25 OAS Officers Set for Promotion to IAS Cadre
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25 OAS Officers Set for Promotion to IAS Cadre

Bhubaneswar: Senior officers from the 1991 and 1992 batches of the Odisha Administrative Service (OAS) are set to be promoted to the Indian Administrative Service (IAS). Considering eligibility, efficiency, competency, and Confidential Character Roll (CCR), the Odisha government has recommended 25 officers for promotion in two phases to the Union Ministry of Personnel.

Last week, a High-Power Selection Committee meeting was held, after which a formal recommendation letter was sent to the Central Government. According to available information, some of the key officers recommended for promotion include:

Reena Mahapatra, Independent Secretary, Fisheries & Animal Resources Development Department

Niyati Pattnayak, Director, Social Security & Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities Department

Maheshwar Swain, Director, Panchayati Raj Department

Mrinalikanta Das, Srikant Tarai, Laxman Kumar Mallik, Upama Kalo, Lili Kumari Kulu, Kabindra Kumar Sahu, Aradhana Das, Pradipta Kumar Nayak, Madhusudan Das, Premajit Nayak, Narahari Sethy, Jugaleshwari Das, Madhumita Rath, Debashish Singh, Satyabrata Ray, Subrata Panda, Pratap Chandra Hota, Nibedita Mishra, Geetarani Pattnayak, Archana Daspattnayak, Anjana Panda, and Nibedita Prusti.

The final list sent to the Central Government will be officially announced once it is approved. This has created a wave of excitement in the OAS community. Notably, such a large number of OAS officers have never been promoted in the past, making this a significant and unprecedented development. This positive news has boosted the morale of OAS employees across the state.

‘Lakhpati Didi’ Initiative Driving Odisha Towards Development
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‘Lakhpati Didi’ Initiative Driving Odisha Towards Development

Bhubaneswar: With the goal of empowering women economically in India, the ‘Lakshapati Didi’ initiative has emerged as a transformative force. Today, Odisha has achieved national recognition in creating ‘Lakshapati Didis.’ More than 9.30 lakh women in the state have earned an annual income of ₹1 lakh or more.

One such inspiring story is of a woman whose daughter has enrolled in a graduate program, while her son is pursuing intermediate education. This transformation in their lives highlights how financial empowerment through entrepreneurship can lead to significant societal change.

Women like her are excelling in various business ventures, demonstrating their potential in value-based enterprises. Their stories are not just about financial success but also about driving social transformation. Odisha’s ‘Lakshapati Didi’ movement aligns with the Prime Minister’s vision of empowering women economically and socially.

Odisha’s government has played a crucial role through various initiatives like ‘Subhadra Yojana’ and ‘Mela’, supporting women entrepreneurs across the state. As a result, more than 9.36 lakh women are now earning over ₹1 lakh annually.

Among these success stories is Tilottama from Keonjhar, a determined entrepreneur from the Sadar Block of Kendujhar district. A member of the Self-Help Group (SHG) movement, she has overcome financial challenges with government assistance, bringing remarkable changes to her life.

After facing personal hardships, she took charge of her household responsibilities. With strong financial knowledge and determination, she sought financial assistance of ₹50,000 from Community Livelihood Groups (CLF) and started her business.

Today, she successfully manages vegetable farming, tailoring, and duck farming, becoming a role model for many in her community.

President Droupadi Murmu Visits Odisha, Pays Homage at Key Sites
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President Droupadi Murmu Visits Odisha, Pays Homage at Key Sites

Bhubaneswar: During her visit to Odisha, President Droupadi Murmu visited the Kantilo Nilamadhav Temple and offered prayers. On this occasion, Governor Dr. Haribabu Kambhampati, Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi, and Speaker Srimati Surama Padhi were present. President Murmu urged people to respect the dignity of tribal communities and take pride in their traditional art and culture. She made this appeal while attending the foundation day celebrations of the Bharat Bishwabasu Sabar Society in Kalyapalli, Nayagarh.

Congress MLAs Disrupt Assembly Proceedings, Protest Intensifies Outside
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Congress MLAs Disrupt Assembly Proceedings, Protest Intensifies Outside

Bhubaneswar: Congress MLAs create an uproar inside and outside the Assembly! BJP leader Suresh Pujari responds strongly! Congress continues its protest, demanding a House Committee on women’s safety, using bells and gongs to draw the attention of the Speaker and the government. Congress MLAs claim they are ringing the bells to wake up the government, questioning why the government remains silent on women’s safety.

On the other hand, Minister Suresh Pujari disapproved of ringing bells inside the Assembly. He raised concerns about the behavior and statements of the opposition, questioning, “If the lawmakers themselves violate rules, what can be done?”

President Droupadi Murmu Offers Prayers at Mahaprabhu Neelamadhab Temple
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President Droupadi Murmu Offers Prayers at Mahaprabhu Neelamadhab Temple

Bhubaneswar: President Droupadi Murmu visited and offered prayers at the Mahaprabhu Neelamadhab Temple. She attended the Foundation Day celebrations of the Bharatiya Vishwabasu Sabar Samaj at Kaliapalli. The President stated that the scenic beauty of the Kaliapalli region is highly attractive and has the potential to become a popular tourist destination. She emphasized that everyone should come forward to fully harness the potential of Nayagarh in various sectors like agriculture, handicrafts, and tourism. The President remarked that a nature-friendly lifestyle is an integral part of tribal life. She also said that the belief that the souls of tribal ancestors reside in the forests is a great mantra for forest conservation.

