Bhubaneswar: Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Monday defended the resilience of the Indian economy amid the ongoing West Asia crisis, asserting that criticism surrounding Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s recent appeal to conserve foreign exchange was being misrepresented by critics. Responding to concerns over rising global crude oil prices and economic uncertainty linked to geopolitical…
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: The Odisha government has made it mandatory for all state government departments to purchase only electric vehicles (EVs) from June 1, in a major push toward clean mobility, fuel conservation, and sustainable transportation. Under the new directive, all government offices and departments will be required to procure only electric two-wheelers and four-wheelers for official…
Bhubaneswar: Odisha’s rich Jagannath tradition is set to reach a wider national and global audience through an ambitious animated feature film titled Mahaprabhu Jagannath, which will release across more than 300 screens in India. The multilingual film, scheduled for release in Hindi, Odia, and Telugu, will mark the launch of the proposed “Sanatan Universe” —…
Bhubaneswar: Odisha has recorded its highest-ever electricity demand as the ongoing severe heatwave pushed power consumption across the state to an unprecedented 6,739 megawatts (MW), surpassing last year’s peak demand of 6,447 MW. The sharp rise in electricity usage has been primarily driven by increased cooling requirements during extreme summer temperatures affecting large parts of…
Bhubaneswar: The Union Education Ministry has flagged off a delegation of 56 Indian students and four supervisors for the Sakura Science Programme 2026 in Japan, aimed at promoting scientific learning, innovation, and international exposure among school students. The programme, organised by the Japan Science and Technology Agency, will be held from May 24 to May…
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 intensified efforts to promote rural and experiential tourism through a large-scale curated homestay initiative aimed at generating local livelihoods and offering tourists authentic cultural immersion experiences across the state. Under the Odisha Homestay Establishment Scheme-2025, the Tourism Department has identified 61 gram panchayats across 19 districts for the development 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,…