Bhubaneswar: The Commissionerate Police Thursday claimed to have made a major breakthrough in bike-lifting cases in the City with the arrest of four members of a notorious gang.

Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) Jagmohan Meena said Dipuna Mallick alias Chuna, 24, Bijaya Kumar Khatei alias Kundura, 30, Taslim Khan alias Tuku, 41, and Deepak Kumar Das alias Raja, 25, were involved in about 40 cases of motorcycle thefts all over the state, with 10 in the Bhubaneswar Urban Police District (UPD) area.

Police recovered 10 motorcycles, two number plates, and a bunch of duplicate keys from the accused. Meena said police got a whiff about the gang’s activities while investigating a motorcycle theft complaint lodged by Old Town resident Prabir Mohanty at Lingaraj police station February 6, this year.

The DCP said the complainant had parked his Royal Enfield motorcycle (OD 02 CT 7203) in front of his house when it was stolen. After a monthlong chase, the special squad arrested the foursome from their hideouts in the City on credible intelligence, Meena added.

During their interrogation, police learnt that Dipuna and Bijaya used to steal vehicles from busy market locations using duplicate keys and later sold those to Taslim and Deepak.

They would particularly target old Honda motorcycles as those were easier for them to unlock with duplicate keys. Meena said Taslim and Deepak used to sell the stolen vehicles in the Kakatapur and Astaranga areas. In a few cases, they dismantled the vehicles and sold the parts to garages.

The accused were booked under Section 303 (2) of BNS and produced before a local court for remand.

PNN

Bhubaneswar: A new community radio station titled ‘Radio Bhubaneswar 89.2 FM – The Temple City Radio’ is set to launch soon in the Capital city by Outreach, and will broadcast on 89.2 MHz FM band, announced its founder Subrat Kumar Pati recently.

The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting and Outreach have signed the necessary agreements for the launch. “Radio Bhubaneswar will feature programmes covering a wide range of topics, including agriculture, education, arts, culture, sports, traffic awareness, environmental pollution, and human rights,” said Pati.

“Additionally, it will inform residents of Bhubaneswar and surrounding areas about various state and Central government schemes and initiatives.

The station will work closely with local administration to cater to the needs of City residents through its programmes,” she added. For the past 11 years, Outreach has been organising the country’s only radio fair in the City to promote and popularise radio broadcasting.

In 2023, Outreach established its first community radio station, Radio Outreach, in the Jagatsinghpur district.

PNN

Cuttack: Sri Sri University witnessed a memorable afternoon Thursday as legendary actress, dancer, and cultural icon Hema Malini graced the campus for an exclusive session titled “Echoes of an Era: Hema Malini Reflects on Her Iconic Films and Timeless Artistry.”

Held at the Shruti Auditorium, the event celebrated her remarkable contributions to Indian cinema and classical dance, drawing an enthusiastic audience of students, faculty, and distinguished guests. The event began with the lighting of the ceremonial lamp by Hema Malini, Vice-Chancellor Tej Partap, Director of Operations Swami Satya Chaitanya, and Dean Ratikant Mohapatra.

Mohapatra, in his welcome address, lauded her artistic journey and ability to balance cinema and dance with grace and dedication.

A mesmerising Odissi dance performance, “Vande Suryam,” by students, set the stage for an evening of artistic reflection. During an engaging interactive session, Hema Malini shared insights into her career, emphasising discipline and passion in mastering both cinema and classical dance.

She recalled her iconic role as Basanti in Sholay and how rigorous practice helped her perfect lengthy dialogues.

PNN

Bhubaneswar: To investigate the recovery of titanium dioxide from titanium minerals and vanadium-bearing titanium minerals of Indian origin, the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), through its constituent laboratory, the Institute of Minerals and Materials Technology (CSIR-IMMT) here has signed a research and development agreement with Australia’s national science agency CSIRO at the Dr RP Das Centre for Hydro, Bio and Electrometallurgy here Thursday.

Speaking on the occasion, CSIR-IMMT director Ramanuj Narayan laid emphasis on more such collaborative projects on critical minerals in line with the National Critical Mineral Mission (NCMM) for ensuring a long-term sustainable supply of critical minerals, including beneficiation, processing and recovery from end-of-life products.

