Speaking on the occasion, Pandian said that the Chief Minister will launch a portal for online registration for Nua-O Magic Smart Cards for eligible students in the state on March 5 to provide several facilities, 5T and Nabin Odisha Chairman V K Pandian announced on Monday.

After the CM launches the Magic Smart Card scheme on March 5, eligible students of Plus III and PG classes will be able to get themselves registered in order to get a host of facilities, he said.

The Magic Smart Cards would be distributed to all eligible students on August 15 after scrutiny, verification and completion of all formalities, Pandian said.

Pandian attended the Nua-O Scholarship distribution programme in these three districts where he interacted with the students from 57 colleges of Sambalpur, Angul and Deogarh. Under the scheme all eligible PG and UG students from state government universities, Govt Colleges, non-Govt aided and unaided Colleges will be benefitted.

The scholarship amount for general and OBC male and female students is Rs. 9,000 and Rs 10,000 respectively whereas for SC/ST and Nirman Shramik male and female students it is 10,000 and Rs 11,000 respectively.

Pandian informed that 13,423 students from 21 colleges of Sambalpur district; 11,265 students from 25 colleges of Angul district and 3,424 students from 11 colleges of Deogarh district will get their scholarship amount in their bank accounts today. With this, Rs. 28.00 Crores sanctioned for 28,112 nos. of students from these three districts. He distributed Nua-O Scholarship Sanction Orders to the students.

He said that the decade of 2024-34 will be the era of the youth, who will be empowered by the state government to achieve the goal of Nua Odisha.

Pandian said that the government’s next major initiative will be to cover all the students through the launching of the futuristic Nabin Odisha Magic Card, a points- system based smart card which will engage and empower the youth and enable them towards academic development, personality development, skill development and employment. It will create a platform for the youth to aspire and achieve their dreams. It will be encouraging and empowering the youth by providing physical and digital access to resources which will help them in their career growth and personality development.

This card will be a “Passport to Prosperity”. Based on points earned through various activities and parameters the cards will be upgraded to *Silver, Gold and Platinum level. The Cards will be allotted and upgraded based on the performance of student in terms of attendance, discipline, academic performance, participation in extracurricular activities, sports, online courses, personality development courses etc.

Every involvement of the student will be measured, honoured and valued. Their academic achievements, creativity, sports achievements, social/community work, etc. will be recognised and appreciated through this points-system.

These cards can provide access to various facilities like – Bus/Train/Flights concession; access to Phone/ Data recharge and Wi-Fi ; e-libraries; Online Academic courses ; Personality development courses and workshops ; Coaching Centres and Tuition classes; Skill Development courses ; Career counselling; Language courses including Odia and English; “Earn While You Learn” opportunities; Volunteering opportunities; Access to stadiums during the national and international tournaments; Access to Journals and Seminars; Access to tourist places, Museums, etc.

This card will also provide Job and Placement opportunities through sharing of this data with the potential recruiting companies-A LinkedIn type platform for the students to interact with the industry and will integrate with the Start Up ecosystem to encourage the students to aspire to be entrepreneurs and also to provide priority loans for the students under various schemes like Swayam etc. Government will actively engage with the private sector to provide more benefits to the students through these smart cards.

The Government will take further inputs from the students and teachers on the various activities which can be included in this points-system. The Card will be completely technology driven and will be a revolutionary concept towards youth engagement and empowerment.

The five NACs that are being upgraded to municipalities are Boudhgarh in the Boudh district, Karanjia in the Mayurbhanj district, Kantabanji in the Balangir and Chatrapur and Aska NACs in Ganjam district, official sources said.

The decision was taken following 5T and Nabin Odisha Chairman V K Pandian’s district tours and keeping the demands of people along with development of the areas in mind.

The newly created NACs are Pallahada and Chhendipada in Angul district, Basta and Simulia in Balasore district, Paikamal and Veden in Bargarh district, Agarpada in Bhadrak district, Belapada and Sintala in Bolangir district, Binjharpur, Panikoili, Jaraka and Chandikhole in Jajpur district, Jayapatna in Kalahandi district, Raikia in Kandhamal district, Boriguma in Koraput district, Sinapali in Nuapada district, Chandili, Muniguda and Bisamakataka in Rayagada district, Dunguripali in Subarnapur district, Banei in Sundargarh district, Shergarh and Kukudakhandi in Ganjam district, Kantilo in Nayagarh district, Tangi and Begunia in Khordha district, Salepur, Badamba, Narasinghpur and Niali in Cuttack district, Betonati in Mayurbhanj district, Parjang in Dhenkanal district and Kantamal in Boudh district.

The creation of new NACs and municipalities was prompted by public demand and factoring in the rising population and socio-economic development of the state, the sources added.

Inaugurating the facility, the chief minister said Odisha has scripted success stories in many spheres over the years. The ‘New Odisha’ is forging ahead towards progress, buoyed by innovation, new ideas and a strong entrepreneurial ethos.

