the media after making a U-turn on the alliance, senior leader and Balasore MP Pratap Sarangi was measured when he spoke to reporters. BJP is a national party. The decision (regarding alliance) would be taken by the partys top leaders, was his response when asked about the contentious issue.

The New Indian Express 18 Mar 2024 11:47 am

Odisha: Khurda to vote with 4,500 less electors this time

BHUBANESWAR: Khurda district comprising Bhubaneswar parliamentary constituency will go to elections on May 25 with around 4,500 less electors compared to the previous polls. A significant drop has been reported in the number of male voters in the district following the special summary revision, sources said. Following review of election preparedness in the district on Sunday, officials revealed the total number of voters in the district following completion of the special summary revision 2024 has come down to 18,65,455 - a little over 4,580 less compared to the previous voting population of 18,70,042 in 2019 general elections. This, as per the officials, was due to the decline in number of male voters in the special summary revision. After elimination of duplication, necessary corrections and final update, the number of male voters of the district in the electoral roll has come down to 9,71,554 - over 30,800 less than the figure of 10,02,384 during 2019 general elections. Officials, however, said there has been an increase in the number of female voters of the district in the electoral roll. The district at present has 8,93,341 female voters compared to 8,67,110 in the previous general elections. Similarly, the number of transgender voters in the district has also increased to 560 from previous 548. The district also has 35,308 young voters, over 10,000 more compared to 25,039 in the previous elections. Voting for the general elections in the district will be held for Bhubaneswar Lok Sabha constituency and its seven Assembly segments as well as Chilika Assembly segment, a part of Puri Lok Sabha constituency, at 1,907 booths on May 25 in the sixth phase for which notification will be issued on April 29 and nomination filing will be wrapped up on May 6. To ensure smooth poll preparedness a control has been set up in the district office with telephone number 06755-1950 and 06755-220937.

The New Indian Express 18 Mar 2024 11:42 am

Odisha tops countrys malaria chart as mosquito nets vanish

BHUBANESWAR: Odisha has lost the momentum in malaria reduction and is once again in top of the list of states with high cases of the vector-borne disease in 2023, thanks to disruption in supply of long-lasting insecticidal nets (LLIN) considered a global best practice to prevent the disease. As per National Centre for Vector Borne Diseases Control, malaria cases in the state almost doubled last year as compared to 2022. The state reported 41,971 cases and four deaths in 2023. It had 23,770 cases and five deaths in 2022. Odisha contributed around 18.7 per cent of the countrys malaria tally. The state was followed by Chhattisgarh (31,713), Jharkhand (31,140), West Bengal (26,493), Tripura (22,412), Maharashtra (16,164) and Uttar Pradesh (13,585). At least five districts - Rayagada, Kalahandi, Malkangiri, Koraput and Kandhamal have recorded maximum cases fuelling the numbers in the state. The districts are among nine where targeted interventions were made to achieve malaria elimination by 2030. The highest 9,925 cases were reported in Rayagada followed by 7,543 in Kalahandi, 7,007 in Koraput, 5,062 in Kandhamal and 3,888 in Malkangiri. The annual parasite index (API) that had come down to 0.52 in 2022, again shot up to 0.93 and it was more than four in five districts. The API was over 10 in Rayagada, 6.9 in Kandhamal, 6.3 in Malkangiri, 5.07 in Koraput and 4.7 in Kalahandi. Health experts working in malaria-prone areas of the state attributed the alarming rise in cases to drop in guard and behavioural changes of local populace towards routine practices suggested by health teams. The insecticide effect in LLINs lasts up to three years or 20 washes. The nets distributed in the malaria-prone districts in 2019 needed to be replaced by the end of 2022. Though more than a year has lapsed, the nets are yet to be replaced. In many villages, the old nets have been damaged and people in last summer did not use the nets at all citing sweltering weather conditions leading to rise in malaria cases, said a health staff. As many as 1.16 crore nets were distributed in the state four years back. Even as the state government had requested the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW) to supply 1.56 crore fresh LLINs early last year, the consignment is yet to reach Odisha. Admitting that no or less use of LLINs could have pushed the cases up, director of public health Dr Niranjan Mishra said the nets can be used beyond three years if preserved properly. Besides, the WHO had warned that the cases of zoonotic diseases like malaria would rise due to climate change. We have intensified awareness and stepped up measures in the high caseload districts, he said. Health experts said Odisha, which is spending heavily on health infrastructure and care, could have procured LLINs and distributed them instead of waiting for the Central supply and allowing malaria cases to rise. Secretary of Health and Family Welfare Shalini Pandit said the supply of nets by the Centre is getting delayed as the tender floated last year resulted in a single bid. The MoHFW has re-tendered this year. Odisha could not procure as it also faced litigation on mosquito net tender, she added. Once a high prevalence state with around 3.23 lakh malaria cases in 2017, Odisha had seen an 80 per cent decline since 2018 due to large-scale distribution of LLINs and Durgama Anchalare Malaria Nirakaran (DAMaN), a multi-component malaria intervention in hard-to-reach villages, drawing appreciation from WHO.