The project collaboration will be led by CSIRO’s principal research scientist, Goutam Kumar Das, and CSIR-IMMT chief scientist, as well as Hydro, Bio, and Electrometallurgy department head Kali Sanjay. Project coordination will be managed by CSIRO’s Critical Minerals Processing group leader, Joanne Loh, and Ramanuj Narayan.

The joint collaboration aims to develop the processing technology for extracting titanium and vanadium from ilmenite and vanadiferous magnetite ores, which are found abundantly in India and Australia.

Titanium and vanadium are classified as critical minerals in both countries.

Titanium is widely used in metal alloys, while vanadium is also a key component in redox flow batteries, which are rechargeable and well-suited for large-scale energy storage.

The collaboration is funded by CSIRO’s India-Australia Critical Minerals Research Partnership, an initiative under the Australian Federal Government’s updated India Economic Strategy (IES) to 2035.

PNN

Cuttack: The Special Task Force of the Odisha Crime Branch Thursday busted an illegal gun manufacturing unit in Cuttack city and arrested four persons, a police officer said.

Acting on intelligence inputs, an STF team raided the Bayalis Mouza area Thursday and busted the unit operating inside a makeshift facility near a cattle shed, he said.

Police have seized more than 30 pistols, gun-making machines, tools and raw materials from the spot, and arrested four persons in connection with this, the officer said.

PTI

Bhubaneswar: Teacher training institutes in Odisha will soon offer a four-year B.Ed course, Higher Education Minister Suryabanshi Suraj said Thursday.

The course will be offered at eight of the 16 teacher training institutes or B.Ed colleges across the state while the remaining eight institutes will implement the programme in the near future, he said.

The eight institutes signed memorandums of understanding (MoU) with the nearest government degree colleges to implement the Integrated Teacher Education Programme (ITEP). The MoUs were signed in the presence of the minister here.

ITEP will soon be introduced in these institutions in accordance with the regulations of the National Council for Teacher Education (NCTE).

This initiative will enable teacher training institutes to adopt a multidisciplinary approach, he said.

“Our goal is to strengthen the foundation and infrastructure of the colleges and to provide quality education to the students. ITEP will allow students to complete their B.Ed within four years after class 12,” Suraj said.

Earlier, students had to complete a three-year undergraduate degree followed by a two-year B.Ed programme, requiring a total of five years.

However, with ITEP, students can directly enrol in the integrated programme and complete the course in four years. This initiative aligns with the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 and aims to strengthen the education system in the state, the minister said.

Additionally, the Higher Education Department has allocated Rs 168 crore to enhance the infrastructure of 189 private degree colleges in the state.

This financial support will be used for the construction of additional classrooms, laboratories, canteens, libraries, common rooms, multipurpose halls, administrative and academic buildings, he added.

PTI

Bhubaneswar: Youth Congress activists Thursday scuffled with the police during a protest over the alleged rise in crimes against women and the suspension of senior party MLA Taraprasad Bahinipati from the Assembly.

The agitators, led by Youth Congress leader Ranjit Patra, marched from Bhubaneswar Club towards the chief minister’s official residence. However, they were stopped midway by the police, leading to a scuffle.

The agitators broke through the police barricades before courting arrest.

They also demanded the formation of a House Committee to inquire into the crimes against women and the formulation of a stringent law to deal with cases of violence against women.

The Youth Congress, later in a statement, came down heavily on the BJP, accusing its MLAs of attacking opposition party members in the House.

“If an MLA is not safe inside the House, how can the government ensure the security of 4.5 crore people in the state?” it questioned.

The protesters demanded action against Parliamentary Affairs Minister Mukesh Mahaling and senior BJP MLA Jaynarayan Mishra for an “attack” on Bahinipati in the Assembly Tuesday.

Bahinipati, a senior Congress MLA from Jeypore, was suspended from the assembly for seven days by Speaker Surama Padhy following a scuffle between the Congress and BJP members in the well of the House Tuesday.

Bahinipati was accused of unruly behaviour in the House while demanding a statement from Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi, who is also in charge of the home department, on “rising” violence against women across the state.