“Odisha’s growth trajectory is fuelled by a robust ecosystem which will further boost entrepreneurship, technological innovation and new age businesses. Accenture’s expertise in these areas will add immense value to our endeavours. Opening of Accenture’s Advanced Technology Centre marks yet another watershed moment, signifying the fast-changing IT, strategy and consulting ecosystem in the state,” he added.

Tusharkanti Behera, Minister of State for Electronics & IT said Bhubaneswar has become a global hotspot for IT, ESDM and consulting companies. “With its visionary policies and vibrant ecosystem, the state has emerged as the undisputed leader in the IT domain, shaping the future of technology. Accenture’s new technology centre will create more opportunities for the youths in state,” he added.

Stating that Odisha is home to reputed academic institutions and a rich pool of skilled talent, Bhaskar Ghosh, Chief Strategy Officer, Accenture said, “Our Bhubaneswar centre will build transformative solutions for our clients using the cloud, data, and AI including generative AI.” Manoj Kumar Mishra, Principal Secretary, E&IT Department also spoke.

Located at the Odisha Technology Centre, the IT company’s Bhubaneswar centre is spread over 70,000 sq ft and designed to accommodate 2000 professionals in hybrid work environment with potential for future expansion.

Accenture is a leading global professional services company covering over 743,000 people including over 300,000 in India. It is recognised for its market-leading people policies, continuous investment in learning career opportunities across technology areas and industry domains, and a deep-rooted commitment to a culture of equality.

It may be noted here that on the instruction of the Chief Minister, the Home, Excise and Forest & Environment departments reviewed the petty cases registered against the tribal men and women.

After detailed examination, it was decided to withdraw 48,018 cases of the departments.

Among these cases, 36,581 cases under the Excise Department, 9,846 cases under the Housing Department, and 1,591 cases under the Forest & Environment Department have been withdrawn.

Withdrawal of these cases will also reduce the pressure on the courts and the judicial system, the CMO said.

The transformed Ama Hospitals that were dedicated to people by the chief minister included 5 in Bargarh district, 7 in Sundargarh, 4 in Sambalpur, 4 in Dhenkanal, 6 in Keonjhar, 2 in Jharsuguda, 4 in Jagatsinghpur, 5 in Kendrapada, 9 in Mayurbhanj, 13 in Ganjam, 4 in Kalahandi, 4 in Rayagada, 2 in Nuapada, 2 in Malkangiri and 3 in Kandhamal district.

Similarly, the dialysis centres were opened in sub-divisional hospitals at Karanjia in Mayurbhanj, Kuchinda in Sambalpur, Hinjilikatu in Ganjam, Khariar in Nuapada and Padampur in Bargarh district.

Speaking on the occasion, Naveen hoped that these hospitals will chart a new course in health care services in the state. The hospitals have been transformed keeping the convenience of the patients in mind, he added.

The infrastructure, basic facilities for the patients and service delivery system have been improvised under the 5T initiative of the government in these hospitals.

The transformed Ama Hospitals that were dedicated to people by the chief minister included 5 in Bargarh district, 7 in Sundargarh, 4 in Sambalpur, 4 in Dhenkanal, 6 in Keonjhar, 2 in Jharsuguda, 4 in Jagatsinghpur, 5 in Kendrapada, 9 in Mayurbhanj, 13 in Ganjam, 4 in Kalahandi, 4 in Rayagada, 2 in Nuapada, 2 in Malkangiri and 3 in Kandhamal district.

Similarly, the dialysis centres were opened in sub-divisional hospitals at Karanjia in Mayurbhanj, Kuchinda in Sambalpur, Hinjilikatu in Ganjam, Khariar in Nuapada and Padampur in Bargarh district.

Speaking on the occasion, Naveen hoped that these hospitals will chart a new course in health care services in the state. The hospitals have been transformed keeping the convenience of the patients in mind, he added.

The infrastructure, basic facilities for the patients and service delivery system have been improvised under the 5T initiative of the government in these hospitals.

However, there is a fall in the vote percentage from 61.3 per cent in August 2023 to 52.7 per cent which may be a concern for the ruling BJD gearing up for the forthcoming Assembly and Lok Sabha polls.

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath emerged winner in the most popular CM across India category with 46.3 per cent of the respondents seeing him as the best CM. He was followed by Arvind Kejriwal who was voted the second most popular CM across India with 19.6 per cent votes. The gap between the two was a staggering 26.7 per cent though.

West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee was voted as third and Naveen was adjudged fifth most popular CM across India.

Th UP CM who emerged as the most popular CM across India got the second largest number of votes in his home state with 51.3 per cent of respondents voting for him, however up from 46. 9 per cent votes in August 2023.

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma has been adjudged third popular Chief Minister in home state with 48.6 per cent votes. Gujarat CM Bhupendra Bhai Patel was voted as fourth best CM in home state and Tripura CM Manik Saha the fifth.

