BJD in the News

CM Naveen Patnaik says "We are working to remove investment bottlenecks" [Business Standard] Odisha has got an abundance of natural resources. Why has this abundance of natural resources not yet resulted in the kind of growth that Odisha has the potential of generating, and what in your view is that is coming in the way?Yes, we are very rich in natural resources and we have received large investments in the past decade. With large investments, you often have problems like environment and rehabilitation issues. We are trying to sort those out, so that industries can come up in Odisha.You mentioned investment bottlenecks, for example, about Posco and Vedanta. Is there any specific action plan that you have to overcome these bottlenecks?The problems with those two companies will be sorted out. The prime minister has even spoken with the South Korean president to resolve the Posco issue expeditiously.It is feared that some recent issues like the chit-fund scam and the problems that the mining sector has witnessed may vitiate the state's investment climate. How serious do you think are these issues?Ever since we took office 15 years ago, we have tried to run a transparent government and taken strict action to quell such crimes. As far as the fiscal situation is concerned, when have come a long way from the ghastly situation in the year 2000. Today, we are a revenue-surplus state and financially much more stable.You are one of the few Indian chief ministers in the country who had an uninterrupted run of three straight terms. You have achieved a lot in the past 14 years. Where do you see the state 20 years from now?We have made rapid progress in sectors like irrigation, agriculture, and of course, infrastructure. Our anti-poverty programmes and pro-poor schemes for women and the tribal people have been successful. I do hope that Odisha is on course to become a very prosperous state in the future.What kind of equation does the state share with the new Narendra Modi-led central government, and what possibilities does it hold for Odisha?I hope the new central government will take constructive steps and meet Odisha's demands .What about Odisha's demand for a special- category status?That is our demand and we are working towards that. More posts Close
PPPs to play key role in public service delivery, says CM Naveen Patnaik [Business Standard] Aiming to make Odisha's multi-faceted schemes and programmes in different socio-economic sectors sustainable, the state government is betting big on the development of infrastructure through the private-public partnership (PPP) route."A key objective of my government now is to progressively address the huge task of achieving sustainable and inclusive economic growth and accelerating human development in the state. This places greater emphasis on upgradation and improvement of the infrastructure base in the state and efficient delivery of public services. We realise that infrastructure development alone would make our multi-faceted schemes and programmes in different socio-economic sectors sustainable, leading to greater growth multipliers," said Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik at the Business Standard Odisha Round Table-2014.He stressed that PPPs will play a pivotal role in the achievement of this vision. The state has targeted attracting investment of at least Rs 5,000 crore in the infrastructure sector through PPPs during the 12th Plan period. "We are well on track to achieve this target," said Patnaik.Several initiatives have been undertaken in municipal corporations for solid waste management and street lighting through PPPs. Dedicated budgetary provisions have been made for viability-gap funding, which would catalyse the geographic spread of PPPs in Odisha, Patnaik said.Understanding the need for road, rail and air connectivity, the state has lined up big investments in these critical infrastructure areas as well.The Odisha State Highways Development Project has been launched for widening all state highways over a three-year period. The projects are being implemented through external assistance as well as PPPs.The state government has been investing in special-purpose vehicles for faster execution of railway projects of economic importance. For better air connectivity, Biju Patnaik Airport has been upgraded to an international airport, while another airport at Jharsuguda is being developed with partial state funding.Urban development has also found place in the state government's agenda of priority. The state is taking up projects to improve the urban transport system, sewerage, drainage, drinking water supply, sanitation and housing on a large scale.To ensure uninterrupted power supply for the people of Odisha, the state government is investing heavily in the power infrastructure. It is implementing schemes like CAPEX in the power sector, and the installation of 550 33/11 KV sub-stations to improve the quality as well as quantity of power supply in the state. Besides, massive investments have been attracted from the private sector for setting up thermal power stations, he added.Odisha, which has drawn considerable investment in the metals and mining sectors over the past decade, is now keen to attract investors to set up industries that can run without dependence on its rich mineral resources."We are endeavouring to diversify Odisha's investment base by focusing on sectors not dependent on natural resources, such as agribusiness, tourism and information technology. Extremely forward-looking policies are under formulation for the fishery and poultry sectors," Patnaik said.He expressed the hope that once these policies were in place, they would attract large commercial investments in these sectors.The series of reform measures in the industry, infrastructure, financial and social sectors over the past decade has resulted in rapid growth for the state during both the 10th and 11th five-year plan periods.The remarkable fiscal turnaround achieved by the state over the past decade is an example for the whole country. The state could generate a sizeable fiscal space for increasing the plan and capital investment in essential sectors to bridge the developmental gaps, Patnaik observed.The state believes that growth in agriculture can result in faster reduction in poverty. In order to provide focused attention to this sector, the state government introduced a separate Agriculture Budget from the year 2013-14, Patnaik added. nBesides, the state has formulated the food processing policy, 2013 to attract investments in food parks and food processing units, he said. More posts Close