The New Indian Express 18 Mar 2024 8:29 am

Cracks in INDIA bloc over candidature of Rahul, KC Venugopal

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Cracks appeared in the INDIA bloc on Sunday with the CPM and CPI national leaderships staying away from the rally organised by the bloc at Shivaji Park in Mumbai as a mark of protest against the Congresss alleged violation of alliance propriety. The absence of both Sitaram Yechury and D Raja comes at a time when the Left parties have opposed the candidature of top Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi and K C Venugopal from Wayanad and Alappuzha respectively. Though the CPM and CPI general secretaries did not specify their absence had any connection to the candidatures of the senior Congress leaders, party insiders said there are some unresolved issues relating to the decorum of the front. CPI parts ways with INDIA bloc in Jharkhand, to go solo in Lok Sabha polls Congress, CPM seat-sharing talks go off track over Bhubaneswar Lok Sabha seat When asked about his absence in the INDIA bloc rally, CPM general secretary Sitaram Yechury told TNIE through a text message that he had an important meeting in Tripura. CPI general secretary D Raja too said he had some other important issues to take care of. Congress decision to field Rahul in Wayanad and Venugopal in Alappuzha is their priority. However, what message are they sending by fielding these two leaders against the Left, which is a dominant force in Kerala? If Rahul wanted to contest from south India, why could he not contest from Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, or Telangana, he asked. Both the CPM and CPI leaderships in Kerala have asked the Congress not to field Rahul in Wayanad as his candidature would send a wrong message to the voters. The Left leaders have been questioning the logic behind the Congress decision to field Rahul in Wayanad against the CPI, a constituent partner of the INDIA block, if the former considers the BJP as their primary opponent. Besides, the decision to field Congress general secretary Venugopal from Alappuzha against a sitting CPM MP has not gone down well with them either. The Left is of the view that the Congress national leadership has succumbed to the state leaderships pressure. Miffed over Wayanad, CPI says Congress must keep coalition dharma Venugopals tenure as Rajya Sabha MP from Rajasthan ends only in 2026. If he wins the Lok Sabha seat in Kerala, the vacant Rajya Sabha seat would go to the BJP. Venugopals candidature has raised many eyebrows within the Congress too. Fielding two top leaders of the Congress against the Left is sending a message that we are their main opponents. In that situation, participation or representation of the Left in the mega rally of the INDIA bloc would give a wrong message to the voters in Kerala, a central committee member said on condition of anonymity.

The New Indian Express 18 Mar 2024 7:08 am

Ganja worth 1.5 crore seized in Boudh dist

The Times of India 18 Mar 2024 5:22 am

Son of Adam crowned best musical film in Madrid

The Times of India 18 Mar 2024 5:22 am

STF arrests 2 for extorting 16 lakh from govt officials

The Times of India 18 Mar 2024 5:21 am

BJD leader Panda quits as adviser to agri dept

The Times of India 18 Mar 2024 5:21 am

Cong leaders wife, supporters join BJD

The Times of India 18 Mar 2024 5:21 am

Parties vie for development credit

The Times of India 18 Mar 2024 5:20 am

Odisha: BJP has Finalised Candidates List of Parliamentary, Assembly Seats, Says Ex-Union minister

