Tag: Odisha

  • I’ve faced casting couch several times, will expose people with evidences at right time: Actress Rani

    I’ve faced casting couch several times, will expose people with evidences at right time: Actress Rani

    Bhubaneswar: After Ollywood heroines Prakruti Mishra and Jasmine Rath, now actress Rani Priyadarshini has alleged facing casting couch several times. Though, the actress did not name anyone but claimed to have have evidences which she would furnish at the right time.

    “In my 15 years of career, I can say that there is casting couch in Ollywood. I have faced casting couch several times, which is why I have come forward to speak about it in the media,” Rani Priyadarshini said while speaking exclusively to Kalinga TV.

    “The directors, producers, production managers and event managers consume liquor and ganja at night and tell the actress that they don’t want to work with them as the girls are not able to satisfy or cooperate with them. Indirectly they ask the girls for compromise,” she alleged adding that though some actresses do not agree to their demands, some newcomers fulfill their demands to get work while the talented and experienced actresses remain at the back and do not get work.

    When asked about her personal experience of facing casting couch, Rani Priyadarshini said, “Several production managers and event managers have asked me to compromise and spend night with directors and producers. I have lot of evidences and will expose people one by one at the right time.”

    It is to be noted here that Prakruti Mishra and Jasmine Rath have leveled casting couch allegations against producer Sanjay Nayak alias Tutu Nayak. Even Prakruti Mishra has filed a complaint against Nayak at the Dada Bhai Naroji Nagar Police Station in Andheri West area of Mumbai.

  • Union Ministers Ashwini Vaishnaw & Dharmendra Pradhan To Contest From Odisha In 2024 Polls

    Union Ministers Ashwini Vaishnaw & Dharmendra Pradhan To Contest From Odisha In 2024 Polls

    Bhubaneswar: Odisha BJP on Thursday confirmed that Union Ministers Ashwini Vaishnaw and Dharmendra Pradhan will contest from Odisha constituencies in 2024 Lok Sabha elections.

    Speaking to media persons, state general secretary of the party Prithviraj Harichandan said the two members of Rajya Sabha are confirmed to contest the elections in 2024. But their constituencies have not been confirmed yet, he added.

    “Both Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan and Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw will surely contest in the elections. The party and the MPs are preparing for the purpose. But their constituencies have not been decided by the party,” Harichandan said.

    As per the speculations in the political circle, Pradhan may be assigned Sambalpur or Dhenkanal constituency and Vaishnaw either Balasore or Cuttack seats.

    It may be noted that Vaishnaw was nominated to Rajya Sabha from Odisha and Pradhan from Madhya Pradesh.

  • Odisha Man Held For Poaching Collared Kingfisher, Posting It On Social Media

    Odisha Man Held For Poaching Collared Kingfisher, Posting It On Social Media

    Kendrapada: A man was arrested after photos and videos showing him poaching a collared kingfisher (Todiramphus chloris) in a prawn farm around Bhitarkanika National Park in Odisha’s Kendrapada district went viral on social media.

    The arrested poacher has been identified as Gurupada Dalai of Pataparia village.

    The accused poached a collared kingfisher as the bird dived into the prawn farm of Dalai to catch prawn at Bandhamala village under Rajkanika block, Divisional Forest Officer (DFO) of Bhitarkanika National Park, Sudarshan Gopinath Yadav was quoted by PTI as saying.

    The photos and videos of the killing of the kingfisher by the accused went viral, leading to an outrage on social media platforms.

    Dalai was arrested on Thursday under the relevant sections of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972 as the bird is a protected species under the law and further investigation was underway, added the forest officer.

    The Bhitarkanika national park is home to eight different species of kingfisher, including the collared kingfisher.

    All these species are blessed with their characteristic large heads, long-sharp and pointed beaks, short legs and stubby tails. They consume a wide range of prey ranging from fishes to geckos and other small invertebrates, added the forest officer.

  • Application Process For ‘Mo Ghara Yojana’ Loan Begins In Odisha

    Application Process For ‘Mo Ghara Yojana’ Loan Begins In Odisha

    Bhubaneswar: The application process for financial assistance for the Odisha government’s ‘Mo Ghara Yojana’ commenced on Friday. The state government will provide loan with subsidy to construct concrete houses.

    In order to avail of the loan, one has to apply providing the house record land plot, Aadhaar card, and an identity card in his/her name. Loan aspirants can get registered on the website https://rhodisha.gov.in/moghara, sources said.

    An OTP will be sent to the applicant’s registered mobile number after registration which has to be entered correctly in the portal for successful registration.

