Patnaik rules out tie-up with BJP, says Third Front an option

Leaving no scope for the BJP to duck the issue, the Janata Dal (United), one of its key allies, demanded that the party announce its prime ministerial candidate for the 2014 general election by year-end. It also added that the candidate should have 'secular credentials'. But former ally, Odisha Chief Minister and BJD Leader Naveen Patnaik, ruled out giving any help to the BJP in its hour of crisis. Reflecting ...
02:13 PM, Apr 15, 2013

Odisha: One dead, eight injured in cracker explosion
by IANS
Bhubaneswar: One person was killed and eight others injured, some of them critically, when one of the fire crackers they were making exploded in a village in Odisha's Puri district, police said on Monday. The incident occurred at Srikanthapur village under Pipili police station area, about 20 km from state capital Bhubaneswar on Sunday when the men were making the fire crackers in the backyard of a house. The crackers...  
10:20 AM, Apr 15, 2013

Anti-Posco protesters demand withdrawal of force Bhubaneswar: With Odisha government all set to resume land acquisition for Posco's mega steel project in Jagatsinghpur district, anti-displacement bodies and Left parties on Friday staged demonstrations demanding withdrawal of force from the proposed plant site area. Demonstrations were held in various district headquarters in response to a call by CPI to observe All India Solidarity Day. Besides Odisha, demonstrations were held in other states, claimed CPI national executive member...  
07:50 PM, Apr 12, 2013

Odisha to implement coal corridor project Bhubaneswar: With Rail Vikas Nigam Ltd (RVNL) not keen for the proposed Rs 8,000 crore common coal corridor project, Odisha government on Wednesday decided to take up the corridor work through its own agency. "From today's negotiations, we have come to know that RVNL is not keen on implementing the coal corridor project. "Therefore, the state government will implement the project in Talcher-Angul area through Industrial Infrastructure Development Corporation (IDCO),"...  
04:28 AM, Apr 11, 2013

Kerala church roof collapse: Death toll rises to two Alappuzha: With one more worker succumbing to his injuries in the wee hours on Tuesday, the toll in the collapse of an under construction church at nearby Aroor rose to two. Nine others are being treated at different hospitals in Kochi and here for injuries sustained when concreting work of a new structure of St Augustine Church came crashing down on Monday evening. While Vishwanath from Bihar died on Monday...  
12:59 PM, Apr 09, 2013

Kerala: 1 dead as under-construction church collapses Alappuzha: A worker was killed and 10 others were injured as an under construction Church in Kerala's Alappuzha district collapsed on Monday evening. At least 20 workers were present at the construction site when the dome of the church collapsed. Most of them were rescued later but three are still missing from the site. An inquiry has been ordered. The mishap occurred when the concreting work of a new structure...  
10:40 AM, Apr 09, 2013

Pyarimohan Mohapatra floats Odisha Janamorcha Bhubaneswar: Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik's former political advisor and Rajya Sabha MP Pyarimohan Mohapatra launched his political party, Odisha Janamorcha on Tuesday. Mohapatra had allegedly tried to topple the Patnaik government in May 2012 but had failed and was expelled from the Biju Janata Dal (BJD). Earlier in January, stepping up his attack on the Patnaik government, the expelled leader had threatened to expose corruption in Odisha's coal sector....  
09:49 AM, Apr 09, 2013

Congress demands probe into Bhubaneswar land allotment Bhubaneswar: With the CAG slamming the Odisha government over allotment of valuable land in Bhubaneswar city, the Congress today held Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik responsible for flouting of law in the process and demanded an independent probe into the matter by an independent agency like CBI. "The CAG report shows that the chief minister is solely responsible for allotment of valuable land by violating the law and misusing power. There...  
03:59 AM, Apr 09, 2013

Mohanty's daughter, son-in-law get anticipatory bails Bhubaneswar: Orissa High Court on Monday granted anticipatory bails to ex-minister Raghunath Mohanty's daughter Rupasree and son-in-law Suvendu Madhual in the high-profile Barsa Swony Choudhury dowry torture case. Justice SC Parija directed Rupasree and Madhual to present themselves before the investigating officer of Human Rights Protection Cell (HRPC) of Odisha police. The two were on the run since Barsa, daughter in-law of Mohanty, lodged an FIR against her husband and...  
01:34 AM, Apr 09, 2013