CM Naveen Patnaik directs authorities to complete construction work of five new Government medical colleges [Odisha Diary] Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik directed the Health Department authorities to complete the construction work of five new Government medical colleges and hospital at Baleswar, Baripada, Puri, Koraput and Bolangir within the specified time frame and initiate the process of recruitment of doctors and paramedical staffs for these medical colleges. He also directed the concerned authorities to expedite infrastructure development of three existing Government medical colleges as per the guidelines of the Medical Council of India (MCI). A decision to this effect was taken at a high-level meeting held under chairmanship of Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik at the State Secretariat on Wednesday. The meeting discussed about the infrastructure development of five new Government medical colleges and hospital and three existing Government medical colleges and hospitals at Cuttack, Brahmapur and Burla and appointment in the vacant posts in the Health Department. The Revenue Divisional Commissioners (RDCs) would remain in charge of administrators of three Government medical colleges and hospitals in the State to oversee health services. The Chief Minister also underscored the need for filling up the vacant posts in the Transplant unit of these medical colleges and distribution of free medicines to poor patients.Patnaik also directed the authorities to initiate disciplinary action against the errant doctors who have unauthorisedly gone on long leaves.Among others, Health and Family Welfare Minister Atanu Sabyasachi Nayak, Chief Secretary GC Pati and Development Commissioner AP Padhi were present. More posts Close
CM Naveen Patnaik asks Party MPs to Raise State Issues in Parliament [Indian Express] Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Tuesday met party MPs in BJD office in Parliament and discussed issues of the State that can be raised in Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha. Naveen asked the MPs to raise major issues like development of railway network, coal block allocation, development of national highways and improvement of road network in Maoist affected areas in the State. “We discussed the requirements of the party MPs and issues pertaining to the State,” the Chief Minister said after his return from a four-day visit to the national capital. Leader of the BJD Parliamentary Party in the Lok Sabha Bhatruhari Mahatab said the Chief Minister also wanted to know from the MPs about the issues raised by them during the session. Naveen also apprised the MPs about his meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu at New Delhi. Mahatab said the Chief Minister underscored the need for more funds from the Centre for undertaking development work in the State. Naveen went to the Central Hall of the Parliament and greeted JD-U leader Sharad Yadav. More posts Close
CM Naveen Patnaik says : Odisha to spend Rs 5,000 crore in IT sector in next 5 years [Niti Central] Odisha would spend around Rs 5,000 crore on IT in the next five years to provide services through electronic mode and entire Bhubaneswar would be made a WiFi-enabled city, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik said today. “As per the ICT (information and communication technology) Policy, every department will now earmark two per cent of its annual plan budget or one per cent of its overall budget, whichever is higher for IT spending so as to provide services through electronic mode,” Patnaik said. In the process, the state government would spend around Rs 5,000 crore from its budget in the next five years for IT or IT enabled services and ESDM (Electronic System Design and Manufacturing), he said, after inaugurating the new IT block of Tech Mahindra here. More posts Close
BJD led Odisha Govt. cares for every Odia's health & safety. The Health & Family Welfare Dept. issues a Dos & Don'ts for Jaundice [Dharitri] More posts Close
CM Naveen Patnaik says to the concerned Officers, "Take steps for speedy procurement of paddy" [Odisha Channel] Taking note of media reports that thousands of farmers were facing a series of hurdles in selling their paddy, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Friday directed the officials concerned to take immediate measures for speedy procurement of paddy in the State. Patnaik issued the direction after he chaired a meeting to review paddy procurement and snags in the online payment system at the paddy procurement centres in several districts at the State Secretariat here. The Chief Minister directed the officials of the Food Supplies & Consumer Welfare Department to make immediate online payments to farmers for the paddy procured from them. In the event of snags in the online system, Patnaik ordered that payments should be immediately done through cheques. Media reports over the past few days indicated that farmers were not able to sale their paddy despite bringing their produce to the procurement centres even three weeks ago. Odisha Government has fixed a target to procure 30 lakh tonnes of paddy during the current Kharif season and 17 lakh tonnes would be procured in the first phase. According to official sources, while procurement is in progress in full swing in the districts such as Bargarh, Sambalpur, Balangir, Rayagada and Keonjhar, the process has started in Kalahandi, Subarnapur, Boudh and Mayurbhanj. The procurement of paddy will start in the districts of Khurda, Kendrapara and Jagatsinghpur in January. The farmers in most parts of Odisha are expecting a good harvest of paddy this season, but the government’s failure to procure their produce has left them distressed. While the State Civil Supplies Corporation had procured only 1.72 lakh tonnes of paddy till Friday, no other agency had started procurement of paddy so far, according to an official release issued by the Chief Minister’s Office. At many places the rice mills owners were not extending their cooperation thereby putting the government agencies in great difficulty in procuring paddy. While directing government officials to make surprise visit to procurement centre, the Chief Minister has ordered that action be taken against the erring rice mill owners. More posts Close
