Bhubaneswar: The Lok Sabha on August 7, 2026, passed the Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises Development (Amendment) Bill, 2026, after the legislation was approved by the Rajya Sabha on August 3. The amendment comes as the Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises Development (MSMED) Act, 2006, completes two decades. The government said rapid technological changes, the…
Bhubaneswar: The Government of India has clarified that UPI payments will remain free for ordinary users, amid growing debate over proposed amendments to the Payment and Settlement Systems Act, 2007 and the possibility of introducing a Merchant Discount Rate (MDR) on certain transactions. The government categorically stated that consumers making payments through UPI will not…
Bhubaneswar: India is preparing to introduce its first polymer (plastic) banknotes, with the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) planning to roll out ₹10 and ₹20 polymer notes from April 2027, subject to the successful completion of nationwide field trials. For the pilot programme, the government has approved the printing of one billion ₹10 notes and…
Bhubaneswar: The Institute of Company Secretaries of India (ICSI) inaugurated its 5th International Conference 2026 in Mauritius on 3 August 2026, in the august presence of the Chief Guest, Dr the Hon Mrs Jyoti Jeetun, Minister of Financial Services and Economic Planning, Republic of Mauritius, and Guest of Honour, Mr Anurag Srivastava, High Commissioner of India, Port Louis, Mauritius. Organised on the…
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: Exavalu, a US-headquartered global engineering and technology consulting firm serving insurance and other regulated industries, today announced the launch of its new facility in Salt Lake Sector V, the heart of Kolkata’s information technology hub. The new IT Center was formally inaugurated by Honorable MLA Shri Tarunjyoti Tiwari and Shri Sayantan Basu, visionary leader…
Bhubaneswar: Dr. Pravakar Sahoo, Programme Director (Economics and Finance) at NITI Aayog, highlighted the transformative role of technology in achieving the vision of Viksit Bharat while addressing the INAE Technology Conclave 2026, jointly organised by SOA University and the Indian National Academy of Engineering (INAE). The two-day national conclave brought together leading researchers, academicians, policymakers…
Bhubaneswar: The rapid expansion of cloud kitchens in Bhubaneswar and Cuttack has created new opportunities for food entrepreneurs while also raising concerns over safety, regulation and the commercial use of residential areas. Driven by the growing popularity of app-based food delivery platforms, an increasing number of home-based and commercial cloud kitchens are now operating from…
Bhubaneswar: The Odisha Assembly of Small and Medium Enterprises (OASME), in collaboration with the Government of Odisha, is organising a Mega Loan Mela for micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) in Bhubaneswar on July 10. The event will be held at the Institute of Engineers Campus and aims to facilitate access to finance for entrepreneurs…
Bhubaneswar: The Odisha government has clarified that it spent approximately Rs 21 crore on outsourcing the printing of newly revised textbooks for Classes I to VIII to private printing presses, amid growing controversy over numerous factual, grammatical and typographical errors found in the books. The clarification was issued by the Directorate of Textbook Production and…