    Eligibility and subsidy details:

    The following residents of Odisha are eligible for loans under the state government’s ‘Mo Ghar’ Yojana:

    If the family is living in a thatched house or a thatched roof house.
    If the family has not received any assistance from the government in the housing scheme before or has received assistance of less than Rs 70,000.
    If the monthly income of the family is less than Rs 25,000.
    If the family does not own a four-wheeler for personal use.
    If no member of the family has been a regular government employee or pensioner or a government enterprise.
    Households with less than 5 acres of irrigated land or 15 acres of non-irrigated land.
    Beneficiaries of the Mo Ghar Yoganja can get a maximum bank loan of up to Rs 3 lakh and repay the loan within ten years. While people in the general category will get a Rs 30,000 subsidy, members of the ST/SC community will get a Rs 40,000 subsidy if they borrow 1 lakh. A beneficiary can avail a loan of Rs 1 lakh, Rs 1.5 lakh, Rs 2 lakh, and Rs 3 lakh.

    No processing fee will be charged by the bank to the beneficiary for sanctioning the loan. The government will bear the legal advisor’s fee of Rs 1000 for the loan application. Eligible beneficiaries who were not previously included in this scheme will be involved in various schemes such as construction of toilets, electricity supply, and drinking water.

    The state government has earmarked an outlay of Rs 2,150 crore for 2 years for 4 lakh beneficiaries under the scheme.

    Meanwhile, the state government has reportedly directed the Block Development Officers (BDOs) to distribute work orders for the Centre’s PMAY houses, in a major relief to more than 9.5 lakh beneficiaries. The work orders will be distributed online.

    Notably, over 9.5 lakh houses were sanctioned by the Centre to be distributed under the PMAY scheme in the state. However, the houses could not be distributed even after five months due to a dispute over identification beneficiaries.

  • Thunderstorm, Lightning & Gusty Wind In 6 Odisha Districts Including Bhubaneswar-Cuttack By 7.30 PM Today

    Thunderstorm, Lightning & Gusty Wind In 6 Odisha Districts Including Bhubaneswar-Cuttack By 7.30 PM Today

    Bhubaneswar: The India Meteorological Department (IMD) issued a nowcast warning with yellow mesage for six districts of Odisha including Bhubaneswar and Cuttack cities on Friday.

    As per the warning, light to moderate rain and thunderstorm with lightning and gusty surface wind speed reaching 30-40 kmph may hit some parts of Nayagarh, Khurda (including Bhubaneswar), Cuttack (including Cuttack city), Mayurbhanj, Balasore and Puri districts by 7.30 pm today.

    People are advised to keep a watch on the weather and accordingly move to safer places to protect from lightning strike.

    The MeT Centre has also issued warning about light to moderate thunderstorm with lightning and light to moderate rain for some parts of districts of Nayagarh, Nuapada, Kandhamal and Mayurbhanj districts by 6 pm today.

  • Odisha Millet Mission Celebrates Raja Festival With People In Keonjhar

    Odisha Millet Mission Celebrates Raja Festival With People In Keonjhar

    Keonjhar: As state is celebrating Raja festival, the Odisha Millet Mission brought a fun and entertaining show for the people of Keonjhar at the Smart Bazaar near Gandhi Square in the town.

    Raja, one of the most popular festivals in Odisha, is celebrated for three consecutive days. Just as the earth prepares itself to quench its thirst with the incoming rain, unmarried girls  are groomed for impending matrimony through this festival.

    Odisha Millet Mission, a flagship programme under the state government, has been taking various innovative and exciting approaches to promote millets in the state. Odisha Millet Mission is organising a series of entertaining events called ‘Know about Odisha’s Millet’ in the top 20 cities of the state to raise awareness about millet.

    The broad idea behind this event being held in Keonjhar on Thursday and Friday is to keep infusing the key message into the audience’s minds, that is, to accept millet into their daily dietary habits, all while keeping the crowd engaged and entertained. And for that, TV and YouTube comedians Suji Kumar Jena, Dolly, and singer Mandeep are invited to perform during the event.

    The event started with the anchors introducing Odisha Millet Mission and the purpose of the day’s show to the audience, followed by a few local harmonies to attract the crowd. It then proceeded to discuss the widely accepted unhealthy eating habits, portrayed through a hilarious comedy skit.

    To keep the excitement levels soaring, the Odisha Millet Mission has a bunch of quirky and competitive games. Participants are sure to be on the edge of their seats. The winners of these thrilling contests get the opportunity to win exciting surprises and gift hampers that are sure to bring a sense of excitement.

    Events organised at the regional scale by the Odisha government grab the audience’s attention and can lead to a larger impact on the state’s health and economic index.

  • Vigilance arrests Block Veterinary Officer over bribery charges

    Vigilance arrests Block Veterinary Officer over bribery charges

    Berhampur: Odisha Vigilance today apprehended Dr Rabinarayan Sahu, the Block Veterinary Officer (BVO) of Aska block in Ganjam district while demanding and accepting bribe.

    The Vigilance officials arrested Sahu while he was taking a bribe of Rs 9,000 from a Complainant (owner of a Bolero Vehicle) for processing the file for continuation of engagement of his vehicle as MVU (Mobile Veterinary Unit) under Chief District Veterinary Office (CDVO) in Chatrapur for the financial year 2023-24, abiding the terms and conditions of previous  contract.

