A US-based organization donated a generous amount to the tune of Rs 48.89 lakh to the Chief Ministers Relief Fund to help the state fight the second wave of the Covid-19 pandemic.
According to an official press release, Our Biswas, which is managed by an Odia woman named Joyasree Mahanti, has been working in different parts of Odisha since 2008 for the Empowerment of Women.
Our Biswas provides economic support to women and girls living in abject POVERTY around the world.
An expert appraisal committee of the Union ministry of Environment and https://exam.pscnotes.com/Climate-change”>Climate Change (MoEF&CC) has recommended grant of environment clearance (EC) for JSW Utkal Steel Ltds proposed steel plant near Paradip in Jagatsinghpur district. The committee that had deferred granting environment clearance to the company seeking more information, has set a series of conditions while giving its nod.
TheSajjan Jindal-ledgroup has planned a 13.2 MTPA crude steel plant along with 900 MW captive power and 10 MTPA cement grinding unit. It also plans to set up a captive jetty near the plant. While the State Government is in the process of handing over of land for the project, the project has been facing stiff resistance from some locals. At least three petitions relating to the project have also been pending in theOrissaHigh Court.
The expert appraisal committee, while recommending clearance for the project, has said that its proponent (JSW) should abide by all orders and judicial pronouncements, made from time to time by the Orissa high court.
The committee has also set a condition that the project proponent shall not construct any steel plant facility on north-eastern portion of high tide line and sand dunes in the vicinity of the project site. The company has also laid the condition that no filling and raising of land beyond 2950.10 acres (constituting 973.533 acres of green belt) shall be permitted to the project proponent.
As an area of 209.34 acres (84.72 hectares) of the forest land is located in between the proposed integrated steel plant and jetty, the MoEF&CC said the forest area will remain untouched and separated from the plant and jetty. It has asked the company to conserve the area in consultation with the divisional forest officer (DFO) of the state forest department.
International research body GISIAD, which has been monitoring the changes in the Covid-19 virus, has confirmed 380 cases of the XBB sub-variant of the Omicron variant in nine States in India.
While Nadu has reported 175 XBB cases, West Bengal has 103 cases followed by Odisha with 35. The other States having the XBB virus are Maharashtra with 21, Delhi 18, Puducherry 16, Karnataka 9, Gujarat 2 and Rajasthan 1.
According to reports, the XBB sub-variant is fast emerging as the dominant one in the country.
In a written reply inLok Sabha, Union Food Processing ministerPrahlad Singh Patelsaid under PMKSY, the Centre has so far released grant-in-aid of around Rs 109 crore toOdishaunder various component schemes.
The food processing industries ministry provide credit-linked financial assistance (capital subsidy) in the form of grants-in-aid to entrepreneurs for setting up of food processing and preservation as well as food processing units, said the Union minister.
The Centre has so far sanctioned 12 component projects under the PMKSY of which as many as seven have been completed. PMKSY is a demand-driven scheme and is being implemented across the country, said Patel.
Odishas first mega food park was set up by thefood processing ministryat Rayagada at an Investment of around Rs 81 crore, including central assistance of Rs 50 crore, with facilities like fully operational industrial sheds, developed industrial plots for lease to food processing units, rice processing complex, warehouse, cold store, multi-fruit processing facility and other similar facilities. It was planned to benefit around 25,000 farmers in the tribal-dominated region.
The Centre has also planned another mega food park in the state with an aim to attract private investment in food processing sector, also a focus sector of the State Government.
Therailwayministry is planning to revise the signal engineering manual to improve its reliability even as it contemplates implementing new technologies and bringing procedural changes to prevent the reoccurrence of train accidents such as the one inBalasoreon June 2.
Vaishnaw, who is on a three-day tour of Odisha, said while lots of actions have been taken by the RAILWAY Board after theBahanagaBazar incident and the railway manual may also change. The minister said there is a protocol for every repair and maintenance work.
Vaishnaw said the Indian Railways has sped up the process of installing Kavach (anti-collision device). The plan is to install the device across 10,000 km per year from 2,000 km in next few years.