Bhubaneswar : Senior BJP leader and former Union minister Pratap Sarangi on Sunday said his party had made full preparation of the Lok Sabha and assembly elections in Odisha and the short-listing process of the probable candidates had been completed. He informed that names of the selected candidates will be sent to the party high command today and the names of selected nominees for parliamentary and assembly constituencies will be announced from New Delhi by the party president JP Nadda. Sources in the Odisha unit of the BJP said it had already chalked out its strategy for all the 21 Lok Sabha and 147 assembly seats ahead of the crucial 2024 elections. The state election committee of the BJP met here on Saturday and discussions were held on the candidates for the assembly elections and the Lok Sabha polls. The meeting, chaired by state BJP president Manmohan Samal, made seat-wise discussions and deliberated on the applications of prospective candidates. Saffron partys Odisha election in-charge Vijaypal Singh Tomar said, All discussions on how to connect with people, vehicles and other aspects including management were held. We have enough time and the names of candidates will also be announced. The BJP has decided to reach out to 1 crore people in Odisha with the letter written by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Meanwhile, the suspense of a possible BJP- Biju Janata Dal (BJD) continued on Sunday with both the parties observing a mysterious silence over it. No leader from either side came forward to share information on the progress with regard to the proposed coalition. In fact, the BJP and BJD, until recently key rivals in state politics, are trying to forge an alliance. Though top leaderships of both parties are reportedly pushing for the alliance, grassroots workers and ticket aspirants of the two parties are opposing the coalition proposition, arguing that such an arrangement is illogical and will demoralize the BJP and BJPs rank and file . Union minister Amit Shah, in an interview to a national television channel on Friday, said, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and partys national president JP Nadda will take a decision on Odisha affairs.

Deccan Chronicle 18 Mar 2024 12:33 am

Odisha: Congress leader Bapi Sarkhels wife Monidipa joins BJD

Bhubaneswar: Pradip-Erasma Industrial Development Councils working president Monidipa Sarkhel and Paradip municipality vice-chairperson Chhabilata Rout along with nine councillors joined the ruling BJD here Sunday. Monidipa is the wife of prominent Congress leader of Paradip, Bapi Sarkhel. Monidipa and Rout accompanied by hundreds of BJP and Congress workers came to BJD office in the city []

orissapost 17 Mar 2024 9:42 pm

Odisha: District admins asked to pause weekly public grievance hearings due to polls

Bhubaneswar: The district administrations were asked by the Odisha government to pause the weekly public grievance hearings till the elections are complete. In a letter to the collectors and district magistrates, Chief Secretary PK Jena said the direction was given as the model code of conduct (MCC) has come into force with the announcement of []

orissapost 17 Mar 2024 7:57 pm

India Men's Hockey Team Begin Goalkeeping Camp Ahead of Paris 2024 Olympics

Hockey India has roped in the services of Dutch goalkeeping expert Dennis Van De Poole and will join the ongoing national coaching camp being Bhubaneswar.

News18 17 Mar 2024 7:49 pm

Model Code Of Conduct: Odisha CMs Grievance Cell Closed Till Election Is Over

Bhubaneswar: With the Model Code of Conduct (MCC) in force for the general elections, the hearing of grievances by the Odisha Chief Ministers Grievance Cell has been stopped till the end of the election process. On Sunday, the Chief Ministers Office (CMO) made an official announcement stating that due to the enforcement of the Model [] The post Model Code Of Conduct: Odisha CMs Grievance Cell Closed Till Election Is Over appeared first on Pragativadi | Odisha News, Breaking News Odisha, Latest Odisha News .

Pragativadi 17 Mar 2024 7:46 pm

Western belt farmers hold key to success in Odishas simultaneous polls

Bhubaneswar: With the Election Commission of India (ECI) unveiling the dates for the simultaneous Lok Sabha and Odisha Assembly elections, the spotlight shifts to farmers of the western region, whose votes hold significant sway over at least five parliamentary constituencies and 35 Vidhan Sabha seats. In Odisha, which comprises 21 Lok Sabha seats and 147 []

orissapost 17 Mar 2024 5:54 pm

Goalkeeping camp for Indian mens team begins ahead of Olympic Games

New Delhi, March 17 (IANS) To help in the Indian mens hockey teams preparations for the upcoming Olympic Games in Paris, Hockey India has roped in the services of Dutch goalkeeping expert Dennis Van De Poole. He will join the ongoing national coaching camp being held at the iconic Kalinga Hockey Stadium in Bhubaneswar, where []

