The decision, taken at the Cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, is part of the process of restructuring culture service cadre to attract high-quality professionals to this sector for promotion, protection and conservation of Odia language, literature and culture with overall cultural growth of the state.

The step will ensure better management of the dedicated schemes taken up by the department.
The Cabinet also approved the creation of the posts of Culture Development Officer, Assistant Director, Culture, Deputy Director, Culture, Joint Director Culture and Additional Director, Culture in the Odisha Culture Development Service (OCDS) Cadre.

This will enrich the Culture and Heritage of the state and will meet the requirements of the required human resources.

There will be annual provision of an additional amount of approximately Rs 2.17 crore to meet the expenditure of this cadre restructuring.

The Cabinet also approved Rs 1412.79 crore for the implementation of “Integrated Development of Heritage & Monuments and Tourist Destination (IDHMTD) scheme from 2020-21 to 2026-27.

The objective of the scheme is to preserve and revitalize the heritage monuments and temples to reflect Odisha’s unique character by encouraging the integrated development of an aesthetically appealing, accessible, informative and secure environment, combined with efficient public facilities and infrastructure. As many as 159 projects have been taken up under the scheme with an estimated cost of all such projects amounting to Rs 1412.79 Crore.

A cost outlay of Rs.1412.79 crore has been approved for the scheme which will be implemented from 2020-21 to 2026-27.

The state government’s initiative aims at honouring the courage and sacrifice of the donors to save the lives of other people, he said. Besides, it would create awareness in the society about the importance of organ donation and motivate more and more people to come forward in this regard, he added.

“Organ donation is a noble gesture. The relatives of brain dead people, who take courageous decision on donating the organs, play an important role in saving many human lives,” he said in a press release.

In order to facilitate the process of organ donation, the state government set up State Organ & Tissues Transplant Organization (SOTTO) in 2019. The government has also instituted Suraj Award for the organ donors in 2020, the chief minister said.

The award has been instituted in the name of Suraj from Bhanjanagar of Ganjam district. Suraj sustained critical injuries in a road accident and was declared brain dead by doctors during treatment. His relatives decided to donate major organs of Suraj. Their decision helped save the lives of 6 persons later.

The government has been providing Rs 5 lakh from Chief Minister’s Relief Fund to the family of organ donors. Besides, the chief minister has been honouring their relatives on World Organ Donation Day on August 13.

Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik approved a proposal in this regard on Tuesday. The proposal was submitted by 5T chairman VK Pandian after he received suggestions from women during his tour to different places earlier.

As per the decision, the financial assistance to the beneficiaries has been increased from Rs 5,000 to Rs 10,000.

The money will be transferred to the bank accounts of the beneficiaries in two instalments. The first instalment of Rs 6,000 will be paid 6 months after pregnancy and the second payment of Rs 4,000 will be made after the child completes 10 months.

The revised benefit will come into effect from August, 2023. The beneficiaries will get their pending dues between February 20 and 25.

All women above 19 years are eligible to get the enhanced assistance for two children. The women of 13 particularly vulnerable tribal groups can avail the benefit for each pregnancy.

The chief minister had launched the MAMATA scheme to alleviate the issue of maternal and infant undernutrition in 2011. The scheme provides monetary support to the pregnant and lactating women to enable them to avail improved nutrition for themselves and their child.

Around 60 lakh pregnant women have already benefited from the scheme in the state so far. The government has already paid Rs 2,900 crore to them.

A special gallery over 900 square feet area will also be constructed at bus terminus to make the people aware of his relentlessly to build a society based on the democratic ideals. “Dr Ambedkar’s biography and ideals will be beautifully presented here through the use of digital technology. A copy of the Indian Constitution along with various items used by Baba Saheb will also be displayed here,” he added.

Last month, 5T chairman VK Pandian had asked officials concerned to get the terminal ready by middle of February.

Built over 15.5 acre, the bus terminus will cater to 30,000 passengers daily while offering a range of passenger amenities, office spaces, parking facilities, food courts, restaurants and commercial areas. It is equipped with modern amenities such as state-of-the-art Aahaar centre, multi-storey car parking, pick-up/drop-off facility and sewage treatment plant.

The whole terminal will be run by solar power.

Besides, it also has provisions for police facilitation centre to ensure the safety of passengers, administrative building for managing the terminal operations, toilet facilities for passengers, ramp facilities for the convenience of passengers with disabilities and baby feeding rooms for mothers travelling with infants. There will also be children’s play area, a primary health clinic and additional parking for seasonal buses.