Andhra Pradesh hails CM NAVEEN PATNAIK as Hero [The Pioneer] October 29, 1999 had ushered in a new era for Odisha. October would be a natural calamity month. Storms would form in the Bay of Bengal, most disappearing after showing red eyes only, but once in a while one or two very severe cyclonic storms would blow over. Fortunately now, splendidly accurate storm-determining systems have come up, unlike in 1999. Meteorologists have also developed a mechanism for naming severe storms by nations in rotation. No wonder, most cyclones are feminine because males are less potent anyway. The deadliest on record, Hurricane Katrina, an Atlantic storm formed over the Bahamas on August 23, 2005 had pounded many regions causing irreparable damage to the tune of 108 billion US dollars then, on the coast and inland in multiple landfalls with severest storm surges causing both ‘blow-away’ damage and flood disasters across four days between August 28 and 31. The storm caused such floods as the Americans had never known to even be able to devise a strategy to remain just safe. Katrina with a peak speed of 280 km an hour is the strangest storm known in history. The 1999 Super Cyclone in Odisha had touched the entire civilised world so deeply that help came rushing even from strange individuals in faraway countries. Money came like storm surges; volunteers appeared in thousands; ideas and wisdom along with the works poured in overload quantities. The State machinery did not know what to do and how to do anything well. The neighbouring Andhra Pradesh personnel appeared like messiahs to clear roads, remove debris, trace 10,000 rotting human corpses and countless cattle and livestock carcasses and consign them to flames, while the Odisha authorities and volunteers kept gaping in utter confusion. Chandrababu Naidu was considered a demigod. Come 2014 and there is a wholly different picture! Cyclone Hudhud, named after an innocent bird in the Southeast Asia, was to make landfall on the Odisha coast. God decided to deflect it to the Andhra coast. The port city of Vizag was to suffer the landfall on October 12. Andhra Pradesh was witless. Despite every preparation, panic had left everything in disarray. By now, Odisha people had become experts in storm management, evacuation, rescue operations and trauma reduction due to constant training and exposure over the years. Naveen Patnaik, as if to pay back a debt, dispatched highly-trained State personnel. The State’s Fire Service force was on the Andhra soil by the noon of October 13. The 453-strong Odia team equipped with 239 power saws, cutters, 152 power lights, 23 combi-tools and four mobile mini mast lights, all this spread out across the devastated locations to commence rescue and relief work like, taking command from the leaders, more in sign language than screams. Further, 106 men from the Odisha Disaster Response force were dispatched with power cutters, tree fellers-pruners, concrete-steel cutters, hydra cutters and spreaders, et cetera, to engage in high-speed clearing of blocked roads, removing huge fallen trees, electric poles, collapsed structures after installing night floodlights at strategic junctions. What Andhra did to Odisha in 1999 after days, Odisha did in return by arriving on the spot in hours and the victims were amazed to realise that life can be back to normal soon enough. The trauma factor was virtually dispelled. Victims in Vizag and Srikakulam, like elsewhere, would never be able to forget Odisha rescuers ever for what they did at incredible speed and precision. The Andhra media was over-awed with the contribution of the Odisha team. That Naveen was guided by good public officials is an undeniable fact. The Special Relief Commissioner and the ADG of Fire Services are a few of the great masterminds who came up with ideas and plans at high speed and organised to have them implemented without losing one moment. On inquiry over phone, Fire Services ADG M Nageswar Rao said it was just a routine duty well-done mainly because the personnel had their skills kept sharp by constant honing through scientific practice. SRC Pradipta Mahapatra, a restless, high-voltage workaholic, said he has not been able to come back to the routine regimen because he was keen that his force return soon and narrate unique tales to learn even more. Pradipta says he was reminded by colleagues from time to time about food and sleep being vital to keep life during the tough hours of planning and monitoring when nothing but saving life and property was highest on his agenda. Similarly, on nagging only, Nageswar Rao would say, “I would only imagine we have not done injustice to the expectations of the victims, the people and the witnessing world around. The Chief Minister had ordered the best possible help to be provided. Thank God, our learning has been put to good use. We are overwhelmed by the media coverage in Andhra Pradesh. Every media house has hailed Shri Naveen Patnaik as a hero. AP CM Chandrababu Naidu visited personally all the cut-off locations to see what we have been doing. The officials of Andhra confess to the fact that Odisha repaid the Andhra debt multi-fold, which is humanity.” Lastly, the NGO role may be scrutinised. During the 1999 Super Cyclone, the NGOs woke up as late as usual (communication system was not so fantastic then) and kept crazily waiting for the money pots to fall on head. Once the dough was in hand, activities got madly brisk. The external agencies did not care for rigid auditing or scrutiny. Their sole objective was to save lives and rebuild livelihood systems very fast. Big NGOs with huge money flowing went virtually mad. They neither had the exposure-experience nor the broad heart to give away. They created clusters of smaller NGOs (many were born of the cyclone) and behaved as local funding agencies to show off. The founders and leaders used the situation and the free money without tight strings to project themselves as great saviours without ever confessing to the outside world that they were mere social contractors to bring relief to the victims in a most ethically correct fashion. Ordinary people, the same way as ordinary officials, did not understand how the NGOs operated. So they saw the NGO leaders screaming of ‘doing great things’, ‘transparency’ and ‘accountability’. It so happened that the NGOs formed solidarity groups and browbeat the poorer, hungrier ones in such a dictatorial manner that rebellions erupted and friends and followers became bitter enemies forever. Dirty politics prevailed for quite some time, but big talkers had managed to steal the lime light by displaying big-spend and confounding the media. Emergency purchase of shelter sheets, dry food, bottled water, hiring of vehicles had kickback and the mere number of ignorant hungry, needy volunteers had to keep singing praise for the machinating leaders for a little dole-out and in result, extremely self-centric, fraudulent NGO founders assumed larger-than-life pictures. Some of them used the post-Super Cyclone plank to build international careers. Enough documentary evidence is available to have the NGO pretenders nabbed even today. The moot point is that no NGO, big or small, has shown good enough face in the 2014 Hudhud rescue-relief operations because big funding agencies have stopped assistance or are suspicious of this rare tribe. It is of course true that perfect NGOs do exist, but their number is miniscule. A nearly-confused leader said a band of 15 volunteers is on a tour to AP with only 50 thousand rupees in hand, just good enough for a two-day excursion without any serious work. Not a single big NGO leader, stealing fat salary, has ever donated one month’s salary for relief of any community in distress. The good ones, mostly impoverished, are doing great work without being seen. More posts Close