bhaskarlive 17 Mar 2024 5:47 pm

Western belt farmers hold key to success in Odishas twin polls

Western belt farmers hold key to success in Odishas twin polls With the Election Commission of India (ECI) unveiling the dates for the simultaneous Lok Sabha and Odisha Assembly elections, the spotlight shifts to farmers of the western region, whose votes hold significant sway over at least five parliamentary constituencies and 35 Vidhan Sabha seats. In Odisha, which comprises 21 Lok Sabha seats and 147 Assembly segments, elections are scheduled to be held in four phases on May 13, May 20, May 25, and June 1. Historically, the farmers of the western region, once a stronghold of the Congress, have wielded considerable electoral influence by voting en masse. In the 2019 general elections, all five western Odisha Lok Sabha seats were secured by the opposition BJP, while the ruling BJD, led by Naveen Patnaik, failed to secure a single seat in this agriculturally rich region, often referred to as the ''Anna datas'' (providers of food) region, with areas like Bargarh and Kalahandi being prominent rice-producing hubs. Out of the eight seats won by the BJP in the state in 2019, the party secured victories in all five Lok Sabha seats in the western region, including Sambalpur, Bargarh, Bolangir, Kalahandi, and Sundergarh. The remaining three seats were won in northern Odisha's Balasore and Mayurbhanj, as well as the coastal belt's Bhubaneswar. However, despite the BJP's success in the Lok Sabha elections, the people of the region predominantly favoured Naveen Patnaik's BJD in the assembly polls. Out of the 35 assembly segments within these five western LS constituencies, BJP candidates only managed to secure victories in eight, with the majority going in favour of the BJD. The Congress also secured victories in three assembly segments in the western region. Recognising the significance of farmers in the western region and aiming to regain their support, the Odisha Pradesh Congress Committee (OPCC) has promised various agricultural incentives in its recently released election manifesto. These include farm loan waivers, a guaranteed minimum support price (MSP) of Rs 3,000 per quintal of paddy, pensions for farmers, allowances for agricultural workers, complete GST withdrawal on agricultural products, among others. Sarat Patnayak, president of OPCC, emphasised the importance of farmers in the rural economy and pledged support to them if the Congress comes to power after the 2024 elections. ''Farmers are the backbone of rural economy and the Congress will do everything possible for the Anna Datas if it comes to power after 2024 elections,'' Patnayak, who also hails from Bolangir district, a part of the western region, said. On the other hand, the ruling BJD, which has governed the state since 2000, has not yet released its election manifesto but claims to have implemented several schemes for the welfare of farmers. Notably, initiatives like the Indravati Irrigation project and the recently launched Lower Suktel irrigation project aim to benefit farmers in regions like Kalahandi and Bolangir. Additionally, the BJD government has undertaken significant water infrastructure projects in various districts, further emphasising its commitment to agricultural development. The BJP, meanwhile, has been appealing to farmers in the region through schemes like the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana, particularly crucial for the drought-prone KBK (Kalahandi-Bolangir-Koraput) region. Pradip Purohit, a BJP leader and former MLA, asserted that the farmers of the western region strongly support the saffron party, citing confidence in Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Despite agriculture being the primary livelihood for 70 per cent of the state's population, farmers in western Odisha have been notably organised in articulating their concerns to the government, unlike their counterparts in other parts of the state. While the BJD has a stronghold in coastal and central Odisha, winning 12 Lok Sabha seats in 2019, the BJP and Congress have also secured victories in different regions, indicating a three-way competition as the election dates approach, with all parties vying for the support of the crucial farming community.

devdiscourse 17 Mar 2024 5:23 pm

Indian men's football team gets acclimatised to Abha's altitude ahead of WC Qualifiers clash against Afghanistan