Speaking at the inauguration of the permanent campus of the Indian Institute of Management in Sambalpur, the chief minister said, “Today, most of you will secure jobs in corporate fields and have successful placements in the best companies in the world when you graduate from IIM. I urge each one of you to think of how they can contribute for their state.”

“Do not think yourself as alumni of a school but as alumni of the state and contribute to it. This will help the state transform and grow leaps and bounds. Afterall ‘transformation’ happens with one person at a time. Transformation begins with you,” he said.

Stating that IIMs are known for quality of education, Naveen said IIM-Sambalpur has made its mark by creating some of the best graduates. “I hope learning here will be an enriching and exciting experience for all the students,” he added.

“Prime Minister has set a new direction for India and we are on the path to become an economic powerhouse. Our endeavour is for Odisha to be the manufacturing hub of eastern India and I am sure the Prime Minister will extend all necessary support to achieve it,” he said.

On the startups in the state and country as a whole, the chief minister said, “This is the golden time for start-ups in India. Odisha is a top performer in promotion of start-ups. Our youth should be invested in using their innovative ideas for creating jobs. The energy, the brilliance and the innovative ability of our youngsters will definitely take our country to a future that will be a guiding light for the globe.”

“Today we are hosting the first World Odia Language Conference and are fortunate to have Prime Minister who is a lover of Indian languages, is with us in Odisha,” he concluded.

Speaking at the inauguration of Akshar Bhumi on the premises of Kala Mandal in a glittering function, the chief minister said it will not only enliven the Odia language but also glorify the art and culture of Odisha. ” I am confident that Akshar Bhumi will serve as an inspiration for future generation to take pride in our ancient culture and classical language,” he added.

The magnificent building embossed with alphabets of Odia, has been built with Khandelite stones in Kalinga style of architecture to represent Odisha’s traditional art and sculpture. It has been built by Idco under direct supervision of 5T chairman VK Pandian.

Among others, Culture Minister Aswini Patra, MLAs Anant Narayan Jena and Sushant Rout, Bhubaneswar mayor Sulochana Das, chief secretary PK Jena, development commissioner Anu Garg, chief advisor to chief minister Balakrishnan, special secretary, Information and Public Relations department Sanjay Singh and secretary, Culture department Sujata Rout Karthikeyan were present.

Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik has approved the proposal for an extension of the deadline by the Agriculture and Farmers Empowerment department following requests from students, an official release said on Wednesday.

The online registration of students belonging to farmers’ families under the extended ‘KALIA Scholarship’ scheme began on January 9.

The government has also modified the guidelines and extended the scheme for students, who undertake technical and professional courses in private institutes inside and outside state.

According to the new guidelines, scholarship will be given to those who enrol in professional and technical courses like engineering, medical, agriculture and allied subjects, nursing, diploma and different trades in ITI in government or private institutions having AISHE (All India Survey on Higher Education) code besides in premier institutions inside and outside the states like the IITs, NITs, AIIMS, IIMs, ICAR, IARI, IISER, NISER, IVRI, CIFE and NDRI and others. Professional courses like BBA, BCA, MBA and MCA have also been added to the present approved courses.

The scholarship will be given for maximum two years for post graduate and four years for PhD courses. The PhD courses must be related to the eligible post-graduation courses only in government institutions inside the state, an official release had earlier said.

Speaking at the concluding function of state-level celebration of Pani Panchayat Fortnight-2024 in Bhubaneswar, the chief minister said, the Pani Panchayat, which was started as a government programme, has become a revolution in farm sector in the state.

“Pani Panchayat has not only ensured right to water to the farmers but also made them responsible for its right consumption. Now they can get the expected yield of the crop due to intervention of Pani Panchayat,” he said.

Stating that the government was taking steps to involve more women in this regard, Naveen said already 40,000 Pani Panchayats have been formed in the state so far.

He also advised the farmers to go for diversification of crops and adopt new technology to make Odisha a leading state in agriculture sector in the country.

Speaking on the government steps for improvement of farm sector, the chief minister said latest technology was being applied in irrigation projects. Besides, the government has allocated Rs 600 crore for development of the command areas, he added.

The chief minister released a prototype of Pani Panchayat and a coffee table book on the occasion. He also presented awards to best Pani Panchayats, best farmers and students who won in different competitions held earlier.

