ORISSA

After a lull in tourism owing to the Covid-19 pandemic, the state tourism department has decided to launch three new festivals this year in its bid to bring back visitors to the state.
Plans of organising an online Music Festival,HirakudFestival in Sambalpur and another such event in Koraput district are on the anvil.

The department will be holding its maiden Odissi music festival through virtual platform this year. From the next year onwards, it will be held at prominent locations in the state. Plans are also afoot for a festival in Mayurbhanj district next year.
The State Government had in 2018 planned to launch the Hirakud Festival near the Hirakud reservoir in Sambalpur. But it could not be executed then.

It must be noted the conviction rate in Odisha is one of the lowest in the country. As per the national crime records bureau (NCRB), the states conviction rate stood at 9.5% in 2015, 10.4% in 2016, 9.3% in 2017, 5.7% in 2018 and 21.5% in 2019.

While altogether 142 people had committedsuicidein the capital city between January and June last year, 151 people ended their lives here during the same period this year.

The 151 deceased included 38 people, who died by suicide during thelockdownin May (16 suicides) and June (22 suicides) this year. The suicide figures of the lockdown in May and June 2020 stood at 49 (18 in May and 31 in June).

Police said overall suicide cases went up in Bhubaneswar in 2020 compared to 2019. While 220 persons had committed suicides in 2019, the figure rose to 310 in 2020.

Some experts said many people suffered from mental imbalance following negativity being spread through various sources of Communication, media and Social Media.

Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik re-urged the Centre to withdraw the 18% GST on Kendu leaves for the larger interest of poor and tribal people associated with Kendu leaves trade in the State.

Imposition of GST (18%) on Kendu leaves is adversely affecting the Kendu leaves trade. This in turn affects the livelihoods of Kendu leaves pluckers, binders and seasonal workers and implementation of social security and welfare schemes for them, Patnaik wrote to Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, who is Chairperson of the GST Council.

Patnaik said the Kendu (Tendu) leaf, which is a Minor Forest Produce, is the financial backbone of eight lakh Kendu (Tendu) leaf pluckers, binders and seasonal workers of Odisha. The pluckers and workers are mostly tribal and Women belonging to the poorest of the poor of the Society.

The tribal people collect the leaves as part of their rights defined under . In the interest of a large section of people dependent upon Kendu leaves for their livelihood, the CM requested Sitharaman once again to withdraw the imposition of GST on the trade.

With coastal erosion emerging as a major problem in the state, the Odisha government has decided to prepare a long term integrated plan to ensure of coastal areas and eco-supportive management of coastal Resources.

Stating that Odisha would be first state in the country to prepare such a plan, Patnaik said the expert agency IPE Global had been involved in the exercise to bring in international expertise and technical support for preparation of the perspective plan.

Prime MinsterNarendra Modi announced Rs 500 crore cyclone relief forOdishaand appreciated the states disaster preparedness resulting in minimal loss of life.Modialso announced Rs 500 crore forWest Bengaland Jharkhand.

While Rs 500 crore would be immediately given to Odisha, another Rs 500 crore announced for West Bengal and Jharkhand will be released on the basis of damage report submitted by the two states.

The Prime Minister also announced Rs 2 lakh ex gratia for the next of kin of the dead and Rs 50,000 for the injured due to Cyclone Yaas. Modi was told that Odisha suffered maximum damage due to Yaas though the actual estimate would take around a week.

The ministry of Agriculture-notes-for-state-psc-exams”>Agriculture and farmers welfare has decided to implement the market yard of national importance (MNI) concept in six states, including Odisha, to promote inter-mandi and inter-state trade of agricultural produce in a seamless manner.

The decision was taken at the first meeting of the expert committee on MNI in Bengaluru. Besides Odisha, the other states where MNI will be implemented are Karnataka, Uttar Pradesh,Rajasthan,Telanganaand Bihar. The experts committee has also been asked to come up with a detail framework for the MNI to be implemented in these states. Sources said that the recommendations will be based on locations and seasons of particular market yards.

Chief ministerNaveenPatnaik announced a three-month door-to-door survey by ASHAs and anganwadi workers from May 24 to trace people suspected of having Covid in the wake of the rising infections in villages. He has also announced the formation of a task force for Oxygen management, the mainstay of medical care in the ongoing pandemic.

The CM said the government will pay extra incentives of Rs 1,000 per month to ASHAs for the three-month drive and Rs 10,000 one-time aid to buy bicycles, cupboards, slippers, umbrellas and torches since they will also have to monitor those recuperating in Home isolation. The move comes amid a government analysis that 57% infections in the state this month were from villages.

Amidst demands from lawyers across the country for setting up benches in different parts of all the states, theOrissaHC has taken the pioneering step of opening virtual HCs in 10 districts and plans to provide this facility in the remaining 20 districts by the middle of this year.

The demands for high court benches at places other than its principal seat from bar associations in different states and resultant strikes had often paralysed judicial work. Recently, ugly incidents were seen at Sambalpur in western Odisha, leading to The Supreme Court directing strict action against erring advocates.

The approximate figures of filing of cases from the remaining nine districts are: Sambalpur (4,000), Ganjam (10,500), Bhadrak (5,300), Kalahandi (3,400), Bolangir (3,800), Koraput (3,200), Puri (8,200) and Rourkela at Sundargarh (3,278).

Odisha, which has the second largest coal reserves after Jharkhand, has reasons to cheer the Budget announcement by finance ministerNirmala Sitharamanof four pilot projects for coal gasification and conversion of coal into chemicals for the , feel industry insiders.

A director ofWestern Coalfields Limitedand vice-president of Utkal Chamber of Commerce and Industry Limited, said Jharkhand, which has the countrys highest coal reserves (27%) followed by Odisha (24%) andChhattisgarh(17%), would have the highest opportunities for coal-based projects. Coal gasification if successfully implemented will immensely help these states, he said.