Indian men's football team gets acclimatised to Abha's altitude ahead of WC Qualifiers clash against Afghanistan Nicknamed the Bride of the Mountain, the landscape of the city of Abha is not what people would generally associate Saudi Arabia with. Mesmerising views, fresh air, some occasional fog, but most significantly, the mild climate. The temperature was a pleasant 20 degrees Celsius on the first day of training for the Blue Tigers, who have travelled to the capital of the Asir province for the FIFA World Cup Qualifiers away match against Afghanistan, as per an All India Football Federation (AIFF). The Blue Tigers will play the away match against Afghanistan on March 21, 2024, in Abha (March 22, 12.30 am IST). India's home match against Afghanistan will be played at the Indira Gandhi Athletic Stadium in Guwahati on March 26, 2024. India is currently tied on three points in Group A of the qualifiers, along with Kuwait, who are ahead on goal difference. The Blue Tigers defeated Kuwait (1-0) in Kuwait City in their opening match of the qualifiers, before losing to Qatar (0-3) in Bhubaneswar. Qatar currently lead the group with six points. At 2,470 metres above sea level, it would perhaps be the first time each one of the Blue Tigers would play at such a high altitude. Acclimatisation to such conditions had to be the first order of business, and so, the national team landed in Abha as early as possible after the Indian Super League (ISL) paused for the international break. Led by skipper Sunil Chhetri, all 25 of the Blue Tigers underwent their first training session on Saturday evening. Since our match will kick off at 22:00 here, we have moved our daily schedule forward a few hours so that players can adjust their biorhythm accordingly, said head coach Igor Stimac. The kick-off has been set at late night due to Ramadan. In India, the match will start at 00:30 IST on March 22. This international break sees the first India call-up for three players - defenders Amey Ranawade and Jay Gupta, and winger Imran Khan. Stimac opened up about their qualities which impressed him the most, making them worthy of donning the India blue. Amey was in our plans a long time ago before he suffered an injury. He is an intelligent young player with good ability and needs time to start picking up experience at this level, said the coach. About Jay, the coach said that work needs to be done on his defensive shape and positioning. Jay has shown interesting offensive capabilities but we still need to work a lot on his defensive shape and positioning. Imran, we believe, can add something extra to the competition for midfield positions. He has been consistent in taking shots from a distance and creating danger so we need to check how good he can be at this level, said the coach. Stimac believes this is the chance for the new boys to prove themselves, play consistently and keep earning future call-ups. I do not expect miracles from anyone. We believe in process and patient work. This will serve us to see how they respond to our demands and if we can count on them in the future, said the Croatian. But the doors of the national team are not open to only players in the Indian Super League. The eyes of the coaching staff are on the entire Indian footballing pyramid. Stimac spent his last week in India, watching various ISL, I-League and local matches. Sharing his observations, he said, I watch all the games throughout the season but this time, I especially went to see some of our youngsters playing in the I-League, said the coach. My dear Mahesh (Gawali) is responsible for following I-League players and I wanted to see some of the boys he mentioned to me play live like David (Lalhlansanga) and Bikash (Sagolsem) of Mohammedan (Sporting), Sourav of Gokulam (Kerala FC) and Edmund (Lalrindika) of Inter Kashi. I am happy with what I have seen and we will keep following their progress. The problem is that the I-League calendar was not adjusted to FIFA windows and clubs need them now, so they will miss this opportunity of representing the U23s in Malaysia. But I am sure this will change soon, added Stimac. (ANI)

devdiscourse 17 Mar 2024 5:10 pm

Isolated Hailstorm, Heavy Rainfall, Lightning Very Likely In Odisha Districts On March 19

Bhubaneswar: With the trough from south Odisha to sub-Himalayan West Bengal and Sikkim at 0.9 Km above mean sea level becoming less marked, hailstorm, rainfall with lightning accompanied by gusty surface wind speed reaching 40-50 KMPH are very likely to occur at one or two places over some districts of Odisha on March 19, [] The post Isolated Hailstorm, Heavy Rainfall, Lightning Very Likely In Odisha Districts On March 19 appeared first on Pragativadi | Odisha News, Breaking News Odisha, Latest Odisha News .

Pragativadi 17 Mar 2024 3:24 pm

Bhubaneswar-Visakhapatnam Vande Bharat Express Train Service Begins

Bhubaneswar: Bhubaneswar-Visakhapatnam Vande Bharat Express train service began today from the Bhubaneswar Railway Station. As per official sources, the train service will be available on all days, except Mondays. According to the schedule, the train will leave Bhubaneswar at 5.15 am and reach Visakhapatnam at 11 am. In the return direction, it will leave [] The post Bhubaneswar-Visakhapatnam Vande Bharat Express Train Service Begins appeared first on Pragativadi | Odisha News, Breaking News Odisha, Latest Odisha News .

