Bhubaneswar: India marked National Girl Child Day on January 24, reaffirming its commitment to promoting the rights, health, education and overall well-being of girls across the country. Observed annually since 2008, the day aims to raise awareness against gender-based discrimination and highlight the need to ensure equal opportunities for girls. Political leaders across party lines…
Bhubaneswar: In a significant step towards creating a more inclusive and child-centric urban environment, the Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC) and UNICEF Odisha have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to develop child-friendly public spaces across the city. Under the initiative, 16 locations in different parts of Bhubaneswar will be transformed into safer, greener, and more…
Bhubaneswar: The Odisha Private Bus Owners Association has withdrawn its proposed indefinite statewide bus strike that was scheduled to begin on January 24, following discussions with the state government. The decision was announced on Thursday after association leaders held talks with Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi, Transport Minister Bibhuti Bhushan Jena, and senior government officials….
Bhubaneswar: The Odisha government has set an ambitious target to bring more than 90 per cent of the state’s cultivable land under irrigation by 2036, Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi announced on Tuesday. The move is aimed at strengthening agriculture, improving farmers’ incomes, and driving long-term economic growth. As part of the plan, the state…
Bhubaneswar: Bhubaneswar continues to face deteriorating air quality, with the Air Quality Index (AQI) consistently remaining in the ‘poor’ category, raising concerns over public health and environmental sustainability. In response, the Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC) has announced a large-scale afforestation initiative aimed at improving the city’s air quality and green cover. Under the plan, BMC…
Bhubaneswar: The Odisha government has launched a special enrolment drive to significantly increase the number of civil defence volunteers across the state, following concerns over a sharp decline in active personnel. The initiative aims to raise the strength of the force to 10,000 volunteers by March, officials said. At present, Odisha has only about 1,071…
Bhubaneswar: Bhubaneswar Smart City Limited (BSCL) has announced a comprehensive upgrade of the city’s traffic signal infrastructure aimed at improving traffic flow, reducing congestion, and enhancing road safety. Under the plan, 50 existing adaptive traffic signals will be modernised, while 25 new adaptive signals will be installed at key junctions across the city. In addition,…
Bhubaneswar: The Nav Nirman Krishan Sangathan has announced a statewide bandh in Odisha on January 28 to protest alleged irregularities in paddy procurement and mandi operations, along with what it describes as heavy and unreasonable fines imposed on farmers in the name of pollution certificates. According to statements and announcements circulating online, the farmers’ organisation…
Bhubaneswar: The Union government on Thursday notified 33 questions for the upcoming Houselisting and Housing Census, scheduled to be conducted from April 1 to September 30, 2026. The exercise will form a key preparatory phase of the next national Census and aims to create a comprehensive database on housing conditions, household amenities, and assets across…
Bhubaneswar: The Supreme Court of India has urged the Union government to consider introducing a “Romeo–Juliet” clause in the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act to prevent the harsh criminalisation of consensual adolescent relationships. A bench comprising Justices Sanjay Karol and N. Kotiswar Singh observed that while the POCSO Act was enacted to…