The Congress MLA first attempted to climb the Speaker’s podium in a bid to stall the proceedings. As she continued to run the House amid the din, he rushed to the seat of Urban Development Minister KC Mohapatra, where he was allegedly attacked by BJP members including Jaynarayan Mishra, who held him by his shirt collar.

PTI

Bhubaneswar: A special court in Odisha has ordered the restoration of Rs 450 crore worth funds attached by the Enforcement Directorate in the multi-state chit fund scam allegedly perpetrated by the Rose Valley group of companies to the lawful claimants and investors.

The special PMLA court in Bhubaneswar has ordered the release of Rs 332.76 crore of proceeds of crime, whose present value is Rs 450 crore with interest, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) said in a statement.

The Rose Valley was led by its managing director Gautam Kundu.

The amount was attached by the ED and was held as a fixed deposit in various bank accounts.

The Rose Valley group of companies allegedly used to operate in the states of Odisha, West Bengal, Assam and Tripura.

The court of special judge CBI-I-cum-special judge under PMLA Bhubaneswar through an order dated March 7 allowed an application filed by the asset disposal committee (ADC) to release movable property under the possession of ED, Bhubaneswar, in favour of the committee for restitution of the same to the lawful investors all over the country.

The Calcutta High Court had constituted the ADC under the chairmanship of Justice Dillip Kr Seth (Retd) for restitution of properties to the lawful investors of the Rose Valley group of companies.

Till now, around 31 Lakh investors of Rose Valley have registered their claims on the website www.rosevalleyadc.com.

The ED is providing assistance to the ADC in conducting survey and valuation of the confirmed attached properties and facilitating expeditious monetisation of assets for timely disbursal of the same to the investors and victims of the alleged scam.

The restitution process is expected to continue over the coming months as more claims are being scrutinised and validated by the ADC.

The ADC has processed 32,319 claims, resulting in the disbursal of around Rs 22 crore of funds to the lawful investors.

The ED has also requested the investors of Rose Valley group who have not lodged their claims to do so immediately by logging on to www.rosevalleyadc.com and uploading details of the documents as required.

PTI

Bhubaneswar: The Odisha Assembly was adjourned multiple times Thursday due to a din created by the opposition BJD over the controversial Polavaram Dam project in neighbouring Andhra Pradesh.

Congress MLAs boycotted the proceedings of the House for the second consecutive day, demanding withdrawal of the suspension order on senior member Taraprasad Bahinipati.

An all-party meeting convened by Speaker Surama Padhy to end the Congress boycott also failed to yield any result. Bahinipati was suspended Tuesday for seven days for “misconduct and unruly behaviour”.

As soon as the House assembled for Question Hour, the BJD members rushed to the well and staged a protest after their notice for a discussion on the Polavaram issue was rejected by the Speaker.

They shouted anti-BJP slogans and accused the saffron party of sacrificing the interest of Odisha for the sake of NDA government’s political gains in Andhra Pradesh.

Keeping in view the noisy scene in the House, the Speaker first adjourned the proceeding for about an hour till 11.30 am and later four times till 4PM.

When his party members were shouting in the Well of the House, BJD’s deputy leader Prasanna Acharya claimed that Odisha would be severely affected after completion of the Polavaram project.

“The Andhra Pradesh government’s unilateral and forceful construction of Polavaram project has become intolerable for Odisha. We demand a discussion on the matter,” Acharya said.

The BJD’s notice for a discussion on the project was rejected on the ground that the House cannot debate on a matter which is sub-judice.

Senior BJD MLA Arun Kumar Sahoo said that the Polavarm project’s design was changed during the NDA government, though it was sanctioned during the UPA regime.

“If the matter is sub-judice, how did the BJP-led central government sanction Rs 16,000 crore to Polavaram project in two phases? If the matter is sub-judice, how did the AP government undertake its construction?… Should we wait silently till the dam project inundates Odisha’s villages because the matter is sub-judice?” Sahoo said.

BJP member Irasish Acharya justified the Assembly rejecting the notice.

“The Rules of the Business of Odisha Legislative Assembly clearly say that the matter under sub-judice cannot be discussed in the House,” he said.

Meanwhile, the Speaker during the day held an all-party meeting after Congress Legislature Party (CLP) leader Rama Chandra Kadam requested her to revoke the suspension order on Bahinipati.