Water Resources Minister Tukuni Sahu, Development Commissioner Anu Garg also spoke at the function.

Speaking on the occasion, Naveen said Chilika, Asia’s largest brackish water lake, is a pilgrimage for over a million winged visitors of varied species. The event promises to add another dimension to Odisha as a soaring birding hub, he added.

The festival, jointly organised by Department of Tourism, Department of Forest, Environment and Climate Change and Chilika Development Authority, kicked off with a captivating photo exhibition. The exhibition showcased the pictures of renowned photographers including Shakti Nanda, Umakanta Biswal, Dhritiman Mukherjee and others.

The festival, which will continue upto January 29, witnessed participation of 52 selected birders from across the country.

Tourism Minister Aswini Kumar Patra said, “While the elusive wildlife in our forests evades our sights, Odisha can claim to be a birding hub, thanks to the efforts in wetland and bird conservation and special initiatives like the National Chilika Birds Festival. This year’s census has revealed a total count of 11.37 lakh birds of over 187 species.”

OTDC Chairman Lenin Mohanty appreciated Odisha Tourism for its handling of the tourism ecosystem through promotion and publicity. “Mangalajodi in Chilika is a trailblazing example of community-led conservation, establishing itself as an unmatched birding destination. From initiatives like removing encroachments to recent extensive census activities and promotional campaigns like the National Chilika Bird Festival, our collective goal is to position Odisha as the most sought-after birding hub in the Asia-Pacific region,” he said.

Additional Chief Secretary Surendra Kumar offered a perspective on the strategic commonalities between eco-conservation and tourism and reminisced on the history of the Chilika Bird Festival. The festival will have parallel events like the Bird Walks at Nandankanan and Ekamra Kanan and Lecture Walk, he said.

Sachin Ramchandra Jadhav, Director Tourism and Manoj Nair, Director Nandankanan & Chief Executive, Chilika Development Authority also spoke.

The State of India’s Birds poster and video were launched at the inaugural ceremony. The video encapsulated the scientific report that assesses the birds of India. This periodic assessment examines the geographic distribution, abundance trends, and conservation status of the majority of bird species commonly found in India. Around 13,000 bird watchers have contributed to the report.

The participants and delegates will undertake birding tours to Mangalajodi-Nalabana in next two days as part of the festival.

The Chief Minister dedicated the Rs 200 crore project after offering prayers at Maa Samaleswari temple in the western Odisha town.

After unveiling the project in the presence of several dignitaries, temple priests and servitors, the CM witnessed the yagna performed on the occasion.

5T and Nabin Odisha Chairman V K Pandian, functionaries of Samaleswari Temple Trust Board and senior officials were present on the occation.

The inauguration came ten days after a religious and political spectacle in Puri which saw the grand unveiling of Srimandir Parikrama Prakalpa, strategically timed with the Ram Temple consecration in Ayodhya.

The SAMALEI project in western Odisha, which is considered a BJP stronghold, is expected to witness an equally magnificent opening, ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s official tour to the town in the first week of February. And this temple gambit by the BJD is being seen as an attempt to outmanoeuvre the BJP in the state and counter its Hindutva push ahead of the twin elections.

The 16th-century Samaleswari Temple, the abode of the presiding deity of the western Odisha, on the banks of the Mahanadi has seen remarkable transformation over 39 acre of its peripheral area under Rs 200-crore project, which include a 1km heritage corridor, heritage gates, improvement of access to the temple, and state-of-the-art amenities for the pilgrims. Development of Mahanadi river front is also part of the project.

The SAMALEI scheme is being implemented by the Odisha Bridge and Construction Corporation (OBCC).

Ahead of the inauguration, the CM on Friday addressed the people, and said that Odisha will always remember those who volunteered to forego their lands for this project. “This project could be completed because of the blessings of Maa Samaleswari despite the hurdles during the COVID-19 pandemic,” he further said, while elaborating on the purpose behind the transformative improvement of the shrine.

Besides providing devotees and people an experience of peace and divine bliss, Naveen said that it will help boost tourism and economy of the region. “Now, thousands of devotees can congregate at the ghat to witness Mahanadi Alati,” he added.

The days leading to the project inauguration here also saw a yajna by the temple priests and ceremonial rituals, which culminated with a Kalash Shobha Yatra to Samaleswari Temple in which more than 1000 women participated on Friday. The water brought during the Yatra will be used for holy bath of the deity, Samaleswari Temple Trust Board chairman Sanja Babu had earlier told the media.