Bhubaneswar: A fresh controversy has erupted in Odisha over the upcoming animated film ‘Mahaprabhu Jagannath’, with Puri Shankaracharya Swami Nischalananda Saraswati calling for a ban on the movie ahead of its scheduled release on August 28. The Shankaracharya has raised objections to the animated depiction of Lord Jagannath and other deities, expressing concerns over how…
Bhubaneswar: On the occasion of Local Self-Governance Day, the Odisha government inaugurated more than 590 infrastructure projects worth around ₹323 crore across 62 Urban Local Bodies (ULBs) in the state. Odisha Housing and Urban Development Secretary Usha Padhee said the projects include both small and major infrastructure works aimed at improving the quality of urban…
Bhubaneswar: The historic Kataka Bali Jatra festival is scheduled to be held from November 24 to December 1, with preparations underway for the annual cultural and trade fair. The Cuttack district administration has proposed organizing the festival across both the upper and lower grounds of the Bali Jatra field, subject to approval from the state…
Bhubaneswar: The Odisha Health and Family Welfare Department has been shifted from Lok Seva Bhawan to Kharavela Bhawan in Bhubaneswar. According to an official directive issued by the department, all departmental operations will now be conducted from the first floor of Kharavela Bhawan in Unit-V, Bhubaneswar. Earlier, the Health and Family Welfare Department was functioning…
Bhubaneswar: The Cockroach Janta Party’s (CJP) ‘School Thik Karo’ campaign, which involves visiting government schools to highlight infrastructure and other shortcomings, has run into legal trouble in Maharashtra and Rajasthan. In Latur, Maharashtra, police registered an FIR against CJP founder and convenor Abhijeet Dipke and others following a complaint by a teacher at a Zilla…
Bhubaneswar: Kerala has officially been renamed “Keralam” following President Droupadi Murmu’s assent to the Kerala (Alteration of Name) Bill, 2026. The Bill was passed by the Lok Sabha on August 11 and the Rajya Sabha on August 12 before receiving presidential assent. The legislation amends the First Schedule of the Constitution to replace “Kerala” with…
Bhubaneswar: Odisha Deputy Chief Minister Pravati Parida said around 14.73 lakh beneficiaries are currently covered under the state government’s Jashoda Yojana, with the number expected to increase as more children are referred to the concerned committees. Parida said the government is committed to ensuring the welfare and protection of children and stressed that there is…
Bhubaneswar: Rising prices are beginning to put greater pressure on household budgets in Odisha, with the state’s retail inflation rate climbing to 4.83% in July 2026, according to the latest figures. The increase marks the sharpest rise in retail inflation among Indian states over the past seven months, highlighting renewed price pressures across the state…
Bhubaneswar: Frustrated by repeated appeals for road repairs allegedly going unanswered, a group of senior citizens in Malipada on the outskirts of Bhubaneswar decided to take matters into their own hands, pooling money from their pensions and personal savings to repair the only road connecting their housing society to the main road. Members of the…
Bhubaneswar: YSR Kadapa district is transforming the delivery of school meals through its SMART Kitchen Initiative, combining modern infrastructure, technology, efficient logistics, sustainability and community participation to improve nutrition for children. Implemented under the Aspirational Districts and Aspirational Blocks Programmes, the initiative has established 38 SMART Kitchens across the district, serving nearly 1 lakh children…