Tragic Lightning Strike Claims Life of 48-Year-Old Man in Tentulikhunti
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Tragic Lightning Strike Claims Life of 48-Year-Old Man in Tentulikhunti

Tentulikhunti, In various parts of Tentulikhunti block of Nabarangpur district, heavy Kalbaisakhi rain accompanied by thunder occurred. During this, a lightning strike led to the death of Hari Harijan (48), a resident of Manchagaan village under the Tentulikhunti block.

According to sources, Hari was taking his cows to a nearby field for grazing when the lightning struck, injuring him severely. Locals immediately rushed him to the Tentulikhunti Community Health Centre in an ambulance, where doctors declared him dead.

There has been a demand for compensation to be provided to Hari’s family.

Chief Minister’s Nutrition Scheme Inaugurated
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Chief Minister’s Nutrition Scheme Inaugurated

Nabarangpur District today marked the statewide launch of the Mukhyamantri Poshan Yojana under which midday meals have been introduced for students of Class 9 and 10. Along with this, nutritious ragi (finger millet) laddus are being distributed to students from Class 1 to 10.

In this context, School and Mass Education Minister Shri Nityananda Gond attended a program at Government High School in Umerkote, while Nabarangpur MLA Shri Gauri Shankar Majhi participated in a program at the Municipality High School in Nabarangpur.

At the Nabarangpur High School event, students were served nutritious ragi laddus as part of their midday meal. The program witnessed the presence of several officials, including Nabarangpur District Education Officer Shri Chhatrapati Sahu, Additional District Education Officer Shri Reshamlal Nayak, Block Education Officer Shri Ramesh Ray, District Science Supervisor Shri Chittaranjan Pattnaik, and other dignitaries.

​Lok Sabha Passes Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2025, Amid Intense Debate
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​Lok Sabha Passes Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2025, Amid Intense Debate

New Delhi: Amid strong opposition protests, the controversial Waqf Amendment Bill, 2025 (Ummed) was passed today in the Lok Sabha. The bill was introduced by Minister of Minority Affairs Kiren Rijiju. Although initially eight hours were allotted for discussion on the bill, it was later extended to twelve hours following demands from the opposition parties.

After an intense debate between the ruling NDA and the opposition, voting was conducted at 12:30 a.m., and Speaker Om Birla announced the results at 12:40 a.m. A total of 288 members voted in favor of the bill, while 232 voted against it. Subsequently, voting took place on various amendments proposed by MPs, and the process continued until 2 a.m. Voting was conducted both verbally and electronically.

While presenting the bill today, Rijiju stated that the previous UPA government had amended the Waqf Act in a way that made it controversial, rigid, and separate from other laws. Therefore, new amendments were necessary. Rijiju also criticized the opposition in the House, accusing them of misleading people by raising irrelevant issues not mentioned in the Waqf Bill.

Voting After 12-Hour Debate

Votes in favor of the bill: 288

Votes against the bill: 232

Opposition’s amendment proposals rejected

On the other hand, opposition parties accused the central government of interfering in the religious affairs of Muslims. During the debate, Union Home Minister Amit Shah clarified that non-Muslim members of the Waqf Board will have no role in the management of religious affairs.

​Samba Revives Night Cricket Tournament at Kehli School Playground After Two Decades
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​Samba Revives Night Cricket Tournament at Kehli School Playground After Two Decades

Umerkote: A night-time cricket practice match was inaugurated in Ward No. 9 of Umerkote Municipality, organized in memory of the late Pendra Rao.

The event was graced by several notable guests, including journalist Nalini Ranjan Mishra, Santosh Satpathy, lawyer Najibi Santunu Bahinipati, social workers B. Buji, Nasir Sufi, Lalit Sethi, councilor Itishree Dalai and Manoj Kumar Nayak, church dean Bibhuti Bhushan Pani, Purna Majhi, Kabul Santra, Municipal Vice Chairman Sudhanshu Das, and professor Ramesh Chandra Pattnayak, among others.

Due to work commitments during the day, local youth expressed their happiness at the opportunity to play cricket at night. Before the match began, a one-minute silent prayer was held in memory of the late Pendra Rao.

This unique effort was made possible thanks to the personal dedication of players such as Abbas Sufi, Vicky Bagh, Sarfaraz Malik, Suresh Sethi, Shibu Swain, Saroj Mohanty, Riyaz Alam, Gaurav Barman, Nagesh Pattnayak, Aditya Muduli, Kalu, and their teammates. Everyone present acknowledged their contribution in making this event a success.