Jagdish Tytler criticises Odisha CM's youth policy Berhampur: Opposition Congress on Monday said the newly-launched Odisha State Youth Policy would have no impact on the electorate and Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik was trying to fool the people of the state. The policy was launched by Patnaik on Sunday. "It is too late. The central government has already announced the policy. The state government should have launched this policy two years back had it been serious about development...  
01:15 AM, Apr 09, 2013

2 aides of Maoist leader Sabyasachi Panda arrested Berhampur: Two alleged aides of Maoist leader Sabyasachi Panda, including one who acted as his courier, were arrested from Badagada in Odisha's Ganjam district, police said on Monday. Bubu Mohapatra and Agni Pollia were apprehended by a special police team on Sunday night about 100-km from here, Ganjam superintendent of police Ashish Kumar Singh said. Police also seized a bagful of medicines from them. Mohapatra was identified as the one...  
08:57 PM, Apr 08, 2013

Odisha: Free laptops to tribal, Dalit students Bhubaneswar: Odisha government on Sunday launched State Youth Policy with provisions of free laptops for students belonging to tribal, dalit and BPL categories besides scholarship provision for ST and SC girls who want to study technical subjects. "To bridge the digital divide all the meritorious students at plus two level will be provided with free laptops. Under this initiative, special focus would also be given to girls and students belonging...  
03:58 PM, Apr 07, 2013

Nuclear capable Agni-II missile successfully test fired New Delhi: The medium range, nuclear capable surface-to-surface Agni-II missile was on Sunday successfully test-fired with a strike range of more than 2,000 km from the Wheeler Island off Odisha coast. "The trial of the surface-to-surface missile was conducted from a mobile launcher from the Launch Complex-4 of Integrated Test Range (ITR) at around 10:20 am," defence sources said. "Agni-II Intermediate Range Ballistic Missile (IRBM) has already been inducted into...  
11:26 AM, Apr 07, 2013

Odisha Assembly adopts resolution for special category status Bhubaneswar: Odisha Assembly on Thursday unanimously adopted a resolution requesting the Centre to award special category status to the state and provide additional central grants and fiscal incentives for its development. A motion in this regard, moved by Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, was supported by all political parties, including the main opposition Congress. The resolution was passed in the House after seven-hour long discussion on the subject. This was for...  
11:14 PM, Apr 04, 2013

Odisha: BJD SC/ST MLAs in a fix over reservation bill Bhubaneswar: Opposition Congress put 40 SC and ST MLAs of the ruling BJD in a fix in the state Assembly by suddenly demanding division of vote at the introduction stage of a bill for reservation to SC and ST in government jobs. The opposition Congress raised objection to the Odisha Reservation of Vacancies in Posts and Services (for SC and ST) Amendment Bill, 2013, by claiming that it lacked provision...  
11:20 PM, Apr 03, 2013

Odisha: Congress' bid to remove Speaker falters The Congress' bid to oust Odisha Assembly Speaker Pradip Kumat Amat suffered a jolt on Wednesday as its notice for adoption of a resolution was rejected for failing to garner the support of at least 28 members of the House. The notice with signature of 27 Congress MLAs was taken up for consideration by the House after completion of stipulated 14 working days gap. ...  
05:46 PM, Apr 03, 2013

Odisha: Maoists kill sarpanch in Malkangiri district A village head was killed by Maoists in Odisha's Malkangiri district on the suspicion of being a police informer, police said on Wednesday. A group of about 25 ultras struck at the house of Bhagban Krisani, Sarpanch of Kurmanur panchayat, late Tuesday night and asked him to accompany them, Malkangiri Superintendent of Police Akhileswar Singh said. ...  
12:57 PM, Apr 03, 2013

Odisha: Mohanty, wife granted bail in dowry case Former state law minister Raghunath Mohanty and his wife have been granted bail by a court in Baleshwar, Odisha. The duo was arrested in Kolkata on charges of dowry on Saturday. ...  
02:11 PM, Apr 02, 2013

Odisha CM steps up demand for special category status After Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, his Odisha counterpart Naveen Patnaik stepped up the demand for special category status for the state on Monday saying it was a 'genuine right'. "No one can ignore Odisha's demand. It deserves special category status. It is a genuine right," Patnaik said addressing the state-level celebration of its 77th foundation day. ...  
02:25 AM, Apr 02, 2013

They demanded a Scorpio, Rs 25 lakhs: Ex-Odisha Minister's daughter-in-law

Former Odisha Minister Raghunath Mohanty's daughter-in-law said that her husband's family subjected her to dowry torture, demanded a Scorpio car and Rs 25 lakhs in cash. ...
07:38 PM, Mar 30, 2013