“The all-party meeting failed to yield any result as the Speaker has put a condition that Bahinipati will have to tender an apology for his behaviour. We have rejected it and argued that he has not misbehaved to the Chair. Rather, Bahinipati was heckled, manhandled and verbally abused by BJP MLAs including the Parliamentary Affairs Minister. Where is justice? Our MLA was humiliated and he will say sorry?” Kadam told reporters.

Kadam claimed that the Congress MLA was made a victim for raising the issue of rising crimes against women in the Assembly.

“We demand formation of a House Committee to inquiry into the 54 gang rape cases during the 8 months of BJP rule and a Bill for the protection and safety of women and girls in Odisha,” he said.

The Congress members wearing black badges as a mark of protest sat on a dharna on the assembly premises.

However, the post-lunch session was held smoothly with the participation of BJD members.

PTI

Bhubaneswar: As many as 17,348 people have been killed and 31,441 others injured in road accidents in Odisha in the last three years, state Transport Minister Bibhuti Bhusan Jena informed the Assembly Thursday.

In a written reply to a question from BJD legislator Prasanta Behera, the minister submitted the detailed road accident data.

As per the statistics furnished by Jena, a total of 36,030 road accidents took place in Odisha in 2022, 2023 and 2024, in which, 17,348 people were killed and 31,441 individuals injured.

The number of road accidents, casualties and injured persons increased in each passing year over the last three years.

While 5,467 people were killed in road accidents in 2022, the death figure increased to 5,739 in 2023 and 6,142 in 2024.

Similarly, the number of people injured in road accidents also increased from 10,302 in 2022 to 10,369 in 2023 and 10,770 in 2024.

The minister informed that 11,663 road accidents were reported in Odisha in 2022, which marginally increased to 11,992 in 2023 and further to 12,375 in 2024.

In another reply in the House, the transport minister said that 484 road accidents took place in the state in January, 2025, when the state was observing National Road Safety Month with an investment of Rs 1.89 crore.

During the month, 505 people died and 472 got injured in road accidents.

PTI

Bhubaneswar: A man was arrested for allegedly killing his two minor sons in Odisha’s Nayagarh district as they “opposed” his second marriage following the death of his first wife, police said Thursday.

The grandmother of the deceased has also been arrested for “helping her son” in the murder, they said.

The incident took place in the Fatehgarh police station area March 9, and the police recovered the bodies of the two minors the next morning from their house.

The deceased were identified as Akash Mohanty (14) and Bikash Mohanty (9).

“Following the death of his first wife two years ago, the man was preparing for a second marriage. But, his two sons, especially the elder one, were opposing the decision. Therefore, the accused, with the help of his mother, strangled the two boys to death and then hung them from the ceiling,” SP S Susree said.

PTI

Bhubaneswar: Odisha reported 1,859 snakebite deaths during 2023-24 and 2024-25, a minister informed the Assembly Thursday.

“According to the preliminary report, 1,150 people died due to snakebites in 2023-24, while another 709 lost their lives in 2024-25,” state Revenue and Disaster Management (R&DM) Minister Suresh Pujari said.

According to government norms, the department distributes compensation to the family members of victims from the State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF) based on a local-level investigation and post-mortem report, Pujari said while responding to a query by MLA Subasini Jena.

The highest number of snakebite deaths was reported from the Cuttack district (162), followed by Ganjam (155), Balasore (139), Keonjhar (132) and Sundargarh (102). Gajapati district recorded the lowest number of snakebite deaths, with only 10 cases reported during this period, he added.

Out of the 1,150 snakebite deaths reported in 2023-24, compensation has been released to the family members of 1,022 victims, while 22 reports were rejected, and 106 cases remain pending at various levels, Pujari added.

For 2024-25, out of the 709 reported cases, ex gratia payments have been provided to the next of kin of 435 victims, while eight cases were rejected after a thorough probe, and 266 cases are still under investigation, the minister said.

Pujari clarified that the pending cases are under consideration at the tahasildar, sub-collector and collector levels due to delays in obtaining viscera reports and other required documents.

The minister said the Odisha government declared snakebites a state-specific disaster April 1, 2015, and provides ex gratia of Rs 4 lakh to the next of kin of each snakebite victim.