​Weather Department Warns of Gusty Winds and Lightning in Odisha’s Interior Regions ​
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​Weather Department Warns of Gusty Winds and Lightning in Odisha’s Interior Regions ​

Bhubaneswar: Starting Wednesday, Kalbaisakhi (summer thunderstorms) will bring rain to half of Odisha. Along with rainfall, there will be strong winds and thunder. The impact of Kalbaisakhi will intensify on April 3 and 4. The Meteorological Department has issued an Orange Warning for these two days.

On Wednesday, districts like Mayurbhanj, Keonjhar, Sundargarh, Jharsuguda, Deogarh, Angul, Sambalpur, Sonepur, Boudh, Bargarh, Balangir, Nuapada, Kalahandi, Nabarangpur, and Koraput are likely to experience thunderstorms with rainfall and wind speeds ranging from 40 to 50 km/h.

Orange Warning for April 3 and 4:
Districts such as Bargarh, Sonepur, Balangir, Nuapada, and Malkangiri are expected to see thunderstorms with lightning.

On April 4 (Friday): Malkangiri, Mayurbhanj, Keonjhar, Balasore, Bhadrak, Angul, Rayagada, and Koraput may experience rainfall and thunderstorms with wind speeds up to 60 km/h.

On April 3 (Thursday): An Orange Warning has been issued for 9 districts including Koraput and Rayagada.

Hindu New Year Celebrations at Various Places
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Hindu New Year Celebrations at Various Places

Koraput: A roadshow was organized in Koraput town by the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS). This afternoon, hundreds of uniformed members participated in the procession that started from Hanuman Vatika and passed through Gundicha Chhak, Traffic Chhak, Film Hall Road, Post Office Road, Pada Line, Jagannath Mandir Chhak, Bhandisahi, DNK, and Pujariput, finally concluding at Shishu Mandir.

At Shishu Mandir, a tribute event was held in honor of the birth anniversary of Dr. Keshav Baliram Hedgewar, the founder of the RSS. The event was inaugurated by district pracharak Sacchidananda Satapathy. Notable participants included Nagar Karyavah Bibhuti Prasad Nayak, Sushanta Kumar Tripathy, senior Nagartoli officer Debiprasad Kar, Prahlad Sahu, Dushmanta Kumar Parida, Arun Kumar Sahu, Lokeshwar Rao, N. Ramesh, Rajkishore Das, and event coordinator Sarat Chandra Acharya. Over a hundred members actively participated in the program.

Jeypore (APR): In Jeypore town, the RSS celebrated the national New Year with a morning gathering (Prabhat Shakha) at Suryamahal. The event featured Surya Namaskar (sun salutations), yoga postures (asanas), and physical demonstrations. It concluded with the RSS prayer followed by refreshments.

Odisha Commemorates 90th Foundation Day with Fortnight-Long ‘Odia Pakhya’ Celebrations
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Odisha Commemorates 90th Foundation Day with Fortnight-Long ‘Odia Pakhya’ Celebrations

Nabarangpur The district-level 90th Odisha Day was celebrated on Tuesday at the local Shastri Bhavan (Town Hall). The celebration was presided over by District Collector Dr. Shubhankar Mahapatra. Nabarangpur MLA Gauri Shankar Majhi attended as the chief guest, while Dabugaon MLA Manohar Randhari attended as a distinguished guest. SP Mihir Kumar Panda, Additional District Magistrate (Revenue) Biswajit Barman, and keynote speaker Dr. Bijay Kumar Mishra also participated.

The guests paid tribute to the sacrifices and efforts of the great sons of the soil who contributed to the formation of a separate Odisha province. They emphasized the importance of preserving Odia language, culture, heritage, traditions, customs, literature, and identity.

On this occasion, Utkal Vandana and patriotic songs were presented by the Department of Information and Public Relations at 5:00 AM. At 7:00 AM, students and departmental officers offered floral tributes at statues of great personalities across the city. Nabarangpur MLA Gauri Shankar Majhi and District Collector Dr. Mahapatra laid wreaths at the statues of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose, Utkalmani Gopabandhu Das, B. R. Ambedkar, and Dr. Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan near Ambedkar Square.