CM Shri Naveen Patnaik says Flood situation shows signs of improvement [Odisha Diary] Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik says Flood situation shows signs of improvement in the state, water levels of major rivers receding. Despite the fact that floodwater in most rivers had started receding, the plight of lakhs of people in the affected areas was turning worse with basic needs like polythene sheets, drinking water and food materials not reaching them. These people were taking shelter under the open sky on embankments and roadsides for the last five days. The miseries of the affected people spending sleepless nights compounded with fresh low pressure induced intermittent rains which had started since Friday. Complaints were galore relating to the non-provision of essential relief materials from the districts of Jajpur, Bhadrak, Jagatsinghpur, Kendrapada and Puri districts, where over 1.35 lakh people were still taking shelter on embankments and roads. Besides, an estimated 3.37 lakh people were marooned in 526 villages where relief materials were a far cry. The allegation of starvation death of one elderly woman in the flood-affected Phulpur village under Dharmasala block in Jajpur district due to non-provision of relief exposed the failure of the administration to come to the aid of the people in distress. Special Relief Commissioner (SRC) PK Mohapatra on Saturday directed the Jajpur district Collector to inquire into the matter. The SRC admitted that fresh rains had added to the woes of the affected people, particularly those taking shelter on embankments. However, the SRC said that there was enough stock of relief materials including food stuffs and added that the district authorities had been advised to undertake coordinated effort in distribution of relief materials through the local Sarpanches of affected villages to avoid any short supply of relief materials including fodders. He said that as many as 1.59 lakh people were still taking shelter on safer places and were being given cooked food through 204 relief centers. On the flood situation, Mohapatra said that over 1.35 lakh people had taken shelter on various river embankments and roads although the water level in all the major rivers had started receding and there was no new breach. As many as 38 breaches had occurred so far, he informed. But in the downstream of the Mahanadi in deltaic region, the flood water in the districts of Puri, Jagatsinghpur , Kendrapada and parts of Khurda had caused serious problem as large areas had been inundated. Overall there had been respite from a major flood situation in the Mahanadi delta region, he said. On the discharge from Hirakud reservoir, the SRC said that only 24 sluice gates were kept open at present following a reduced inflow of water in the Mahanadi. Considering the inflow and weather condition, some more gates are likely to be closed, he said. With one more casualty reported on Saturday, the death toll in the current flood increased to 22. Meanwhile, local Met office said a low pressure area had formed over the north Bay of Bengal region under the influence of a cyclonic circulation. The low pressure will further trigger rains at most places over north Odisha and at a few places over south Odisha during next 24 hours while heavy to very heavy rainfall would occur at one or two places over north Odisha during next 24 hours. Gusty surface wind speed reaching 35 to 45 kmph and rising up to 55 kmph might prevail along and off the State’s coast, it said, sounding a word of caution for the fishermen while venturing into the sea. More posts Close
CM Shri Naveen Patnaik speaks to Mamata Banerjee to resolve the POTATO Crisis [Dna India] The potato crisis has been resolved in Odisha, with neighbouring state West Bengal lifting curbs on the movement of tuber laden trucks to state. Hundreds of West-Bengal bound fish and eggs-laden trucks, which were stopped on the Odisha side of the border by BJD activists in protest against curbs on potato-laden trucks to the state, were also allowed to move out. "The West Bengal government has allowed movement of potato-laden trucks detained at its border from 11 am today. While some vehicles have already reached here including Cuttack and Bhubaneswar, others will reach at different places of the state soon," Food Supplies and Consumer Welfare Minister Sanjay Dasburma said. Dasburma said the crisis was resolved after Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik spoke to his West Bengal counterpart yesterday. Stating that the potato procured though NAFED (National Agricultural Cooperative Marketing Federation of India) would reach the state by Wednesday, he said Odisha would put in place an action plan to resolve crisis arising out of potato shortage. "We have allowed the fish trucks to West bengal after they agreed to send potato to Odisha," BJD MLA from Jaleswar Aswani Patra said. More posts Close
CM Naveen Patnaik makes aerial survey of flood-hit areas, orders for relief for 7 more days [Odisha Diary] Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik makes aerial survey of flood-hit areas. CM Patnaik makes aerial survey of flood-hit Jajpur, Bhadrak, Puri, Cuttack and Kendrapara districts. After his visit to flood hit districts , CM Patnaik orders for relief for 7 more days. It should be noted that Flood situation turns grim in Odisha as major rivers in spate, 10 lakh people affected. This was informed by the Special Relief Commissioner office. The death toll due to heavy rains and floods has gone up to 34 including 19 in the current phase. He said that a total of 26 breaches including both small and big have occurred at various places in the embankments of different rivers. About 9.95 lakh people have been affected due to this phase of heavy rain and flood commenced on 3rd August, 2014. As on date, 398 villages with population of 241658 are marooned. 139023 people have been evacuated and 429 free kitchens are running to provide hot meal to them. As many as 11 NDRF teams and 30 ODRAF teams have been deployed in different districts to assist the administration in rescue and relief operations. Apart from free kitchens running, dry food in shape of Q.1153.98 chuda and Q.114.63 gur have been distributed to the affected people . More posts Close
