Kotpad Town Celebrates Famous Bali Yatra, Honoring Tradition and Heritage
Rabindra Sahu news
Kotpad Town Celebrates Famous Bali Yatra, Honoring Tradition and Heritage

Kotpad: After a long gap of 19 years, the famous Bali Yatra was celebrated once again in Kotpad town, filling the city with festive joy. The main highlight of this celebration was the worship of over 150 deities at a single location.

Bali Yatra is considered one of the major festivals of Kotpad block. It officially begins only after receiving the ceremonial approval (Agyan Mala) from Shree Shree Maa Sheetala Thakurani and Bhima Devata. This year, the celebration started on February 25 and concluded on April 11, marking the final day of Bali Yatra after 45 days of rituals.

As per tribal and Hindu traditions, special rituals and worship were performed for the local deities and Bhima Devata. Over 150 deities were brought together and worshipped at one place. Experts believe that Bali Yatra brings prosperity, good harvests, and ample rainfall to Kotpad town throughout the year.

Thousands of people from distant places gathered to witness the grand festival. Following traditional customs, the deities were offered gudapana (jaggery water) and lia-muha (puffed rice mix) as offerings. The festival also featured various grains, paddy displays, vibrant Patua art, regional music, and traditional dance performances.

The festival concluded with a grand procession and immersion ceremony at Bhima Mandir. This year’s Bali Yatra was notably vibrant, celebrated with the enthusiastic participation of thousands of villagers from different communities, showcasing unity and devotion.

CAG Reveals Shocking Ayushman Bharat Data: 7.5 Lakh Beneficiaries Tied to Single Phone Number
Rabindra Sahu news
CAG Reveals Shocking Ayushman Bharat Data: 7.5 Lakh Beneficiaries Tied to Single Phone Number

New Delhi: A major irregularity has surfaced in the registration and verification process of the Ayushman Bharat – Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (PM-JAY). The Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG) revealed that nearly 7.5 lakh beneficiaries are linked to a single mobile phone number – 9999999999.

This startling fact was presented in the CAG audit report on the performance of Ayushman Bharat-PMJAY in the Lok Sabha on Monday. The report pointed out that 1,49,810 beneficiaries were also linked to a single mobile number, indicating a serious issue in identity verification under the scheme.

According to the BIS (Beneficiary Identification System) database, many beneficiaries are registered with identical or invalid mobile numbers. Specifically, 7,49,820 beneficiaries were linked to the same number – 9999999999. Another 1,39,300 beneficiaries were linked to 8888888888, and 96,046 were linked to 9000000000.

Scheme Status: 7.87 Crore Beneficiaries Registered

So far, 7.87 crore beneficiary families have been registered under the scheme, which is about 73% of the 10.74 crore target families (as of November 2022). However, the government has since raised this target to 12 crore families.

The report highlights critical lapses in data verification and calls for urgent corrective measures to maintain the integrity and transparency of the scheme.

OSEPA Urges District Collectors to Identify Out-of-School Children Across Odisha
Rabindra Sahu news
OSEPA Urges District Collectors to Identify Out-of-School Children Across Odisha

Bhubaneswar: The new academic year has begun from April 1. The Odisha School Education Programme Authority (OSEPA) has instructed all district collectors to identify children aged 6 to 14 who have not enrolled in schools or have dropped out midway. They have been asked to submit this data urgently on the Central Government’s PRABANDH portal.

As per the Right to Education Act 2009 and the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, children aged 5 to 6 should be enrolled in pre-primary (Balvatika), and those above 6 years should be enrolled in Class 1. The aim of NEP 2020 is to ensure education for every child. Therefore, efforts will be made to identify children who have been left out of school enrolment. The letter from OSEPA mentions that the Central Government will monitor dropout management through the PRABANDH portal. Reports should be submitted after identifying children who are away from school. If necessary, children who have been out of school for 3, 6, or 12 months will be provided with special bridge courses to integrate them into the mainstream education system.

Enrollment Drive

With the start of the new academic year, the Khudichhua (enrollment drive) program and Pravesh Utsav (admission festival) have been launched from April 2. New student enrollments are being done in schools. Parents, local representatives, civil society members, teachers, and students were actively involved in this grand initiative.