A public meeting was held at 2:00 PM at Town Hall. Students from schools and colleges who excelled in Odia speech, essay, music, jhoti (traditional art), and pitha (traditional delicacy) competitions were awarded certificates and trophies.

Cultural programs were performed by Anvesha Kalakendra and Purushottam Kalakendra, including Odissi dance, folk dances like Jhumar and Sambalpuri, and tribal dance performances. Female students from Yugala Kishore Tripathy’s music institute sang “Bande Utkala Janani.”

On the nights of the 31st and 1st, government and private buildings in block and urban areas were illuminated with colorful lights.

The welcome speech and coordination of the event were managed by District Information and Public Relations Officer Manoj Kumar Behera. The cultural programs were coordinated by District Culture Officer Ghasia Harijan.

Jeypore Airport Set for Major Upgrade to Accommodate Larger Aircraft
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Jeypore Airport Set for Major Upgrade to Accommodate Larger Aircraft

Jeypore The state government has launched the ‘Vi-Man’ (short for “Tilung Management of Aviation Assets and Network”) scheme. Jeypore Airport has been included under this initiative. Emphasis is being laid on upgrading and operating the airport, as well as improving connectivity with other airports in the state. The Chief Minister’s Office shared this information through social media platform X.

Efforts are being expedited to start 19-seater aircraft operations from here, following a green signal for the same.

According to a senior official, the government is not only planning to set up a greenfield airport in Paradip but also to upgrade and interlink Jaypur and Ganjam airports. That means flights will not just operate between Bhubaneswar and Jaypur-Visakhapatnam, but also connect other cities within the state.

As per the scheme, the Government Aviation Training Institute (GATI) at Birasal in Dhenkanal will train more pilots, including simulator-based training—where pilots will receive virtual flying experience via computer systems. A state-level high-level committee has been formed, and each airport will be assigned a Director, Terminal Manager, Safety and Security Manager. Experienced officers will regularly report on airport operations and development.

A decision has been taken to start 19-seater aircraft services from here. Preparations are underway to begin services by the end of March.

Airports at Rangailunda, Rairangpur (Mayurbhanj), Jamadarpalli (Sambalpur), and Tushuk (Balangir) have also been included under this scheme. The focus will be on holistic development of the airports. One of the key targets is enabling night landing at the Jeypore Airport. However, there could be delays in operations due to the absence of 19-seater aircraft in the service provider’s fleet. Hence, preparations are being sped up.

Runways near Souraguda and Bankabila have been extended up to 150 meters. Currently, 9-seater aircraft are operating, and a temporary fencing has been installed at the Bankabila end. With rising passenger numbers, there is a demand from all quarters for 19-seater aircraft services. Once these aircraft arrive, temporary clearances for the Bankabila end will be provided.

The airport now falls under 2C category. Out of the Rs74 crore provided by the government, ₹10–15 crore remains unspent. Work for attaining 3C category status is ongoing. After land acquisition at the Bankabila side, expansion work will begin. Once completed, the airport will be capable of handling 72-seater aircraft operations without any hindrance.

Odisha Assembly Passes Bill to Establish State Highways Authority for Road Development
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Odisha Assembly Passes Bill to Establish State Highways Authority for Road Development

Bhubaneswar: The Odisha State Highways Authority Bill has been passed in the Legislative Assembly. A total of 75,000 km of world-class roads will be constructed. A new authority named OSHA (Odisha State Highways Authority) will be formed to manage the state highways in Odisha. This authority will also handle land acquisition, rehabilitation, environmental clearances, and forest clearances. To ease traffic congestion, the authority will also undertake the construction of approach roads.

Mahatma Gandhi’s Great-Granddaughter, Nilamben Parikh, Dies at 92​
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Mahatma Gandhi’s Great-Granddaughter, Nilamben Parikh, Dies at 92​

New Delhi: Nilamben Parikh, the granddaughter of the Father of the Nation Mahatma Gandhi, passed away on Tuesday at the age of 93 in Navsari, Gujarat. Nilamben was the granddaughter of Harilal Gandhi, Mahatma Gandhi’s son. She lived in Navsari district with her son, Dr. Sameer Parikh.

This morning, her final journey began from her residence, and her last rites were performed at the Virwal crematorium. Nilamben was a firm believer in Gandhian ideology. She dedicated her life to the principles of truth and non-violence and worked throughout her life for the welfare of humanity.