Pragativadi 17 Mar 2024 2:08 pm

STF Busts Extortion Racket Operating In Odisha, Jharkhand, 2 Brothers Impersonating ED Officers Arrested

Bhubaneswar: The Special Task Force (STF) of Odisha on Sunday have busted an impersonation and extortion racket operating in Odisha and Jharkhand. Two persons have been arrested on the charges of impersonating Enforcement Directorate (ED) officials. The accused have been identified as Tarinisen Mohapatra (30) and Brahmashankar Mohapatra (27) resident of Dhenkanal district. Both [] The post STF Busts Extortion Racket Operating In Odisha, Jharkhand, 2 Brothers Impersonating ED Officers Arrested appeared first on Pragativadi | Odisha News, Breaking News Odisha, Latest Odisha News .

Pragativadi 17 Mar 2024 1:33 pm

India rope in Dutch goalkeeping coach Dennis van de Pol

India rope in Dutch goalkeeping coach Dennis van de Pol India have roped in Dutch goalkeeping expert Dennis van de Pol to aid the men's hockey team's preparations for the Paris Olympics. A well-known hockey goalkeeping coach, Van de Pol has been working with the Indian goalies for nearly four years now, with his first stint in 2019. He will join the ongoing national coaching camp at the Kalinga Stadium in Bhubaneswar, where he will work closely with PR Sreejesh, Krishan Pathak and Suraj Karkera. The 10-day special goalkeeping camp, overseen by chief coach Craig Fulton, will end on March 26, a week before the team leaves for the Australia tour. ''This is a very important phase for the Indian men's team. In their quest for another podium finish at the Olympics, Hockey India is ensuring the team is provided with all the necessary support they need to fulfil this dream,'' Hockey India President Dilip Tirkey was quoted as saying in a media release. ''We have re-emphasised the importance of these specialised coaching camps in goalkeeping and drag flicking. Van de Pol had conducted two special camps with the Indian team last year in July and September ahead of the Asian Games. ''We are delighted to engage Dennis who has been closely working with this group of goalkeepers for nearly four years now and understands the minor tweaks needed to lift their performance,'' he added.

devdiscourse 17 Mar 2024 12:54 pm

Bhubaneswar-Visakhapatnam Vande Bharat Express train service begins, check details - Odisha News In English

Bhubaneswar-Visakhapatnam Vande Bharat Express train service begins, check details Odisha News In English

Google News 17 Mar 2024 11:13 am

Third batch of Agniveers pass out of INS Chilka

BHUBANESWAR: As many as 2,630 Agniveers, including 396 women, passed out of INS Chilka on Friday. The passing out parade was reviewed by Chief of Naval Staff Admiral R Hari Kumar in the presence of vice admiral V Srinivas, flag officer commanding-in-chief, Southern Naval Command. The parade marked the successful culmination of 16 weeks of training and the start of a new voyage in the Indian Navy. Addressing the Agniveers, the Chief of Naval Staff urged them to hone their skills further and develop a strong foundation of knowledge, willingness to learn and commitment to excel in their respective careers. He also urged them to uphold the Navys core values of duty, honour and courage, in pursuit of nation building. Admiral Kumar awarded medals and trophies to the meritorious Agniveers on the occasion. Prathamesh Amit Darekar, Agniveer (SSR) and Sanni Kumar Rajak (MR) were awarded CNS rolling trophy and gold medal for best Agniveer SSR and MR, respectively in mens category. Samruddhi Khandave, Agniveer (SSR) was the best woman Agniveer in the overall order of merit and she was awarded the late Gen Bipin Rawat rolling trophy. He also gave away the overall championship trophy to Angad division and runners-up trophy to Shivaji division. He also unveiled the summer edition of Ankur, a bilingual trainees magazine of INS Chilka.