The compensation is directly transferred to the bank account of the deceased’s next of kin through the Disaster Assistance Payment and Monitoring System (DAMPS).

PTI

Bhubaneswar: The Odisha Assembly was adjourned twice Thursday due to a din created by opposition BJD MLAs over the controversial Polavaram Dam project in neighbouring Andhra Pradesh.

As soon as the House assembled for Question Hour, the BJD members rushed to the well and staged a protest after their notice for a discussion on the Polavaram issue was rejected by Speaker Surama Padhy.

They shouted anti-BJP slogans and accused the saffron party of sacrificing the interest of Odisha for the sake of its political gains in Andhra Pradesh.

Keeping in view the noisy scene in the House, the Speaker first adjourned the proceeding for about an hour till 11.30 am and later till 12.15 pm.

When his party members were shouting in the Well of the House, BJD’s deputy leader in the Assembly, Prasanna Acharya claimed that Odisha will be severely affected after the completion of the Polavaram project. “Andhra Pradesh government’s unilateral and forceful construction of the Polavaram project has become intolerable for Odisha. Therefore, we demand a discussion on the matter,” Acharya said.

The state government rejected the BJD’s notice for a discussion on the Polavaram project stating that the House cannot debate over the matter which was sub judice.

Senior BJD MLA Arun Kumar Sahoo rejected the BJP’s argument and said that the Polavarm project’s design was changed during the NDA government, though it was sanctioned during the UPA government. He rejected the BJP’s argument that the matter under sub-judice cannot be discussed in the House.

“Odisha is in deep trouble over the Polavaram project. Should we wait silently till the dam project inundates our villages because the matter is sub judice?” Sahoo said.

BJP member Irasish Acharya justified the Assembly rejecting the notice for discussion on the Polavaram issue. “The Rules of the Business of Odisha Legislative Assembly clearly says that the matter under sub judice cannot be discussed in the House,” he said.

The Opposition Congress MLAs were sitting on dharna near the Mahatma Gandhi statue on the Assembly premises protesting the suspension of its senior member Taraprasad Bahinipati. The Congress members wear black badges as a mark of protest.

PTI

Bhubaneswar:  The Odisha government has decided to launch Ayushman Bharat-Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana along with the existing Gopabandhu Jan Arogya Yojana in the state April 1.

This was decided at a meeting presided over by Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi Wednesday night.

The programme will be held in all 1,438 primary health centres of the state to launch this scheme. A massive awareness campaign will be launched to publicise and promote the scheme, an official release issued by the CMO said.

Earlier, an agreement was signed between the state government and the National Health Authority in New Delhi  January 13 for the implementation of Ayushman Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana in Odisha.

Over 1.03 lakh families in the state will benefit from both Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana and Gopabandhu Jan Arogya Yojana. More than 3.46 crore people will be benefited individually.

“These two schemes will be implemented jointly (Co-Branding) in Odisha. For these two schemes, each beneficiary will be provided with a card (Co-branded card),” an official said, adding that the beneficiaries in the Vayabandana Yojana (for elders of 70 years) will get a separate special card.

While around 67.80 lakh families will get benefits under the Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana, over 35.84 lakh families will avail of the Gopabandhu Jan Arogya Yojana.

Similarly, people above the age of 70 will be included in the Ayushman Bharat Vaya Vandana Yojana. According to the information, the number of people above the age of 70 years is 23,12,979. However, since about 17 lakh of them are included in the Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana, the remaining six lakh to get benefits under the Gopabandhu Jan Arogya Yojana.

Altogether, the total number of beneficiaries will be around 3.52 crore people in the state. Each male beneficiary will be provided with medical assistance of up to Rs 5 lakh while female beneficiary to get medical assistance of up to Rs 10 lakh. If there are beneficiaries above the age of 70 in a family, the maximum medical expenditure per family will be Rs 15 lakh, it said.

The beneficiaries will be able to get medical assistance in more than 29,000 government and registered private hospitals in the country.

PTI

Bhubaneswar: BJD leader Soumyashankar Chakra, also known as Raja Chakra, has been arrested by the Odisha Crime Branch in connection with Gandhamardan mining loading agency corruption case in Keonjhar. Raja has been arrested for his involvement in a massive Rs 185 crore scam.

