Bhubaneswar: The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has revised its forecast for the 2026 Southwest Monsoon season, predicting that India is likely to receive rainfall amounting to 90 per cent of the Long Period Average (LPA). The forecast was issued as part of the weather agency’s second outlook for the Southwest Monsoon. The revised estimate is…
BHUBANESWAR: Nabarangpur district has recorded the highest prevalence of child marriage in Odisha, highlighting the continued challenge of ending the practice despite sustained government interventions and awareness campaigns. Official data indicate that child marriage prevalence in the district stands at 39.4 per cent. Authorities have been actively working to prevent underage marriages, stopping hundreds of…
BHUBANESWAR: The India Meteorological Department (IMD) will install six High Wind Speed Recorders (HWSR) along the coastline of Odisha to improve the measurement of extreme wind speeds during cyclones and severe storm events. Officials said the advanced instruments will be installed in six coastal districts — Ganjam, Puri, Jagatsinghpur, Kendrapara, Bhadrak and Balasore. The initiative…
Bhubaneswar: The South East Central Railway has installed water misting systems at several major railway stations to provide relief to passengers during the ongoing heatwave conditions across central India. The cooling systems spray a fine mist of water across station platforms, helping reduce surrounding temperatures and improve comfort levels for passengers waiting for trains, particularly…
Bhubaneswar: The Union Cabinet has approved the continuation of the “Scheme for Assistance in Ration Transport and Handling-Income with Automation in Public Distribution System” (SARTHAK PDS) as an umbrella scheme aimed at strengthening and modernising India’s public distribution network. The scheme focuses on improving food grain transportation, enhancing support for fair price shops and accelerating…
Bhubaneswar: The Odisha government has launched two major rural development initiatives — the Model Village Mission and the Mahapurusha Adarsha Grama Yojana — aimed at transforming villages through improved infrastructure, better public services, and enhanced livelihood opportunities. The initiatives seek to bridge the rural-urban development gap by ensuring the availability of urban-level amenities and integrated…
Bhubaneswar: India has issued a travel advisory asking citizens to avoid non-essential travel to Democratic Republic of the Congo, Uganda, and South Sudan following the worsening Ebola outbreak in central Africa. The advisory was issued after the World Health Organization (WHO) classified the outbreak as a global public health emergency amid rising infections and fatalities…
Bhubaneswar: The second BRICS Technical Meeting on Disaster Risk Reduction, hosted by India, will be held in Puri from June 3 to 5, 2026, bringing together disaster management experts and officials from BRICS nations and partner countries. The high-level meeting will focus on strengthening international cooperation in disaster preparedness, risk reduction, climate resilience, and emergency…
Bhubaneswar: Authorities at Nandankanan Zoological Park and Sambalpur Zoo have introduced extensive summer heat mitigation measures to protect animals and birds from rising temperatures and severe heat wave conditions across Odisha. Zoo officials said special arrangements have been made to ensure animal comfort and prevent heat-related stress during the peak summer season. As part of…
Bhubaneswar: The Odisha government has unveiled an ambitious plan to transform the Hirakud region into a major tourism hub featuring floatels, cruise tourism, ropeways, eco-resorts, waterfront attractions, and adventure tourism facilities across Sambalpur and Jharsuguda districts. The large-scale initiative aims to develop the Hirakud belt as an integrated and sustainable tourism destination centered on nature,…