The New Indian Express 17 Mar 2024 11:03 am

Vimsar medicos call off cease work after due assurance

SAMBALPUR: The agitating junior doctors and house surgeons of Veer Surendra Sai Institute of Medical Sciences And Research (VIMSAR), Burla called off their cease work on the third day on Saturday after getting due assurance from the authorities. On Saturday, Director of Medical Education and Training (DMET), Sachidananda Mohanty along with additional DMET, Uma Kanta Satpathy visited Sambalpur to discuss the issue and held a meeting with the district collector, RDC (ND), VIMSAR director and other authorities. Subsequently, they went to discuss with the agitating junior doctors and house surgeons and assured them of necessary action following which the agitation was called off at around 6 pm. While the agitation had started on Thursday, a delegation of the agitating junior residents and house surgeons went to Bhubaneswar, to meet the CM, health secretary, DMET and other authorities concerned. Out of their many demands, the reshuffle of departmental official for lapses in duty and transfer of the accounts officer for delay in discharging duty were fulfilled on Friday. The other issues raised by the agitating students included delay in fulfilment of developmental promises such as the installation of WiFi on the campus, alleged demands for bribes by certain staff members and lack of attention by the dean towards students issues and problem in functioning of patient-related facilities like MRI, ICU etc. They have also demanded changing the dean and principal, accounts officer and head clerk of education section. General secretary of House Surgeons Union, Rohan Kumar Nayak said, We had a fruitful discussion with the DMET and other authorities and were convinced with their assurance following which we decided to call off the protest in the general body meeting held on Saturday in the evening. We realise that though the patient-related issues are chronic, it will take time to be resolved. Likewise, the other problems also need time to be addressed. For the larger good of the patients, we will be resuming our duty from Sunday. Due to the agitation, patient care was partially paralysed in the hospital. Moreover, the UG students also boycotted classes and internal examination. However, the agitating junior doctors and house surgeons attended emergency cases during the agitation.

The New Indian Express 17 Mar 2024 10:59 am

Odisha BJP election committee meets to finalise candidates

BHUBANESWAR: Putting the alliance talks with the ruling BJD on the back burner, the BJP on Saturday got into the serious business of finalising candidates for all the Lok Sabha and Assembly seats. The state election committee of the BJP held a marathon meeting at its state headquarters here to select probable candidates for each of the 21 Lok Sabha and 147 Assembly seats. The party has already prepared a list with at least three probable candidates for each seat as required by the central leaders for hammering out seat adjustment with the BJD. As uncertainty over alliance with the ruling party still prevails with the possibility of last minute intervention by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the election committee took the opportunity to have a seat-wise discussion to pick best of the candidates. The election observers of the party have also come up with names of more aspirants and the committee will have to make a fresh evaluation, sources said. If an alliance with BJD works out, chances of which now appears remote, the ad-hoc list will come handy for finalisation of candidates by the central parliamentary board, the sources added. The meeting which started at about 10 am in the morning was chaired by state BJP president Manmohan Samal and continued till this report was filed. All members including two Union ministers Dharmendra Pradhan and Bishweswar Tudu, MPs Jual Oram, Pratap Sarangi, Suresh Pujari, Basanta Panda, national vice-president Baijayant Panda, national spokesperson Sambit Patra, partys Odisha co-in-charges Vijay Pal Singh Tomar, Lata Usendi, general secretary (organisation) Manas Mohanty, Surama Padhi, Samir Mohanty and Mahila Morcha President Aiswarya Biswal were present.

The New Indian Express 17 Mar 2024 10:41 am

Over 3.3 crore voters to exercise their franchise in Odisha

BHUBANESWAR: Around 3.35 crore voters will exercise their franchise in the four phase simultaneous Lok Sabha and Assembly elections in Odisha, the dates for which were announced by the Election Commission of India (ECI) on Saturday. Chief electoral officer (CEO) Odisha Nikunja Bihari Dhal said the voter count of the state which was at 3,32,36,360 at the time of release of the final electoral roll in January first week has now increased to 3,34,73,561. He said the figure includes a little over 1.69 crore male and 1.65 lakh female voters. The number of transgender voters is 3,438, while there are 5.19 lakh PwD voters in the state. The voter list also includes 3.02 lakh voters in the age group of 85 years and above and 184 from overseas. Dhal said the number of young electors in the age group of 18-19 years has reached close to eight lakh, a record for the state. The percentage of young electors that constitutes around 2.38 per cent of the total votes, is even more than the national average, he said. The CEO said continuous updation of the voter list has helped in improving gender ratio in the electoral roll with the number of female for every 1,000 male voters increasing to 974 against the previous ratio of 972. The voters as per the instruction of ECI are required to produce EPIC card or any one of other valid document as listed by the Commission including Aadhaar card, MGNREGA job card, bank/postal passbook with photograph, health insurance smart card issued by Ministry of Labour, driving licence, PAN card, passport and pension document with photograph. The CEO said most of the voters have already been issued their Election Photo Identity Cards (EPIC) and those who have not applied for it yet may download the same from the voter services portal.