Odisha’s government recently raised the upper age limit for applying for State Civil Service Exams.
Highlights:
The age was raised from 32 to 38 years old. The State Civil Services Rules, 1989, were amended to do this.
The age limit has been raised solely for the tests in 2021, 2022, and 2023.
The age limit for people from Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, Socially and Educationally Backward Classes, Persons with Disabilities, and Women in Odisha has been lowered.
Odisha’s labor force participation rate is 48.3 percent. This matches the national rate of 48.3%.
The ratio of workers to Population is 44.9 percent. In addition, the national worker population ratio is 46.8%.
In metropolitan regions, the Unemployment rate is larger than the EMPLOYMENT rate.
Urban Wage Employment Initiative in Odisha: The initiative offered job possibilities in developing community centers, playgrounds, public parks, and water bodies, among other things.
MUKTA Mukhyamantri Karma Tatara Abhiyan was established to help the urban poor find work.
Deaths due to road accidents across the state increased by nearly 16% from January to September this year as against the three corresponding quarters in 2020. This was revealed in the latest data shared by the state crime branch with the transport department.
Altogether 3,708 persons have died in road accidents in the first nine months of this year. This figure had stood at 3,197 for the same period in 2020.
There has been a steady increase in the number of fatalities from 2014 (3,931 deaths) to 2020 (4,738deaths), a jump of about 21%. This despite theSupreme Courtcommittee on road safety having asked the states to take steps to reduce fatalities by 10% every year from 2015 onwards.
The Supreme Court committee observed that though the violation of helmet law resulted in about 41% deaths, the did precious little to address the issue. The committee also expressed displeasure over poor enforcement related to suspension of DLs in 2020 and 2021. Over-speeding contributed to 69% of the accidents, but action against the violators has been lacking, the committee observed.
A two-day Summit on Prime Minister Gati-Shakti Multimodal Maritime was inaugurated here on Tuesday under the joint aegis of the Paradip Port Authority and the State and Central Governments.
Chief Secretary Suresh Chandra Mahapatra said, Odisha is a maritime State and has strategic locations for coastal shipping. Our coastal line is quite suitable for development of deep . Odisha is supplying thermal coal, iron Ore and manganese to a large number of States in India. The Growth rate will be faster in coming years. The PM Gati-Shakti will accelerate the growth of coastal shipping.
Mahapatra said Odisha would soon become one of the biggest hubs in coastal shipping of Minerals and finished products.
The state cabinet on Tuesday approved the maidenOdisha Electronics Policy2021 to promote the development of the electronics and electronics manufacturing sector.
The policy has been conceptualised to positionOdishaas an attractive destination for the electronics by providing a congenial, industry-friendly and proactive industrial Climate with class-leading Infrastructure, supporting facilities and policy initiatives, said state electronics and IT secretary Manoj Mishra.
The policy aims to promote innovation in the electronics sector and augment availability of skilled manpower with focus on fostering a culture of research, innovation and Entrepreneurship by building an ecosystem of interlinked academia, industry and professional leaders and to ensure Growth of Micro, Small and Medium enterprises, said Mishra.
The policy also offers incentives in other areas like power, land, assistance to Women entrepreneurs and persons with disabilities and incentives for local enterprises. Others benefits assured by the policy include green and self-power generating incentive and reimbursement of state GST.
Joining the State-level function on the occasion of Vigilance Awareness Week on virtual platform, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Monday said that in the area of detection and registration of disproportionate assets cases, the Odisha Vigilance has ranked number 1 in the country as per the latest National Crime Record Bureau (NCRB) data.
The theme of this years Vigilance Awareness Week is Corruption-free India for a developed nation.
Patnaik administered the Integrity Pledge to all officers of the State. Awards were also given to best performing officers and prosecutors in the CMs presence. Bhubaneswar Vigilance received the Best Vigilance Division Award.
Patnaik said his Government has adopted a Zero-Tolerance approach to corruption so that basic public Services are made available to the people at the grassroots level in a fair and transparent manner.