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…
Bhubaneswar: The Odisha School and Mass Education Department has extended the deadline for in-service teachers to obtain the mandatory Teacher Eligibility Test (TET) qualification by one year, providing additional time for eligible educators to meet the required standards. Under the revised timeline, in-service teachers who are yet to acquire TET qualification must do so by…
Bhubaneswar: Residents of Puri will soon be able to avail a special darshan facility at the revered Jagannath Temple (Srimandir) through a new Aadhaar-based entry system designed to provide a more convenient and streamlined temple visit experience. The initiative is being developed in collaboration with the Odisha Computer Application Centre (OCAC) and aims to enable…
Bhubaneswar: Odisha Police has put in place an extensive security and crowd-management plan for the upcoming Debasnana Purnima celebrations in Puri, with 72 platoons of police personnel set to be deployed to ensure the smooth conduct of the annual ritual on June 29. Director General of Police Yogesh Bahadur Khurania recently reviewed the security, traffic,…
Bhubaneswar: The decision to remove the word “Dham” from the Jagannath project in Digha and rename it as the Digha Jagannath Cultural Centre has been welcomed by many devotees and stakeholders who had expressed concerns over preserving the unique spiritual identity of Puri. For centuries, Jagannath Temple in Puri has been revered as Jagannath Dham,…
Bhubaneswar: The Odisha Government has initiated a statewide exercise to finalize appointments in state-run Public Sector Undertakings (PSUs), setting June 30, 2026, as the target date for completing the process. In a move aimed at strengthening governance and improving the functioning of public sector enterprises, the government has directed concerned departments and authorities to furnish…