Latest news with #Kendrapada
Time of India
7 days ago
- Politics
- Time of India
3 major industrially polluted areas in state identified: Minister
1 2 Kendrapada: Minister of state for environment, forest and climate change Kirti Vardhan Singh told the Lok Sabha on Monday that the Odisha pollution control board has identified three major industrially polluted areas across the state, including mining zones, and formulated an action plan to curb pollution. The initiative is part of the National Clean Air Programme (NCAP), which covers cities such as Angul, Talcher, and Rourkela in the state, along with Dhanbad, Jamshedpur, Ranchi, Korba, Raipur, and Chandrapur— areas significantly impacted by mining. These cities have prepared clean air action plans to tackle pollution from mining operations. Singh highlighted that the NCAP, launched in Jan 2019 by the ministry of environment, forest and climate change (MoEFCC), aims to enhance air quality in 130 cities across 24 states and union territories.
Time of India
30-07-2025
- Business
- Time of India
State's mineral blocks yield zero royalties for two fiscal years: Min
1 2 Kendrapada: Odisha reported that 22 major mineral blocks auctioned or allotted since 2022 have not generated any royalties, premiums, or other levies for the fiscal years 2023–24 and 2024–25. This information was shared by minister of coal and mines, G. Kishan Reddy during a session in the Lok Sabha on Wednesday. While 22 mineral blocks were auctioned since 2022, none of them are operational yet. Despite the absence of direct revenue from these mineral blocks, the state has seen substantial collections under the District Mineral Foundation (DMF). For the fiscal years 2023–24 and 2024–25, Odisha's 30 districts amassed Rs. 4,582.78 crore and Rs. 4,270.88 crore, respectively. The balance available under DMF as of March 31, 2025, stood at Rs. 13,786.71 crore, with an expenditure of Rs. 3,026.10 crore during 2023-24. The DMF funds are allocated to high-priority projects as outlined in the Odisha DMF Rules, 2015, with no reported diversions. The fund is non-lapsable, allowing unutilized balances to be carried forward for future use. Notably, Sundargarh district collected Rs. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like No annual fees for life UnionBank Credit Card Apply Now Undo 1,518.27 crore and Rs. 1,620.38 crore during the fiscal years 2023–24 and 2024–25 respectively. In response to a query from Sukanta Kumar Panigrahi, Reddy highlighted the ministry of mines' new guidelines for the 'Aspirational DMF Programme', issued on July 9, 2025. This initiative aims to align DMF activities with the Aspirational District Programme (ADP) and Aspirational Block Programme (ABP), enhancing outcomes for mining-affected communities. The programme focuses on five core themes: health & nutrition, education, agriculture & water resources, financial inclusion & skill development, and infrastructure, in line with the Pradhan Mantri Khanij Kshetra Kalyan Yojana (PMKKKY). The guidelines, released in Jan 2024, apply to 106 of the 112 aspirational districts, including Kandhamal. However, Boudh district is not classified as an aspirational district. The PMKKKY guidelines emphasizes complementing ongoing state and central govt schemes, with DMFs prioritizing ADP and ABP targets. In Kandhamal district, three projects have been sanctioned and completed under the DMF, with a total investment of Rs. 18 lakh, according to the minister.