Raja Chakra and his four associates were implicated in financial irregularities related to the Gandhamardan mine in Keonjhar district. The High Court earlier rejected their anticipatory bail plea. Justice V. Narsingh, after hearing the case, revoked their interim protection. The associates arrested along with Raja Chakra include Sudhanshu Shekhar Nayak, Sameer Kumar Jena, Sadashiv Samal, and Sushant Samal.

Earlier, February 7, EOW had arrested former chairman of the Gandhamardan Agency, Manas Ranjan Barik, along with secretary Utkal Das and other officials. The cooperative society was registered in 2006 for iron ore loading operations, and between 2017 and 2024, multiple allegations of large-scale financial misappropriation surfaced against them.

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The accused were allegedly involved in siphoning off crores of rupees meant for worker wages, EPF funds, peripheral development, compensation for people affected by mining activities, and infrastructure development. Tuesday, the High Court heard the case and reserved its judgement on the bail applications of Raja Chakra and others.

Bhubaneswar: In a landmark move to enhance road safety and instill responsible commuting habits, the Odisha government is set to launch a month-long Zero Accident Day (ZAD) campaign, with women at the forefront of the transformative initiative. The announcement was made by Housing and Urban Development (H&UD) and Commerce and Transport departments’ principal secretary Usha Padhee at a high-level preparatory meet at Kharvela Bhawan here Wednesday.

This pioneering multi-stakeholder campaign aims to reduce road accidents through data-driven strategies, community engagement, and awareness initiatives, ultimately fostering a cultural shift towards safer road practices. A distinctive feature of the campaign is the leadership role given to women, who will serve as ambassadors of change, advocating for responsible driving and promoting pedestrian safety. Their involvement will span various activities, including awareness campaigns, interactive workshops, and community outreach programmes. Speaking at the meet, Padhee underscored the need for collective responsibility and synergy among various departments to ensure the initiative’s success. “Road safety is more than just a government directive—it is a shared mission that requires active participation from every citizen. With Zero Accident Day, we are empowering communities, particularly women, to drive change and make our streets safer, smarter, and more inclusive,” she said. The campaign will incorporate scientific interventions and technological innovations to improve road safety infrastructure and commuter awareness. Experts from IIT Madras presented key research-based strategies to guide the campaign, highlighting best practices that have yielded positive results in other regions. Discussions also included measures such as enhanced traffic monitoring, improved pedestrian zones, stricter enforcement of traffic rules, and public awareness programmes.

Also Read: Mining corruption case: Odisha Crime Branch arrests BJD leader Raja Chakra

The high-level meeting witnessed participation from senior government officials, law enforcement agencies, urban planners, and municipal bodies, all of whom pledged their support to ensure the campaign’s impact is widespread and lasting. With ZAD, Odisha is setting a national benchmark in road safety, reinforcing its commitment to innovation, equity, and sustainable urban transport. As the state moves towards a Viksit Odisha, this initiative stands as a testament to its progressive approach in saving lives and ensuring safer roads for future generations.

Bhubaneswar: The Mancheswar police Wednesday arrested two brothers for allegedly defrauding a land buyer of Rs 1.14 crore by attempting to sell a property near Gadakana that had already been sold years ago by their ancestors. The accused, Krushna Chandra Behera (57) and Ramesh Chandra Behera (50), returned Rs 23 lakh of the total amount after the victim lodged a complaint, said Inspector-in-Charge (IIC) Mrutyunjay Swain.

According to police, the incident dates back to early 2022 when complainant Sukanta Sahoo came in contact with the Behera brothers while looking to purchase land in the Gadakana area. As an initial payment, he handed over Rs 24 lakh in cash to the duo. Soon after, they produced a forged sale deed and convinced him to pay another Rs 94 lakh in December 2022.

