BHUBANESWAR: In a move that may cheer up poor rag-pickers in the state capital, the state government has asked the Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC) to set up plastic waste collection centres

The Justice M B Shah Commission, inquiring into illegal mining in Odisha and some other states, on Monday asked the state government and the Union ministry of environment and forest (MoEF) to infor

BHUBANESWAR: The Odisha government on Sunday resumed land acquisition for the proposed Posco steel plant in Jagatsinghpur district, a day after three persons were killed in a bomb blast in the project area.

Official sources said government representatives demolished three betel vines at Gobindapur village, restarting land takeover for Posco after about a month. The government was forced to stop land acquisition work in the first week of February due to stiff opposition from a section of villagers.

Jamguda (Kalahandi): Transit permit to villagers to procure and sell forest resources will create a revolution in the country as it is an important tool to empower tribal communities, stressed Unio

Kalahandi: The Centre would 'fight' Naxalites through welfare and empowerment schemes and protect the tribals from being used as shields by the ultras, Union rural development minister Jairam Ramesh said on Sunday.

"In the name of protecting forest dwellers, Maoists have created an atmosphere of fear (in society). Our fight against the rebels is continuing. Through schemes for tribal welfare and women empowerment, with a strong political willpower, we will defeat their designs," he told a meeting of Adivasi Adhikar Samavesa at Narla in Odisha's Kalahandi district.

BHUBANESWAR: Odisha government will take action against companies, which have bought private land without government permission, a government statement said.

Revenue minister Surya Narayan Patro has asked district collectors to register cases against companies, which bought land without taking government permission under the Orissa Land Reforms Act, 1960, the statement said. The minister has asked the collectors to take disciplinary action against tahasildars, who registered such properties. The government will cancel the land pattas of such deals, it added.

BHUBANESWAR: Odisha appears to have missed the second green revolution, already.

Even though the state received Rs 217.25 crore under the centrally-funded 'Bringing the Green Revolution to Eastern India' (BGREI) programme in 2012-13, second to only West Bengal's allocation of Rs 269 crore, the yield has actually nosedived in Odisha since its launch in 2010-11. This has raised question marks over the implementation strategy because the scheme under Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana gives top priority to boost rice production.

BHUBANESWAR: Acceding to the demands of different miners, the Justice M B Shah Commission on Friday announced formation of a committee for physical verification of the boundaries of certain mines.

BHUBANESWAR: Confirming illegal mining in Odisha, Justice M B Shah, who is heading a one-man commission inquiring into the illegalities in the state's mineral sector, on Thursday said miners who ar

BHUBANESWAR: Taking advantage of the budget session being in recess, the Odisha government has begun preparations to shortly resume land acquisition for the proposed Posco steel project in Jagatsinghpur district, official sources said on Wednesday.

"We intend to restart land acquisition for Posco this week," a government source told TOI, refusing to divulge the date from which the operations would be launched again. The issue was discussed at a meeting chaired by chief secretary B K Patnaik on Tuesday evening, but government and Posco representatives are tight-lipped about the deliberations.