With Naxalite activities continuing to spread in Orissa, the state has decided to prepare a comprehensive strategy to control violence by Maoist activists and restore law and order in trouble-torn areas.
Janata Dal Secular chief H D Deve Gowda on Tuesday said that Biju Janata Dal chief and Orissa Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik would definitely join the Third Front, following the split in the BJD- Bharatiya Janata Party alliance.Gowda said that he had spoken to Patnaik, who had assured him that he will join the Third Front unconditionally.When queried about the Third Front rally, which will be held in Bangalore on Thursday, Gowda said Patnaik would not be able to attend.
The Left on Sunday came out in support of the Naveen Patnaik government, which was reduced to a minority following snapping of ties with ally Bharatiya Janata Party, and even hinted at forging an alliance with the Biju Janata Dal for the upcoming Lok Sabha and Assembly elections in Orissa.
CM Naveen Patnaik met Home Minister Shivraj Patil and submitted a memorandum for financial help.The state has also urged the Centre to immediately release at least 12,000 kilo litre of kerosene to be distributed among the 40 lakh affected people.
"My government is always prepared for dialogue with the Naxals, but first they should give up arms and the path of violence," Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik told reporters after reviewing the ongoing combing operation against Maoists at a high-level meeting here.
The houses, a church and a prayer hall were either torched or damaged by miscreants at Raikia, G Udaygiri, Daringibadi and some other areas, sources said.
The Congress, which is in the Opposition at the national level, has turned 'feeble and disintegrated', Shiv Sena mouthpiece Saamana said on Saturday, and suggested that all anti-Bharatiya Janata Party parties, including the Sena, should come together under the UPA banner to provide a formidable alternative.
The South Korean steel major Posco, facing stiff opposition from the local people for acquisition of land for its 12-million-tonne steel project in Orissa, may have to directly negotiate with the project affected villagers.
As the much-awaited hockey men's World Cup is inching closer, music maestro AR Rahman has shared the glimpse of the much-anticipated official theme song and video of the hockey tournament, slated to be held from November 28 to December 16 in Bhubaneswar.
Hinting that it was open to aligning with the Third Front after the Lok Sabha polls, the BJD has said that it will not support either a Congress-led or a Bharatiya Janata Party-led government at the Centre.
IMD Director General Dr Mrutyunjay Mohapatra said that 'Yaas' is likely to intensify into a Very Severe Cyclonic Storm by Tuesday evening and Chandbali is likely to witness the maximum damage caused by it.
The CPI-M is upbeat in its quest to form a Third Front and struck a pre-poll alliance with the BJD in Orissa within a day after the ruling state party snapped ties with longtime ally BJP.
After the snapping of ties between the BJD and BJP, the CPI on Monday expressed hope that BJD supremo Naveen Patnaik would play a key role in formation of a third alternative to NDA and UPA.
Odisha chief minister Naveen Patnaik had on Tuesday sent a letter to the Election Commission requesting withdrawal of the MCC from all coastal districts to make it easier for the government to handle the impending cyclonic storm "Fani" in the state.
'The government is doing away with crucial laws such as the Forest Conservation Act and the Environment Protection Act which had helped safeguard our forests.' 'The President has to show that she will stand in favour of tribal rights.'
Arcelor-Mittal added one more site on Monday -- Chiplima in Sambalpur district -- to the four it is currently surveying for its proposed 12 million tonne steel facility in Orissa.
Facing an acute shortage of COVID-19 vaccines, the Odisha government on Monday decided to float a global tender for procuring the vaccine to inoculate the states entire population, Chief Secretary S C Mohapatra said.
The Orissa government has approved four projects in the steel and power sector involving investment worth Rs 7,225 crore.
Official sources said the probe was ordered by Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik who visited the riot-torn area on Thursday to take stock of the situation.
South Korean steel major Posco will start construction of its 12 million tonne, Rs 51,000-crore mega steel project near Paradip in Orissa on April 1, 2008.
Twenty steel projects with an estimated investment of Rs 12,000 crore (Rs 120 billion) have gone into production in Orissa so far creating direct and indirect employment opportunities for about 25,000 people, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik said.
Arcelor-Mittal proposed two plants in Orissa and Jharkhand of 12-million tonne capacity each. These are the first greenfield projects anywhere by Mittal.
Facing resistance from people who are likely to get displaced by its mega steel project near Paradip, South Korean steel major Posco is looking at "other options".
Orissa Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik and Minister of State for Information and Public Relations Debasish Nayak laid wreaths at the coffin of Swain, who hailed from Kendrapara district, at the Biju Patnaik airport.
The minister put in his papers as police began interrogation of the arrested SUM Hospital owner Manoj Ranjan Nayak.
Naveen Patnaik was injured when ruling and opposition members clashed over the government's agreement with a private mining company.
It is shocking that the rupee has crossed the 65 mark vis-a-vis US dollar, Orissa chief minister said.
The Airports Authority of India on Saturday announced plans to upgrade the Biju Patnaik airport in Bhubaneswar to international standards by investing Rs 250 crore (Rs 2.5 billion).
Reliance Anil Dhirubhai Ambani Group on Friday unveiled a grand spending plan of over Rs 60,000 crore (Rs 600 billion) in Orissa, which included an investment blueprint for the world's largest pithead thermal power plant.
The Orissa government is making all efforts to remove hurdles for establishing the Rs 52,000 crore (Rs 520 billion) steel project by South Korean giant Posco near Paradip, which is mired by displacement woes.
Poonawalla, during an interaction with Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik through a video conference, expressed optimism that the COVID-19 vaccine could be ready by October-November this year and the next phase of the trial can start in mid-August in India. According to a press note released by the CMO, Poonawalla has informed that the Oxford University vaccine has shown promising results in the first phase trial.
Vedanta Resources has submitted a proposal to the Orissa government to set up a world-class university in the state at an investment of $1 billion.
A 6 per cent swing in favour of Biju Janata Dal appeared to have catapulted the regional party to a landslide victory in simultaneous Lok Sabha and assembly polls in Odisha where it stormed back to power for the fourth consecutive term.
Close to 60 MoUs have been signed including the $12 billion deal with Posco -- the largest foreign direct investment, FDI, in the country.
While Patnaik was finally allowed to jump the queue, his cabinet colleagues and a ruling Biju Janata Dal MP had to finally return disappointed.
According to sources, Congress managers are attempting to fix a meeting between Sonia Gandhi and Mayawati. Congress is hopeful that Mayawati will support any government other than BJP, even though the BSP supremo had lashed out at Congress throughout her campaigning.
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