Also Read: Tihidi, Pirahat police stations run sans IICs

However, suspicions arose when the brothers repeatedly delayed the registration of the property in Sukanta’s name. In early 2023, when Sukanta attempted to mark boundaries on the land, he was confronted by Sachikant Routray, who claimed to be the original owner. Upon verifying the property documents, Sukanta discovered that the land had been legally sold to Routray by the Behera brothers’ ancestor, Gandharba Behera, years ago. When Sukanta confronted Krushna Chandra Behera, the latter feigned ignorance and went incommunicado. Left with no option, Sukanta fi led a complaint with Mancheswar police. Based on the investigation, police booked Krushna and Ramesh Chandra Behera under Sections 420 (cheating), 467 (forgery of valuable security), 468 (forgery for cheating), 506 (criminal intimidation), and 34 (common intention) of the IPC. The accused were produced before a local court Tuesday.

Bhubaneswar: The state government has notified key amendments to Odisha Town Planning and Improvement Trust (Planning and Building Standards) Rules, 2021 and the Odisha Development Authorities (Planning and Building Standards) Rules, 2020 to facilitate the ease of doing business, official sources said, Wednesday.

The Housing and Urban Development (H&UD) department Wednesday said that these amendments will bring significant relief to standalone and flatted factories, particularly in the MSME sector and IT/ITeS enterprises in the state. “The notified amendments enhance economic freedom and ease of doing business in Odisha by removing the requirement for ground coverage, reducing parking and setback requirements, and increasing the base Floor Area Ratio (FAR) for factories and IT/ITeS enterprises,” it said. As a result, plotted and flatted factories can now achieve a footprint of over 70 per cent, flatted factories can accommodate twice the number of units as before, and IT/ITeS enterprises can undertake more constructions within fewer floors, it said.

To attract large-scale commercial development along wider roads, incentives have been introduced in the form of FAR relaxations. “Specifically, the base FAR for commercial developments on roads with a width of 18 metres (60 feet) or more has been increased to promote largescale commercial growth,” the department said. For all industrial buildings, restrictions on ground coverage and the requirement for purchasable FAR or Transferable Development Rights (TDR) have been completely removed. Additionally, the parking requirement for industrial buildings has been reduced from 30 per cent to 8 per cent, allowing more space for industrial construction, it added.

Also Read: Braving odds, Anita goes extra mile to help others

The latest Economic Survey recommended that enhancing economic freedom for individuals and small businesses is arguably the most important policy priority to defi ne and bolster India’s medium-term growth prospects. It also observed that land lost per factory in Odisha due to restrictive building norms was higher than in other states and recommended suitable revisions. “These steps align with the Economic Survey’s call for revising building norms to promote ease of doing business, reduce regulatory costs, and boost job creation and economic growth,” it pointed out Chief Secretary Manoj Ahuja said these regulatory reforms will promote ease of doing business, foster innovation, facilitate the adoption of new technologies, and provide Odisha with a competitive advantage. Ahuja added, “Odisha is focusing on transforming the relationship between regulators and businesses, shifting from being a regulator to a facilitator.” H&UD department Principal Secretary Usha Padhee highlighted that the department recognises the importance of adopting global best practices to local contexts and engaging stakeholders in participatory decision-making to build trust and address resistance.

These amendments to building regulations will significantly reduce bureaucratic hurdles, improving ease of doing business and stimulating economic activity. The land lost to building standards has been reduced by 60 per cent for MSMEs, creating greater opportunities for job generation and economic growth, the department said. “With these reforms, Odisha will emerge as a leader in industrial land optimisation, reducing compliance burdens while ensuring robust growth opportunities for entrepreneurs, startups, and global investors,” it added.

Bhubaneswar: Opposition Biju Janata Dal (BJD) Wednesday said it was committed to protecting the ‘interest’ of Odisha in the upcoming delimitation exercise and was not concerned about allegations of getting closer to anti-BJP platforms.

The remark was made by BJD’s eight-time MLA Ranendra Pratap Swain while responding to an allegation from the ruling BJP.

The Odisha BJP has accused the BJD of tilting towards the Congress-led INDIA bloc.

The BJD has consistently claimed that it maintains equidistance from both the BJP-led NDA and the Congress-led INDIA bloc, although its position shifted after the 2024 elections.

“It is not a question of equidistance. We have to safeguard the interest of Odisha first in the delimitation exercise,” Swain said.

The issue arose a day after a two-member DMK delegation, comprising former Union Minister Dayanidhi Maran and Tamil Nadu Industries Minister T R B Rajaa, met BJD president Naveen Patnaik at his residence to discuss the issue.