    The Vigilance officials recovered the entire bribe money from Dr Sahu and seized.

    Following the trap, simultaneous searches are going on at 3 locations of Dr. Sahu from disproportionate assets (DA) angle.

    In this connection, Berhampur Vigilance P.S. Case No. 07/23 U/s 7 P.C (Amendment) Act, 2018 has been registered. Investigation is in progress against accused Dr Sahu. Detailed report follows.

  • Bhubaneswar records day temperature above 44 degree Celsius mark for first time this year

    Bhubaneswar records day temperature above 44 degree Celsius mark for first time this year

    Bhubaneswar: Day temperature crossed the 44 degree Celsius mark in Bhubaneswar for the first time this year as the Odisha capital city reported 44.4 degrees till 2.30 PM today.

    According to the latest bulletin of the city based regional centre of India Meteorological Department (IMD), Jharsuguda was the hottest place of the State as the day temperature soared to 44.6 degrees Celsius till 2.30 PM, it was followed by Bhubaneswar and Sambalpur where the temperature rose to 44.4 degrees.

    Likewise, Hirakud and Keonjhar boiled at 43.8 and 40 degree Celsius respectively.

    Have a look at the temperatures recorded at different places of Odisha by 2:30 PM:

    Jharsuguda: 44.6 degrees
    Bhubaneswar: 44.4 degrees
    Sambalpur: 44.4 degrees
    Hirakud : 43.8 degrees
    Keonjhar: 40 degrees
    Chandbali: 37.6 degrees
    Gopalpur: 36.8 degrees
    Balasore: 35 degrees
    Puri: 34.8 degrees
    Paradip: 33.4 degrees

    Meanwhile, the weatherman said that there will be no large change in maximum temperature during next 4 days and slight fall thereafter at many places over the districts of Odisha. It is likely to be above normal by 4-7 degree Celsius at a few places over the districts of the State during next 4 days; consequently, hot and discomfort weather likely during next 4-5 days.

    People have been advised to take precautionary measures while going outside during 11 AM and 3 PM.

  • Odisha-based Senior IPS officer gets 3-year jail for sexual harassment case

    Odisha-based Senior IPS officer gets 3-year jail for sexual harassment case

    Bhubaneswar: Odisha-based senior Indian Police Service officer was sentenced to rigorous imprisonment for three years by a  local court in Villupuram on Friday. He was suspended from his post earlier.

    The suspended IPS has been identified as Rajesh Das. He was convicted in a sexual harassment case.

    According to reports, the former ADGP was charged with sexually harassing a junior woman police official based on her complaint in early 2021. Following the conviction, the court awarded Das three years imprisonment and also levied a fine of Rs 20,000 on him.

    Earlier, Das was booked for outraging the modesty of a woman under the Indian Penal Code and also under the Tamil Nadu Prevention of Women Harassment Act.

  • Jharsuguda boils at 43 degrees; Bhubaneswar records 41 degrees

    Jharsuguda boils at 43 degrees; Bhubaneswar records 41 degrees

    Bhubaneswar: The day temperature in Odisha is becoming unbearable day by day. In such a situation, Jharsuguda recorded 43.4 degrees Celcius at 11.30 am, while Bhubaneswar recorded 41.6 degrees Celcius.

    The regional center of the Indian Meteorological Department has issued a heatwave to severe heatwave alerts in the twin cities of Bhubaneswar and Cuttack. The MeT has also issued an orange warning for 15 districts and a yellow warning for 5 districts of Odisha for a heatwave.

    The 15 districts including Jharsuguda, Sundargarh, Keonjhar, Sambalpur, Bargarh, Bolangir, Sonepur, Nuapada, Kandhamal, Cuttack, Khordha, Kalahandi, Angul, Deogarh and Boudh will experience rise in temperature. On the other hand, districts including Dhenkanal, Jajpur, Bhadrak, Balasore, and Mayurbhanj have received a yellow warning for heatwave.

    The heatwave is expected to continue for a few more days. The regional weather center has predicted that the day temperature will decrease by 2 to 3 degrees Celsius.

    A heatwave alert has been issued for various districts of Odisha, said the latest MeT report. People have been advised to refrain from stepping outside the house from 11.00 am to 3.00 pm.

    They have been asked to take necessary precautions in case going out of the home within the time is unavoidable.

    Here are the temperatures recorded across Odisha by 11:30 am today: 

    Jharsuguda: 43.4 degrees
    Hirakud: 41.6 degrees
    Sambalpur: 42.4 degrees
    Bhubaneswar: 41.6 degrees
    Balasore: 36.2 degrees
    Chandbali: 38.4 degrees
    Puri: 36 degrees
    Gopalpur: 37.5 degrees
    Paradip: 33.6 degrees