Biju Janata Dal MPs urge the Railway Minister for immediate implementation of budgetary allocation [Odisha Diary] BJD MPs have urged Railway Minister Sadananda Gowda for immediate implementation of the railway budgetary allocation for Odisha.A delegation of the 14 BJD MPs, headed by leader of BJD Parliamentary Party Bhartruhari Mahtab, met Gowda here on Wednesday and submitted a memorandum to him in this regard.The delegation also requested him to direct the railway authorities to complete the State’s unfinished railway projects which have not be been completed since a long time. BJD MPs have urged Railway Minister Sadananda Gowda for immediate implementation of the railway budgetary allocation for Odisha. A delegation of the 14 BJD MPs, headed by leader of BJD Parliamentary Party Bhartruhari Mahtab, met Gowda here on Wednesday and submitted a memorandum to him in this regard. The delegation also requested him to direct the railway authorities to complete the State’s unfinished railway projects which have not be been completed since a long time. - See more at: http://www.orissadiary.com/CurrentNews.asp?id=52427#sthash.kyd6zbdC.dpuf More posts Close
CM Naveen Patnaik felicitates five FREEDOM FIGHTERS chosen for national honour [Odisha Diary] The five freedom fighters of Odisha, who have been invited by the President of India for a special felicitation programme at the Rashtrapati Bhawan in the national capital on Saturday (August 9), were also honoured by chief minister Naveen Patnaik on Wednesday.The special ceremony in Bhubaneswar was also attended by additional chief secretary, finance and home secretary U N Behera and several senior officials of the state government.The five freedom fighters, who have been invited for the function at the Rashtrapati Bhawan and were felicitated on Wednesday by the state government are – Shyamsundar Behera from Adampur and Gourishyam Goswami from Suryapur in Bhadrak district, Sashidhar Mishra from BJB Nagar area of Bhubaneswar, Rasabihari Nayak from Khantapada block of Baleswar district and Ramahari Goswami from Athagarh in Cuttack district, informed a communiqué from the chief minister’s office. The five freedom fighters of Odisha, who have been invited by the President of India for a special felicitation programme at the Rashtrapati Bhawan in the national capital on Saturday (August 9), were also honoured by chief minister Naveen Patnaik on Wednesday. The special ceremony in Bhubaneswar was also attended by additional chief secretary, finance and home secretary U N Behera and several senior officials of the state government. The five freedom fighters, who have been invited for the function at the Rashtrapati Bhawan and were felicitated on Wednesday by the state government are – Shyamsundar Behera from Adampur and Gourishyam Goswami from Suryapur in Bhadrak district, Sashidhar Mishra from BJB Nagar area of Bhubaneswar, Rasabihari Nayak from Khantapada block of Baleswar district and Ramahari Goswami from Athagarh in Cuttack district, informed a communiqué from the chief minister’s office. - See more at: http://www.orissadiary.com/CurrentNews.asp?id=52429#sthash.e6a7MBXo.dpuf More posts Close
CM Naveen Patnaik gives away Odisha Bigyan Academy Awards to numerous Scientists [Odisha Channel] Several eminent scientists were felicitated at the investiture ceremony of different awards of Odisha Bigyan Academy for the year 2012 at a grand function held at the Jayadav Bhavan auditorium here on Tuesday. The awards were presented by Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik. Congratulating the scientists who were felicitated for their outstanding contribution to the cause of science and its popularization, the Chief expressed hope that their feats would sow the seeds of a new generation of scientific revolution by stimulating the young researchers and popularize the scientific achievements for the benefit of the common men. “Our academic and research institutions have to enhance their quality to match with the international standards. Our research programmes need to achieve a range of out-of-the-box solutions to combat the menaces of environmental pollution, energy crisis, water scarcity, global warming and climate change,” said Patnaik in his address. “I wish an annual conclave of scientists and technocrats be organized by Odisha Bigyan Academy in our State that would provide an excellent platform to the scientific fraternity including young scientists, school children, women scientists and traditional innovators of Odisha for deliberations and exchange of views on emerging issues of the state for sustainable development,” he added. Patnaik felicitated three eminent scientists of Odisha – Prof. Satyananda Acharya, Prof. Bhabendra Kumar Patnaik and Er. Govinda Chandra Sahu. He presented the Biju Patnaik Award for Scientific Excellence to Prof. Ganapati Panda and also presented the Samanta Chandra Sekhar Award to Dr. Birendra Kumar Mohapatra, Prof. Sushil Kumar Dutta, Prof. Sanghamitra Mohanty and Dr. Ajit Kumar Shasany. The Chief Minister also awarded Dr. (Ms.) Dipti Prakasini Das, Dr. Banikalyan Swain and Dr. (Mrs.) Punyapriya Mishra for Odisha Young Scientists Award and Dr. (Mrs.) Purabi Mohanty and Dr. (Mrs.) Jyotirmayee Mohanty were awarded as Pranakrushna Parija Popular Science Award on the occasion. More posts Close
Biju Janata Dal to support Insurance Bill in the Parliament [The Economic Times] In a boost to the government, Biju Janata Dal today said it will Insurance Bill which will be moved in the Rajya Sabha on Monday. "The government has circulated about 97 amendments in the Rajya Sabha. The amendments moved by the government have given clarity. We will support the bill," BJD leader Bhartruhari Mahtab told PTI here today. He said his party was opposed to the bill introduced by the UPA government as there was no clarity on certain issues. "There was no rider on FIIs," he said. The BJD has seven members in the Rajya Sabha. The Insurance Laws (Amendment) Bill, Modi government's first major reform initiative to raise FDI cap in the sector to 49 per cent, has been listed in Monday's government agenda in the Upper House. However, uncertainty still looms over the immediate passage of the bill with nine parties including the Congress giving notice in Rajya Sabha for referring the bill to a Select Committee. Congress, CPI-M, CPI, SP, BSP, DMK, JD (U), Trinamool Congress and RJD have given a notice to the Chairman of the Upper House Hamid Ansari for referring the controversial bill to a Select Committee. AIADMK, which despite not being an ally supports the government on key issues, has also agreed to back the nine parties in the endeavour though it is not a signatory to the notice. It has been agreed upon among the Opposition parties that as soon as the government moves the controversial Insurance Laws (Amendment) Bill in the Rajya Sabha on Monday, they will move a motion pressing for referring it to the Select Committee. The BJP-led NDA does not have a majority in the Upper House and Parliamentary Affairs Minister M Venkaiah Naidu has refused to react on the possibility of the bill being referred to the Select Committee. The bill, which has already been through the Standing Committee, seeks to raise the ceiling of FDI in the insurance sector to 49 per cent from the current 26 percent. Congress has been claiming that the bill was originally its idea, but now several new provisions have been added including allowing investment by FIIs, which is "extremely mobile, uncertain and like quicksand". More posts Close