“There is a fear that Odisha is likely to be affected in the upcoming delimitation process. The DMK delegation requested Patnaik to participate in the discussion on delimitation in Chennai on March 22. Patnaik has given consent to participate in the discussion, which is in the interest of the people,” senior BJD leader Debi Prasad Mishra said.

Mishra added, “The invitation given by Tamil Nadu CM MK Stalin has been accepted by Patnaik. They have also urged the BJD leader to be part of a joint action committee on delimitation.”

Asked whether Patnaik would personally participate in the meeting in Chennai, BJD spokesperson Lelin Mohanty said, “The BJD president will take this decision.”

Senior BJP leader and Odisha’s Panchayati Raj Minister Rabi Narayan Naik remarked, “Biju Patnaik was in favour of delimitation. Let us see what his son Naveen Patnaik is doing. He (Patnaik) is working at the advice of one person (referring to Patnaik’s close aide VK Pandian).”

At the same time, the Odisha BJP alleged that some political parties of the INDIA bloc were spreading falsehoods about the delimitation process, creating confusion among the people by making controversial statements.

“While the whole country is in favour of delimitation, the DMK is trying to take forward their ever-divisive agenda. Now that the Biju Janata Dal is also joining in, it proves that even now the party is not free from the Tamil imprint,” Odisha BJP spokesperson Anil Biswal said.

Biswal added, “After losing the 2024 Assembly elections, the BJD is now heading towards the INDIA bloc.”

Referring to IAS-turned-politician Pandian, the BJP in a statement said the people of Odisha had already given an answer to the attempt to “Tamilise” Odisha politics in the 2024 elections.

“Naveen Babu stayed at home instead of going to the Assembly and met a minister and an MP from the ruling DMK party of Tamil Nadu, proving that Naveen Babu is still not free from the Tamil imprint,” Biswal added.

In response, the BJD said, “Perhaps the Odisha BJP party is suffering from Tamil Nadu jaundice. What is wrong if some regional and national political parties discuss the delimitation issue among themselves? The Odisha BJP need not be reactive.”

The regional party further emphasised that the redrawing of constituencies’ boundaries is a sensitive issue.

“It must be ensured that the number of Lok Sabha and Assembly seats in Odisha does not decrease from now on. If some states are apprehensive about the reduction in the number of seats, the central government must take a decision in a way that protects the interests of all states, as per the system of federal democracy,” the BJD said.

PTI

Bhubaneswar: The Congress Wednesday announced to gherao Odisha Assembly March 27 to protest rising atrocities against women in the state and also the suspension of party MLA Tara Prasad Bahinipati from the House.

The party has taken this decision during a meeting held here in the presence of AICC Odisha in-charge Ajay Kumar Lallu, Odisha Pradesh Congress Committee (OPCC) president Bhakta Charan Das, several party MLAs and other leaders.

Bahinipati, a senior Congress legislator, was Tuesday suspended from the assembly for seven days for “misconduct and unruly behaviour” following a scuffle between members of the ruling BJP and opposition MLAs in the House.

“The Congress has been fighting for the safety and security of women from street to assembly in Odisha. The chief minister himself admitted in the assembly that more than 36,000 women and 8,400 children were missing in the state. The statistics show a sorry picture of women and girls in the state,” said Lallu while speaking to media persons after the meeting.

During the last eight months of the BJP government, about 18,000 atrocities against women were reported in the state. When the Congress MLAs demanded a statement from the CM on this matter, the ruling party stalled the House, he claimed.

“Even after three-day long protest, the government has not issued a statement on the issue and our MLA Bahinipati was heckled, attacked and suspended, which created a black chapter in the history of the state assembly,” the Congress leader said.

The ruling BJP has “murdered” democracy like it does in other states and Parliament, he said.

“We strongly condemn such action on the party MLA. In protest of the move and rising crime against women, we will gherao Assembly on March 27,” said state Congress president Das.

Earlier in the day, the protest against the Speaker’s decision to suspend Bahinipati from the Assembly, the other Congress MLAs staged a walkout from the House soon after it resumed proceedings at 10.30 am Wednesday.

PTI