The New Indian Express 17 Mar 2024 10:31 am

Efforts on to make Odisha top state by 2036: CM Naveen Patnaik

BHUBANESWAR: Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Saturday asserted people of Odisha will create a new record in the political history of the country in a few months, and the next 10 years will be decisive for the states future. In the last cabinet meeting of his fifth term, Naveen said, We will herald an empowered Odisha, which is modern, dynamic and responsive, primarily for our youth, women and children, entrepreneurs, farmers and tribals. We will usher in an Odisha with secure roots and powerful wings. The chief minister said the state is going to celebrate the 100th year of its formation in 2036 and all efforts are on to make it the number one in the country in every field by then. Our entire focus will be on providing the best of educational and employment opportunities to aspiring youth and empowering them to achieve their dreams. The youth of the state will build New Odisha - a state which will set benchmarks in every sector and bring prosperity to its people, he said. Naveen listed out the state governments achievements like successful management of Covid-19 pandemic, transformation of educational institutions, hospitals, religious places, sports infrastructure, `40,000 crore bank linkage for SHGs, universal health coverage through BSKY, Nabin Odisha magic card, women empowerment, rapid industrialisation, upliftment of tribals and farmers. He said when he took office as the CM, Odisha was devastated by the super cyclone and looked down upon as a poor underdeveloped state. There were humongous challenges in bringing the state back on the track of development. But I was guided by the vision of Biju Babu to make a difference in the lives of my 4.5 crore family members. Now Odisha is recognised as one of the most progressive states and is cited as a model in many fields, he said. The last five years, the chief minister said, have been based on the principles of 5T. Transformation is visible across the state and across every segment of the population. Team work through transparent governance and intense use of technology has been creating remarkable change within a short period of time, the chief minister maintained. Our identity is our strength and we shall continue to work for its preservation and promotion. With strengthening our roots, new Odisha will also firm up her wings to scale the horizon, Naveen added.

The New Indian Express 17 Mar 2024 9:58 am

Four-phase polls in Odisha from May 13

BHUBANESWAR: Elections for the 21 Lok Sabha and 147 Assembly seats in Odisha will be held in four phases starting May 13 and concluding on June 1, the Election Commission of India (ECI) announced on Saturday. Votes of all four phases will be counted on June 4. While four LS constituencies and 28 Assembly segments under them will go to polls on May 13, voting will be held in five LS and 35 Assembly seats on May 20. Similarly, six LS segments and 42 Assembly constituencies each will go to polls on May 25 and June 1 in the last two phases, respectively. In the fourth phase, Kalahandi, Nabarangpur (ST), Berhampur and Koraput (ST) LS constituencies will go to polls while voting will be held in Bargarh, Sundargarh (ST), Balangir, Kandhamal and Aska seats in the fifth phase. Elections in Sambalpur, Keonjhar (ST), Dhenkanal, Cuttack, Puri and Bhubaneswar will be held in the sixth phase and voting for Mayurbhanj (ST), Balasore, Bhadrak (SC), Jajpur (SC), Kendrapara and Jagatsinghpur (SC) will be conducted in the final phase.

The New Indian Express 17 Mar 2024 9:44 am

Voters confused as suspense continues over BJP-BJD alliance

The BJP-BJD alliance uncertainty in Odisha amidst election dates causes chaos. Naveen Patnaik aims for a sixth term, potentially becoming the longest-serving CM. Voters seek clarity as party members anticipate the coalition's impact on candidate selection.

The Times of India 17 Mar 2024 9:02 am

Youth hackedto death in city

The Times of India 17 Mar 2024 5:26 am

Cops destroy over 1.5L poppy plants worth 3cr in STR

The Times of India 17 Mar 2024 5:25 am

Govt schemes will help BJP win: Pradhan

The Times of India 17 Mar 2024 5:25 am