Time of India
15-05-2025
- Science
- Time of India
Satellite-tagged turtle completes 1,000-km journey from Odisha to Andhra coast
1 2 3 4 5 6 Kendrapada: A satellite-tagged Olive Ridley turtle has successfully completed a remarkable 1,000-km journey from Gahirmatha, Odisha to the Andhra Pradesh coast in 51 days, traversing the waters of Sri Lanka, Pondicherry and Tamil Nadu. The turtle was one of two female Olive Ridleys fitted with platform transmitter terminals (PTT) by scientists from the Wildlife Institute of India (WII) in collaboration with the forest department. The turtles were released on March 17 during the mass-nesting period at Gahirmatha beach. "While one turtle lost its transmitter at sea, the other reached Andhra Pradesh waters on May 8, as confirmed by WII's satellite tracking data," said Prem Shankar Jha, principal chief conservator of forest (PCCF). The transmitter sends location data each time the turtle surfaces, helping researchers map migration routes, foraging areas, and nesting grounds. This tracking success follows another remarkable journey recorded in Jan 2025, when a tagged turtle (no. 03233) travelled around 3,500 km from Gahirmatha to Maharashtra's Guhagar beach. Dr. Basudev Tripathy, wildlife biologist and officer-in-charge at the Zoological Survey of India's western regional centre, Pune, explained that while satellite GPS transmitters cost around Rs 10 lakh each, researchers also use more economical flipper tags costing Rs 100 per unit. "Between 2021 and 2024, we tagged around 12,000 turtles at Rushikulya and Gahirmatha rookeries," he said. The tracking efforts have yielded significant results, with five tagged Odisha turtles being spotted in Sri Lanka in 2022 and two more along the Tamil Nadu coast in 2024. A new proposal to tag 100,000 turtles at Gahirmatha and Rushikulya between 2026 and 2031 is currently awaiting approval from the forest department. This year, Odisha witnessed record-breaking nesting numbers, with over 6 lakh turtles nesting at Gahirmatha marine sanctuary and nearly 9 lakh at Rushikulya beach in two phases.
Time of India
03-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Time of India
Film on centenarian teacher's life wins best docu award at Dada Saheb Phalke Film Festival
1 2 Kendrapada: A documentary on centenarian teacher Nanda Kishore Prusty , ' Nanda Mastraanka Chatasali ' (village school of Nanda sir), has won the best documentary award at the 15th Dada Saheb Phalke Film Festival . The 90-minute documentary, directed by Pranab Kumar Aich and produced by Abhaya Pati, was chosen for the award from 700 entries. The film portrays the life of Padma Shri awardee Prusty, who taught students for free in Jajpur district's Kantira village for over 70 years. "The film explores the human quest for salvation through service, focusing on Nanda sir's struggle to preserve one of India's last traditional open-air schools, known as chatasali," said Aich. The documentary blends real footage shot over two years with dramatised sequences using local non-actors to depict Prusty's early life. Prusty started teaching in 1946 and was honoured with the Padma Shri on Nov 9, 2021. He died on Dec 7 the same year at 103. The documentary has earned international recognition, premiering at the NETPAC section of the 29th Kolkata International Film Festival and was screened at the 16th Habitat Film Festival, Delhi. Its trailer and poster were also unveiled at the 77th Cannes Film Festival. Director Aich, who has received over 50 film festival awards, hopes for a theatrical release in Odisha and for the film to be declared tax-free.
New Indian Express
28-04-2025
- Business
- New Indian Express
Promote agri-products from Odisha in global market: Dy CM Singh Deo
BHUBANESWAR: Deputy chief minister KV Singh Deo exhorted exporters to explore array of products, including geographical indication (GI) products from the state for promotion in the global marketplace. Addressing a workshop-cum-capacity building programme to boost agri-products exports from Odisha at OUAT here, Singh Deo appreciated the active collaboration of Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA) with the state government to boost agricultural exports from the state. He highlighted the initiatives of the state government for increasing agricultural exports, particularly of organic products. APEDA chairman Abhishek Dev highlighted the export-oriented strategy for agricultural products with special emphasis on organic products. He emphasised on the untapped potential of the state in terms of agriculture exports, particularly in organic products, owing to huge diversity and quantum of output. The event exhibited over 10 stalls represented by farmer producer organisations (FPO) and farmer producer companies, women agripreneurs, government departments and exporters from the state. Several GI tagged and agri-products from the state such as Koraput kalajeera rice, Nayagad kanteimundi brinjal, Ganjam kewda flower products, Koraput coffee, Kandhamal haldi powder, Kendrapada rasabali, Salipur rasgolla and khajuri gur, Dhenkanal magaji ladoo and Mayurbhanj kai chutney were displayed at the stalls. More than 400 stakeholders including representatives of FPOs, FPCs, progressive farmers, government officials and OUAT participated in the programme.
