Bhubaneswar: The proposed VB-G Ram G Bill marks a significant departure from the structure of the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS), particularly in terms of funding responsibility, allocation norms and operational flexibility. The Bill introduces a cost-sharing model, replaces open-ended funding with a normative allocation system, and allows a pause in employment…
Bhubaneswar: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Sunday appointed Nitin Nabin (45) as its new National Working President, with the party’s Parliamentary Board taking the decision with immediate effect. One of the youngest leaders to be elevated to the party’s top organisational tier, Nabin’s appointment signals BJP’s continued emphasis on generational transition and organisational consolidation…
Bhubaneswar: Election Commission of India (ECI) officials on Tuesday said that more than 50 per cent of electors in West Bengal have submitted enumeration forms with progeny mapping, as part of the ongoing electoral roll verification exercise. However, the Commission has flagged major discrepancies in a significant number of these submissions. According to officials, the…
Bhubaneswar: In a major reform aimed at accelerating industrial growth and promoting entrepreneurship, the Odisha government has simplified land-use regulations for Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) and start-ups. Under the new provision, registered MSME and start-up units are now exempt from obtaining Change of Land Use (CLU) permission under the Odisha Land Reforms Act….
Bhubaneswar: As geopolitical competition sharpens in the Bay of Bengal region, Bhubaneswar is hosting “Purvodaya Perspectives 2025”, a high-level strategic conference aimed at repositioning India’s eastern states as a transnational maritime and economic gateway to Southeast Asia. Organised by The Energy Forum (TEF), the two-day conference is being held on December 13 and 14 at…
Bhubaneswar: The recent Deepam lighting row in Tamil Nadu has once again brought to the surface a long-simmering debate in Indian public life: where does secular governance end and where does the freedom to practise faith begin? The controversy, triggered by the state government’s decision to prevent Hindu devotees from lighting diyas or lamps in…
Kolkata, 13 December 2025: The air at Baansera Park in New Delhi was thick with poetry and passion as the 10th edition of Jashn-e-Rekhta set the stage for a remarkable literary unveiling. Among the ghazals, dance, and vibrant cultural tapestry, a poignant chapter of personal and political history was shared with the world. The Urdu translation of Neelima…
Bhubaneswar: MSME Development and Facilitation Office (DFO), Cuttack, Ministry of MSME, Govt. of India, under its flagship MSME Innovative Scheme, has organized a two-day knowledge-driven program titled IP Yatra, in association with CSIR–IMMT, Bhubaneswar. The initiative aims to create widespread awareness and capacity building on Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) among MSMEs, entrepreneurs, startups, innovators, and…
Bhubaneswar: Bhubaneswar is once again at an inflection point. The Housing and Urban Development Minister and BDA Chairman, Dr. Krushna Chandra Mahapatra’s recent inspection of the Town Planning (TP) Schemes in Bijipur, Paikarapur and Sahajpur—and the ambitious New City project—signals the government’s intent to reshape the capital’s future. But behind the confident site visits and…
Bhubaneswar: Housing and Urban Development Minister and Chairman of the Bhubaneswar Development Authority (BDA), Dr. Krushna Chandra Mahapatra, on Wednesday conducted an extensive field review of several major urban development initiatives underway in the capital. The minister visited Town Planning (TP) Schemes No. 1, 2 and 3 located in Bijipur, Paikarapur and Sahajpur, followed by…