Delhi CM Kejriwal who emerged second most popular CM across India was voted as the eighth popular CM in his home state. Tamil Nadu CM MK Stalin was adjudged the ninth popular CM in home state and West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee got the tenth position in the list of popular Chief Ministers in home state.

The Chief Minister laid the foundation stone virtually. The projects are being taken up in the districts of Bargarh, Balangir, Boudh, Bhadrak, Jajpur, Kendrapada, Kalahandi, Keonjhar, Khurda, Puri, Sambalpur, Subarnapur and Sundergarh districts.

People of these districts attended the event virtually with enthusiasm. More than 15,000 people, including 10,000 women farmers were present in Kendrapada, an official release said.

On the occasion, the Chief Minister said that farmers will be greatly benefited by this project. Especially, it will helpful in the field of drinking water supply. It will also help in fish farming, animal husbandry etc. The project will increase the groundwater level and balance the environment.

Such projects are very important for our sustainable development. Besides, these projects will also help in flood control, he said.

The Chief Minister said that in 2020, the plan for instream storage was started with Rs 11,700. So far, programmes have been prepared for 72 projects in 3 phases.

The programmes are undertaken on the basis of public opinion and public participation.
During the visit of 5T chairman to different districts, proposals for such a project were received from people. All these projects are being implemented with the suggestions and opinions of the people, the CM said.

The inter-river wetland project is a significant program undertaken in the 5T initiative. Emphasis is laid on the application of technology and timely completion of the projects. No people will be displaced by this project, Patnaik asserted.

Highlighting the various measures taken for the welfare of farmers in the state, the Chief Minister said that this project is aimed at the development of farmers and the protection of the environment.

“Our programs like Kalia Yojana, interest-free loan facility for farmers, payment of crop insurance premium have boosted the confidence of farmers in the state. If the farmers prosper, the state will prosper. We are working for their betterment and will continue to work in the coming days,” he said.

Water Resources Minister Tukuni Sahu who was present in Balangir, said that the Chief Minister is determined for the betterment of the farmers.

Minister of Food Supply Atanu Sabyasachi Nayak was present in Kendrapara’s Mahakalapada. He said that the Chief Minister has always given importance to the development of Kendrapara. Not only this project, but many others are being implemented in the district. Nayak thanked the Chief Minister and 5T chairman for the Arcelor Mittal project.

5T and Nabin Odisha Chairman VK Pandian said that Chief Minister is undertaking projects for the improvement in all parts of the state. He expressed his gratitude to the people for their continuous support to the welfare projects.

This AC Super Deluxe bus service is part of the Odisha government’s plan to mobilise around 10,000 people daily for a month to visit Srimandir Parikrama Prakalpa – a Rs 800-crore heritage corridor around Puri’s renowned Jagannath Temple – which was inaugurated on January 17.

In the first phase, the service will be made available between 12 district headquarters and Puri, LAccMI_Odisha posted on X (formerly Twitter).

Notably, the OSRTC had earlier shared the route chart for buses from 15 districts with January 16 as the date for inauguration.

With this, the number of operational airports in the state has gone up to seven.

“Air connectivity to Malkangiri will usher in a new era of development, open up avenues of business and tourism and further transform lives of people in the region,” the CM said.

The airport has been built over 94.5 hectare of land with a 1,620 metre long and 30 metre wide runway at an expenditure of Rs 33 crore. Authorities of Biju Patnaik International Airport (BPIA) in Bhubaneswar have provided technical assistance to make the airport operational. In the first phase, nine-seater aircrafts are likely to operate from the airport while larger aircrafts will provide services later, sources said.

Malkangiri airport is the second significant connectivity project in the district after Gurupriya bridge over river Janbai, inaugurated by the Chief Minister in 2018. The bridge went on to become the paragon of development in Swabhiman area, once considered a Maoist hotbed, by providing connectivity between the cut-off areas and the mainland.

Notably, this is also the CM’s second visit to the district in 3 months On October 12, 2023, Naveen visited Malkangiri to launch affordable bus service under the Location Accessible Multimodal Initiative (LAccMI) scheme, besides initiating development projects worth Rs 793 crore in the tribal-dominated district.

In the first phase, nine-seater aircraft will operate from the airport while larger aircraft will be pressed into services later. The airport’s runway is 1,500 meter long and 30 meter wide.

Authorities of the Biju Patnaik International Airport (BPIA) in Bhubaneswar have provided necessary technical assistance for operationalisation of Malkangiri Airport.

The airport has been constructed on over 94.5 hectares of land at an expenditure of around Rs 33 crore.

The functioning of the airport is expected to bring rapid economic development in the region.

This is the second significant connectivity project in the district after the Gurupriya bridge, which was inaugurated in 2018. The bridge has been providing road connectivity between the cut-off areas of the district (Swabhimana Anchala) and mainland.