Bhubaneswar: In a major step towards promoting cleaner mobility, the Odisha government has exempted battery-powered electric, methanol-fuelled and ethanol-fuelled transport vehicles operating in the state from permit fees. According to a notification issued by the Commerce and Transport Department, the move aims to encourage the use of environment-friendly vehicles and support the transition towards a…
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: At least seven people were killed and 14 others injured in a stampede near the Ashok Dham temple in Bihar’s Lakhisarai district, according to reports. The incident occurred at Ashok Dham Halt railway station, located a short distance from the temple, amid a heavy rush of devotees. Large numbers of pilgrims had gathered in…
Bhubaneswar: Odisha’s capital has reported its first COVID-19 case of the year, with a 50-year-old man from the Baramunda area testing positive, according to reports. The patient is currently undergoing treatment in the isolation ward of a hospital. The development comes nearly a month after Odisha reported another COVID-19 case, when a 54-year-old woman from…
Bhubaneswar: Odisha Chief Secretary Anu Garg on Monday reviewed the state’s preparedness following the India Meteorological Department’s (IMD) warning of heavy to very heavy rainfall across several districts. Garg said an upper-air cyclonic circulation has developed over the northwest Bay of Bengal and is likely to lead to the formation of a low-pressure area during…
Bhubaneswar: On the eve of the 80th Independence Day, actor Rituparna Sengupta, musician Bickram Ghosh, brand strategist Suhel Seth, industrialist Shishir Bajoria and Vijay Ojha, MLA, joined Chairman Sundeep Bhutoria for the Khuti Puja of 84th Manicktala Chaltabagan Lohapatty Durga Puja. The Khuti Puja was hosted by Sundeep Bhutoria, chairman of the iconic Manicktala Chaltabagan…
Bhubaneswar: The Odisha Digital Media Federation organised a one-day Digital Media Training Camp at Milan Mandap in Bargarh, bringing together digital media representatives and journalists from 11 districts across Odisha to strengthen professional skills and promote responsible journalism in the digital age. The programme was attended by Bargarh MLA Ashwini Sarangi and Bargarh Superintendent of…
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…