Water Theft from Chhattisgarh Leaves Joura River Dry, Farmers Struggle
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Water Theft from Chhattisgarh Leaves Joura River Dry, Farmers Struggle

Kotpad, The Joura River in Kotpad block has dried up after Chhattisgarh illegally diverted its water by placing sandbags. Due to this, 11 irrigation pump motors have stopped functioning, and over hundreds of hectares of farmland have been affected, causing paddy crops to wither due to water scarcity. Farmers are in distress as the Odisha government has failed to stop Chhattisgarh from stealing water.

Odisha’s Negligence Sparks Outrage

The Odisha Water Resources Department was responsible for preventing the sandbag blockade at Joura River’s mouth, yet it failed to act. This lack of intervention has led to growing public resentment, with locals criticizing the government for neglecting farmers’ interests and allowing Chhattisgarh to benefit at their expense.

Farmers Suffer Heavy Losses

Due to the depleting water levels in Joura River, 11 farmers’ pump motors burned out, leaving their fields dry. The affected farmers include:

Chaitanya Bhatra

Gopal Majhi

Phuldas Pujari

Phuldas Bhatra

Tulsi Ram Bairagi

Baldev Samarth

Dhanurjay Bhatra

Prem Saan

Sahadev Samarth

Gupta Ganda

Muna Samarth

Despite repeated complaints, the Odisha government has not intervened, leaving locals feeling betrayed. The “Save Joura Movement” strongly condemned the government’s inaction, stating that ignoring farmers’ plight was akin to a betrayal.

Chhattisgarh Benefits While Odisha Farmers Suffer

As water levels in Joura River decrease, **Indravati River in

Koraput BJP Leaders Call on Chief Minister to Discuss Regional Issues
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Koraput BJP Leaders Call on Chief Minister to Discuss Regional Issues

Koraput: A delegation of BJP leaders from Koraput district, led by district BJP president Shiva Muduli, met Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi. The meeting was also attended by Koraput district BJP in-charge and Minister Gokulananda Mallik, Koraput MLA Raghuram Machha, and Kotpad MLA Rupu Bhatra.

During the meeting, State BJP President Manmohan Samal and State Organization Secretary Manas Mohanty were also present. Discussions focused on strengthening the BJP at the grassroots level and addressing various district issues. The delegation submitted a 16-point memorandum to the Chief Minister.

Key Issues Discussed:

1. Issues at Saheed Laxman Nayak Medical College and Hospital: BJP leaders raised concerns about mismanagement at the medical college and hospital and requested urgent intervention. The Chief Minister assured them that immediate action would be taken.

2. Upgradation of Jeypore Airport: The delegation demanded improvements at Jeypore Airport and the introduction of a 72-seater aircraft service. The Chief Minister approved the proposal.

3. Daytime Train from Koraput to Bhubaneswar: A request was made for a direct daytime train between Koraput and Bhubaneswar to improve connectivity.

4. Filling of Vacant Government Posts in Koraput: The Chief Minister promised that all vacant government positions in the district would be filled soon.

5. End of Bureaucratic Dominance: The leaders complained about the continuation of bureaucratic dominance, similar to the previous BJD government, and urged the Chief Minister to take corrective measures.

Key Attendees:

Other notable BJP leaders present at the meeting included:

Former BJP district president Sumanta Kumar Pradhan

Former MP candidate Kaliram Majhi

District Media Coordinator Badri Narayan Patra

Jayaram Garada, Agastya Halua, Gautam Samantaray, Himanshu Mahapatra, Nakul Bishoyi, Trinath Panda, Chaitanya Hantal, Jalandhar H, Uday Hikaka, Rajendra Sahu, Saheb Khul, and several other district BJP workers.

State Food and Supplies Minister Reviews PDS and Procurement in Koraput
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State Food and Supplies Minister Reviews PDS and Procurement in Koraput

Koraput: Odisha’s Minister for Food Supplies, Consumer Welfare, and Science & Technology, Krushna Chandra Patra, visited Koraput district on Thursday and participated in a departmental review meeting.

At 5:30 PM, the minister attended the review meeting held at the District Skill Development and Training Center under the chairmanship of Koraput Collector V. Keerthi Vasan.

During his address, Minister Patra emphasized the government’s priority towards the welfare of consumers and farmers. He highlighted that the distribution of essential commodities, such as rice, wheat, oil, soap, and pulses, at affordable prices to ration cardholders remains a key focus.

Additionally, the government is working to identify poor individuals who have been left out of the ration card system and ensure that they receive their entitlements.

The minister reviewed paddy procurement in the district for the current Kharif season and stated that farmers’ paddy was being purchased properly. The district administration and departmental officials were appreciated for effectively executing the procurement process. He assured that farmers were not facing any deductions or unfair cuts and were receiving the correct price for their paddy.

Going forward, the government will intensify efforts in these areas, addressing any existing issues to improve the system.

Key Officials Present:

The review meeting was attended by:

Koraput Collector V. Keerthi Vasan

Additional District Collector Devi Prasad Mohanty

Chief Development Officer of District Council Benudhara Sabar

Jeypore Sub-Collector Sushri Akbaram Sasya Reddy

District Supply Officer Pradeep Kumar Panda

Other officials from the Food and Supplies Department

Key Statistics from the Review:

As of March 18, 2025, in Koraput’s 14 blocks, there are 240 gram panchayats covering 1,865 villages.

A total of 11,73,641 ration card beneficiaries are registered in the district.

10,40,797 beneficiaries have completed Aadhaar-based KYC verification, accounting for 89% compliance.

The paddy procurement target for the district in the Kharif season was 2,57,288 metric tons.

39,333 farmers were registered for procurement, out of which 39,067 were deemed eligible.

By February 28, 2025, paddy had been **procured from 37