Bhubaneswar: The Odisha Government has directed that ‘Vande Mataram’ be sung before the National Anthem, ‘Jana Gana Mana,’ at all government functions and in government as well as government-aided schools across the state. The directive follows guidelines issued by the Union Ministry of Home Affairs on July 9. The School and Mass Education Department has…
Bhubaneswar, July 28: The Odisha government has issued a new directive mandating prior approval for officials planning to travel outside the state or the country while away from their headquarters. Under the revised guidelines, officials must seek permission at least 21 days in advance before undertaking personal travel outside Odisha or abroad. Exceptions to the…
Bhubaneswar: The Chief Spokesperson of the Cockroach Janta Party, Saurav Das, on Sunday said the administration had initiated efforts to open a dialogue with the government, adding that the party remains willing to engage in discussions despite the delay. Speaking to the media, Das said the administration had approached them for talks, but alleged that…
Bhubaneswar: Official data presented in the Odisha Legislative Assembly has identified the five districts that recorded the highest number of reported crimes against women in 2025. According to the figures placed before the House, Jajpur topped the list, followed by Ganjam, Khordha, Mayurbhanj, and Cuttack. The data has once again drawn attention to women’s safety…
Bhubaneswar: The Andhra Pradesh government has issued a statewide COVID-19 alert after two recent deaths and the detection of eight active cases, mainly in YSR Kadapa and Annamayya districts. One patient from Rajampeta in Annamayya district died on July 7, while the second fatality was reported from Kadapa. In response, health authorities have resumed COVID-19…
Bhubaneswar residents may soon have to pay ₹5 to use BMC-managed public toilets, as the civic body plans to introduce a user fee to improve cleanliness, maintenance and sanitation services. The proposal follows a directive from the Housing & Urban Development (H&UD) Department, asking urban local bodies to levy user charges for the operation and…
Bhubaneswar: The Puri district administration has declared a 5-kilometre radius around Puri city as a No-Flying Zone from July 16 to July 27, 2026, in view of the annual Rath Yatra festival. The order prohibits the operation of all drones and unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) within the designated area to ensure public safety, maintain law…
Bhubaneswar: Fortis Healthcare has announced its entry into Odisha through an asset-light expansion strategy by signing an Operations and Management (O&M) agreement with Bhubaneswar-based Dion Group to operate a 300-bed greenfield multi-speciality hospital in Cuttack. The hospital will be developed at Dion Riverside Township in Trishulia, strategically located along the Cuttack–Bhubaneswar corridor. Under the agreement,…
Bhubaneswar: The Higher Education Department, Government of Odisha has directed all colleges across the state to establish a 500-metre drug-free zone around their campuses to promote a safe, healthy and conducive academic environment for students. Issued in accordance with the guidelines of the Narco Coordination Centre, the directive aims to shield students from the influence…
Bhubaneswar: Government of Odisha has directed all government and government-aided schools across the state to constitute new School Management Committees (SMCs) under the SMC Guidelines 2026, with 75% of members comprising parents or guardians of enrolled students. Under the revised framework, the earlier dual system of School Management Committees (SMCs) and School Management & Development…