Bhubaneswar: The Safa Bhubaneswar mobile application has witnessed encouraging public response, with more than 200 garbage pickup bookings recorded within just 10 days of its rollout. The initiative, led by the Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC), marks a significant step towards strengthening urban sanitation through citizen participation and digital governance. Officials said the app enables residents…
Bhubaneswar: The Union Cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, on Wednesday approved the widening and strengthening of National Highway-326 in Odisha, a major infrastructure push aimed at transforming connectivity and economic prospects in the state’s southern districts. The project involves upgrading the existing 2-lane highway to a 2-lane road with paved shoulders from Km…
Bhubaneswar: In a fresh move to curb vehicular pollution and strengthen enforcement of emission norms, Odisha Transport Minister Bibhuti Jena on Tuesday announced that vehicles with valid Pollution Under Control Certificates (PUCC) will soon be required to display a green sticker. The initiative is set to be rolled out in conjunction with the upcoming Road…
Bhubaneswar: Normalcy returned to the Shikharchandi hill range on Monday after two adult tusker elephants that had strayed into the area safely returned to the Bharatpur forest following a coordinated overnight operation by the Forest Department. The elephants, whose presence had led to the temporary closure of the popular hilltop shrine and picnic spot, were…
Bhubaneswar: The Central government has issued strict directions to all Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officers, making the timely submission of their annual Immovable Property Return (IPR) mandatory, with clear penalties for non-compliance. Officers who fail to file their IPRs on time will face stalled promotions and possible disciplinary action. The Department of Personnel and Training…
Bhubaneswar: Producer Kumar Mangat Pathak has confirmed that actor Jaideep Ahlawat will step into the role originally played by Akshaye Khanna in the upcoming Drishyam sequel, following a fallout over remuneration and creative disagreements. Speaking candidly about the casting change, Pathak alleged that Akshaye Khanna demanded a fee hike to ₹21 crore after initial negotiations…
Bhubaneswar: In a move aimed at improving accessibility and convenience for vehicle owners, the State Transport Authority (STA) of Odisha has announced that e-challans for traffic violations can now be paid both online and offline. The decision is expected to benefit people who face difficulties with digital-only payment systems. The STA has instructed all Regional…
Bhubaneswar: The planned upgrade of Bhubaneswar’s Regional Science Centre (RSC) with 35 new interactive exhibits marks a timely and welcome shift in how science is communicated to the public—especially to young minds. At a moment when attention spans are shrinking and rote learning still dominates many classrooms, the RSC’s move towards play-based, experiential learning reflects…
Bhubaneswar: Turning 60 is often a moment of quiet reflection. For this Bollywood icon, it became a statement—of relevance, responsibility and reinvention. On December 27, amid an intimate celebration at his Bandra residence with close friends including MS Dhoni, Sakshi and young Ziva, and thousands of fans lining the streets outside, the actor once again…
Bhubaneswar: The Congress Working Committee (CWC) on Monday resolved to launch a nationwide ‘MGNREGA Bachao Abhiyan’ from January 5, 2026, in protest against the Union government’s decision to repeal the nearly two-decade-old Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) and replace it with the newly introduced VB-G RAM G Bill. Meeting in New Delhi,…