CM Naveen Patnaik plans July 1, 2015 deadline to implement Food Law [Indian Express] The Naveen Patnaik government plans to cover the entire state under National Food Security Act by July next year. Having already decided on the eight exclusion criteria for identification of beneficiaries, the state government now plans to implement it in 3 phases, with the final phase covering 275 of the 314 blocks by July 1 next year. The first phase would start by January 1 next year. Beggars, destitute, pension holder widows, particularly vulnerable tribal groups and persons having disabilities of 40 per cent or above, rag-pickers, domestic workers, street vendors, construction workers, home-based workers and rickshaw pullers would be the beneficiaries. At the 5th meeting of the state task force on NFS Act held last week, IBM made a presentation on the methodology for identification of beneficiary under the NFSA. But before adopting the methodology, the performance of integrated database for Khurda district would be observed. Officials said the government would first notify the exclusion criteria and seek application from existing ration card holders . “Once the beneficiary database is ready, the same would be seeded to the Aadhaar database. The final list would be web-hosted and the beneficiaries would be given a laminated bar-coded ration card,” officials said. More posts Close
CM Naveen Patnaik reviews flood situation in the state [Odisha Diary] Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Monday reviews flood situation in the state. Apprehending the worst, the Chief Minister on Monday after reviewing the flood situation had asked all district Collectors, particularly of the vulnerable three district administrations, to take all precautionary steps to deal with the possible floods. With all the rivers in north Odisha flowing close to their danger marks and showing a rising trend, the Chief Minister asked the district Collectors of Baleswar and Mayurbhanj to remain alert to handle the situation. The ODRAF, NDRF and Fire personnel were pressed into service in Keonjhar, Bhadrak and Jajpur districts to undertake rescue and relief operations as two blocks under Keonjhar, including Hatadihi, Andnadpur and three blocks in Jajpur, including Dasarathpur, Korei, and Jajpur Sadar had been flooded due to the Batarani water. The Chief Minister during the review meeting on Monday evening asked the Collectors to evacuate people from the low lying and marooned areas to safer places and provide them with free cooked food. The flood victims should be provided with emergency relief if necessary, Patnaik instructed. He also asked the Irrigation Department to identify the vulnerable pointes along the river embankments and deploy mobile patrolling teams for protection. Besides, he also asked the Urban Development, Health and Rural Development Departments to ensure provision of portable drinking water to the affected people. More posts Close
CM Naveen Patnaik writes to PM, asks Centre to share NPR data for Food Security Act implementation [Odisha Sun Times] Odisha chief minister Naveen Patnaik today urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to share the National Population Register (NPR) data base with the state government for implementation of National Food Security Act (FSA), 2013 in the state. The Registrar General of India (RGI) has been requested on several occasions to share the digital NPR database of the remaining 29 districts of Odisha. The matter has also been taken up with the Union Home secretary and Home Minister. I had also personally written to Dr Manmohan Singh to intervene in the matter in April, 2013. I would request you to intervene in the matter immediately for enabling Odisha to implement the National Food Security Act, 2013 at an early date,” said Patnaik in a letter to prime minister Modi. So far, the RGI has shared the data of only Khurdha district in August 2013. Informing that there are large inclusion and exclusion errors in the existing ration cards, the chief minister said the government has decided to digitalise the list of beneficiaries for the NFS Act on the basis of NPR created at the time of 2011 Census as it is a near complete database of all the people in the country. The RGI and Census Commission of India are the custodians of the database. The Odisha government has inked an MoU with the RGI for sharing the NPR database in March 2013. Expediting the process of implementation of the Act, the government has given its nod to eight exclusion criteria for identification of beneficiaries who will avail subsidised food grains. The eight exclusion criteria covers monthly income, income tax payees, persons having four wheelers or 2 nos of three wheelers, business with TIN number, electric consumption above 300 units, any state Government or Central Government employee, persons owning tractors, power-tillers, fishing boats or other heavy vehicles, persons into entrepreneurship, professional tax payees etc. Based on the criteria, the government has decided to delete all bogus ration card holders and APLs counted as BPLs, due to erroneous registrations, to facilitate streamlining of the process for implementation of the Food Security Act in the state. More posts Close
Union Health Minister assures Odisha CM Naveen Patnaik of central health support [Odisha Diary] Dr. Harsh Vardhan called on the Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, at the state secretariat, and assured him that the project to build a regional geriatric centre on the campus of SCB Medical College at Cuttack is pending before the union cabinet. He was responding to Sh Patnaik’s specific suggestions for more health ministry projects in the state. These included a proposal for a Regional Institute of Paramedical Science (RIPS: for which the state government has given 10 acres), a branch of the National Institute of Mental Health and Neuro Sciences in Bhubaneswar, an outlay of Rs 530 crore for expanding the MBBS intake by 100 seats in each of the three Government medical colleges and establishing more Graduate Nursing Midwife and Auxiliary Nurse Midwife schools. Dr Harsh Vardhan assured Sh Patnaik that cost revision is underway for the RIPS proposal. When he pointed out that it has already been decided to have a mental health super-speciality centre within AIIMS Bhubaneswar, the Chief Minister expressed his satisfaction. On the financial outlay question, Dr Harsh Vardhan said that the earmarked funds would be released in a phased manner. Since the Medical Council of India is yet to approve the increase in MBBS seats at two of the three medical colleges, the money for only the Cuttack College would be available at the present time, he said. Earlier, at a meeting with Sh Atanu Sabyasachi Nayak, the Health Minister of Odisha, Dr Harsh Vardhan said he would soon summon a meeting of the Central Council of Health (CCH) for building up a strategy for eradicating preventable diseases and achieving the United Nations Millennium Development Goals before the due date of September 2015. “We must make Health for All a social movement and in this we should imbibe all NGOs, private sector companies and religious organisations,” he told Sh Rout. The principal secretary (Health), Sh Pradeepta Kumar Mahapatra, was present on the occasion. The Union Minister said he was happy with Odisha’s success in immunisation, which is now 80 percent. However, a higher goal of 95 percent should be set for the near future, he remarked. Dr Harsh Vardhan began the day with a visit to the historic Lingaraja Temple. He also spent some time in the idyllic Ekamravan herbal garden by the Bindusagar lake adjacent to the temple. He is scheduled to visit Puri later in the day. More features for AIIMS Bhubaneswar announced “I want to see AIIMS Bhubaneswar develop into the most modern hospital in India, bigger and better than AIIMS Delhi,” Dr Harsh Vardhan, Union Health Minister, told reporters in the Odisha capital today. He went on to make ten significant announcements which underscore the government’s commitment. These are: *An integrated treatment facility for patients combining AYUSH and allopathic medication and techniques. *A 100-bed, super-speciality Mental Health and Neurosciences Centre. *A 100-bed super-speciality Nephrology Centre with dialysis and kidney transplant facilities. *A Cancer Super-Speciality centre, with 100 beds. *Cardiology and Cardiac Surgery, another 100-bed super-speciality facility. *A brand new Department of Occupational and Environmental Health. *A Department of Geriatric Medicine. *AIIMS Bhubaneswar’s ‘satellite’ in Balasore to be a 300-bed multi-speciality hospital. It is coming up on a 25 acre plot provided by the state government. * Balasore unit to have on its campus a School of International Public Health in collaboration with a reputed overseas institution. *All BSc (Nursing) students at AIIMS Bhubaneswar to henceforth receive a monthly stipend of Rs 500. The Health Minister spent over an hour inspecting the out and in-patient departments of AIIMS. He made it a point to look into minute details. His attention moved to the registration slips which are routinely handed out to new patients and he noted that the health advice printed on them were not of much value. So he recommended that every 15 days a new message should be printed. This way, he suggested to Dr A.K. Mahapatra, the Director of AIIMS Bhubaneswar and the senior officials by his side, there could be greater awareness generation of the simple truisms of healthy living. The Bhubaneswar AIIMS, much like the five others set up recently, is suffering a serious shortage of faculty and non-faculty staff. Dr Harsh Vardhan announced the clearing of decks for a recruitment drive beginning August 1. “We have only 65 filled faculty positions in each AIIMS at the present time, a shortfall of 250. So I have decided to hire on contractual basis for the first two years because we need to get the facilities functional fast,” he told reporters. About recruitment to faculty and non-faculty positions, the Minister said he has decided to give the Director of each of the AIIMS the authority to chair selection committee meetings. The system of getting officials from other Institutions to chair the interview sessions has, effectively, been discontinued. In the afternoon the Health Minister spend some time with the students and inspected their living quarters. He noted that large neon signs were necessary on the exterior of the hospital. More posts Close
BJD led Odisha govt. to simplify pension rules soon, says Minister [Odisha Sun Times] In order to enable retired employees to avail their pension in time, the Odisha government has decided to simplify the pension disbursal rules very soon. Announcing this in reply to a question of BJD member Priyadarshi Mishra and supplementary question of BJP member Rabinarayan Nayak in the State Assembly on Thursday, Public Grievances and Pension Administration minister Jogendra Behera said his department had asked all departments for early resolution of all pending pension related cases in line with the Odisha Civil Service Pension Rules, 1992. Apart from this, instructions have been given to all district collectors to conduct joint grievances hearing on pension related issues at the district headquarters and blocks in presence of all district officials, he added. Stating that a total of 244 pension related cases had been solved in the pension adalats in Boudh, Kendrapara, Gajapati, Ganjam, Kandhamal, Sonepur and Keonjhar districts during 2013-14, Behera said his department, in association with the Finance department, had taken steps for simplification of pension rules. “After a final decision is taken on this, my department will publish revised pension simplification rules book very soon,” the minister informed the House. More posts Close
CM Naveen Patnaik approves the proposal for setting up of the Birla Global University in Bhubaneswar [OdishaDiary] Odisha cabinet on Wednesday approved the proposal for setting up of the Birla Global University in Bhubaneswar. The state cabinet which held under the chairmanship of Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik approved the proposal for setting up of the Birla Global University in Bhubaneswar. Earlier the screening committee, headed by chief secretary on 2013, giving a green signal to proposal for setting up of the Birla Global University in Bhubaneswar. The proposed BGU would come up as a university under the De Novo category. An area of 29.400 acres of land has already been acquired at Gothapatna on the outskirts of the capital city for establishment of BGU and construction work is going on. The estimated capital cost for setting up of the university would be Rs86 crore while the student strength would be 995. The courses on offer include School of Development & Sustainability, School of Communication, School of Law, School of Social Science & Humanities, School of Architecture & Planning and School of Tribal Studies & Development. The cabinet also today discussed about 15 other proposals. More posts Close
BJD MLAs urge Hon. Governor to intervene on Polavaram issue Even as the party observed a day-long hartal in four districts in undivided Koraput district against the Polavaram multi-purpose project, the Biju Janata Dal legislators disrupted the proceedings of the State Assembly here on Monday over the issue. As soon as Speaker Niranjan Pujari adjourned the proceedings of the Assembly, the BJD legislators staged a dharna in front of the statue of Mahatma Gandhi in the Assembly premises to register their protest against passage of the Polavaram Bill. They blamed both Bharatiya Janata Party and Congress for supporting the Polavaram Bill in Parliament. The ruling party legislators then marched down to Raj Bhavan and submitted a memorandum to Governor S. C. Jamir seeking his intervention in the matter. The legislators urged the Governor to impress upon the Central government to consider the grievance of the State of Odisha for a re-look on the project design in order to avoid submergence of large areas of the State by the Polavaram project. The disruption of Assembly proceedings by the ruling BJD legislators was criticised by opposition Congress and BJP. The BJD has expressed apprehension that a large number of tribal people in Malkangiri district will be affected by the construction of the Polavaram project in neighbouring Andhra Pradesh. The BJD leaders as well as several environmental activists of Odisha have claimed that if the Polavaram project comes up as per its present plans of increased height of the dam, it would lead to submergence of villages in Malkangiri district of Odisha. The revenue districts where the 12 hour long hartal call had been given were Malkangiri, Koraput, Nabarangpur and Rayagada. Vehicular traffic was completely disrupted in these four districts during this hartal, as the Odisha State Road Transport Corporation (OSRTC) had preferred to keep its buses off road as precautionary measure and the private bus operators of all these districts had preferred to support the agitation. More posts Close
BJD calls for urgent steps to insulate youths from joining Iraq's ISIS [Zee News] Biju Janata Dal (BJD) on Tuesday has expressed its concern over youths from Maharashtra visiting Iraq to join the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIS), and sought urgent steps for insulating the latter from involving themselves in jihadist activities. "This is a very serious matter. Youths from India getting involved in jihadist activities anywhere in the world should be of concern to us. We have seen in the past in other countries like Pakistan where their youth got involved in jihadist activities, later on they came back and they started hunting their own country. We have to nip this problem in the bud and tackle it right away," BJD leader Jay Panda said. The Maharashtra Government is in touch with the central government over the disappearance of four Muslim youth from Kalyan town who are suspected to have joined ISIS jehadis in Iraq. The police in Maharashtra are probing the four separate missing complaints filed by the parents of the youth, identified as Arif Fayyaz Majeed, Aman Naik Tandel, Shaheed Farooqui Tanki and Fahad Tanvir Sheikh.All are educated, are in their mid-20s and cited various reasons, including employment options, for going to Iraq before their families lost all contact with them. Hundreds of thousands of Iraqis have been displaced in the fighting between the government troops and Sunni militants that broke out on June 10. Sunni militant outfit, Islamic State of Iraq and Syria ( ISIS), now called Islamic State (IS) declared last month that it is establishing a new caliphate, or an Islamic state, on the territories it controls in Iraq and Syria. More posts Close
USA's Silicon Valley to invest $300 mn in Odisha's Info-valley; the First in India [Business Standard] A team of global investors from Silicon Valley has assured the state government an investment of $300 million to promote Information Technology (IT) and Electronic System Design and Manufacturing (ESDM) units at the proposed Info-valleyIT park on the outskirts of the city.A business delegation led by Ajit Manocha, former CEO of US-based Global Foundries, informed Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik that Odisha is the first state in India to tie up with Silicon Valley. Manocha is also a member of US President Barrack Obama’s advisory committee on advanced manufacturing.The investment would create job opportunities for about 100,000 people, read an official release. The team lauded the efforts of the state government for creating a favourable environment to attract foreign investment in the IT and ESDM sector. Patnaik promised to provide all support to materialise the investment.Info-valley, the second IT hub in the city, is being developed by the state IT department through Odisha Industrial Infrastructure Development Corporation (Idco) over an area of 600 acres. The leading IT company, Infosys is the anchor tenant of the project.This apart, there is also a proposal to set up a IT Investment Region (ITIR) on an area of 41.32 sq km (10,210 acres) between Bhubaneswar and Khurda. Recently, the Union government has accorded in principle approval for establishment of a green field electronic manufacturing cluster spreading over 215 acres of land within Info-valley complex.To give an impetus to the ESDM sector, the state IT department has recently finalized a Strategic Road Map for Development of ESDM sector and is in the process of setting up a characterization lab for reliability testing of chips.The ESDM sector is poised to generate cumulative revenue of Rs 18,800 crore in the state by 2024, as per an estimate. Rayagada, Sundergarh, Balasore and Ganjam districts have been identified as potential growth centres for the ESDM sector after a SWOT (strength, weakness, opportunities and threat) analysis. The ICT (information and communication technology) policy of the state government also aims to attract five ESDM companies and ten IT companies to the state by 2020 with an objective to take the total ICT turnover in the state to USD four billion. More posts Close
CM Naveen Patnaik likely to appoint Gokul Chandra Pati as the new Chief Secretary [Odisha Diary] Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik likely to appoint Gokul Chandra Pati as new Chief Secretary. It should be noted that the Union government on Sunday appointed Odisha Chief Secretary Jugal Kishor Mohapatra as the secretary of the Department of Fertilizers in the Ministry of Chemicals & Fertilizers. Mohapatra, who assumed charge as the Chief Secretary of the state a year ago in July 2013, will be replaced by Gokul Chandra Pati. Pati is currently working as Secretary of Defence Production in the Ministry of Defence. Meanwhile, the Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik has given his nod to the appointment of Pati as the new Chief Secretary. The state government has already sent a letter to the Union Government requesting for Pati's return to the state. As Prime Minister Narendra Modi has left on a foreign tour, it is likely that his repatriation will be cleared in about two weeks. More posts Close

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