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Time of India
11 hours ago
- Politics
- Time of India
SC panel seeks chief secy response on green zone norms ‘flout' in Satkosia
1 2 3 Bhubaneswar: The central empowered committee (CEC) of the Supreme Court has sought a response from Odisha chief secretary Manoj Ahuja regarding alleged violations of the eco-sensitive zone (ESZ) in the draft proposal of the wildlife wing to carry out tourism activities in Satkosia Tiger Reserve. Satkosia Abhayaranya and Praja Surakshya Samiti (SAPSS), which filed the petition in SC, stated that Satkosia is a Ramsar Convention site and the forest department is attempting to modify the 2011 ESZ norms to allow the tourism department to undertake massive projects in the reserve. In the new draft proposal, the ESZ has been reduced to almost zero in the Baliput and Badmul areas, enabling the tourism department to proceed with construction, it claimed. The petition cited a 2022 SC judgment stating that if tourism inside a tiger reserve is to be promoted, it must be eco-tourism. While seeking response from Ahuja, CEC chairman Siddhant Das on May 16 wrote, "I am forwarding herewith a soft copy of the complaint on May 9 from Satkosia Abhayaranya and Praja Surakshya Samiti on the subject mentioned above. It is requested that the detailed response/comments of the state of Odisha may please be sent to the CEC at the earliest." "Satkosia authorities have plans to dilute the borders of the reserve to favour the tourism department. Promoting commercial tourism in the core area goes against the spirit and concept of eco-tourism, which is developed in buffer areas. Without approval from the State Board for Wildlife and National Board for Wildlife, Satkosia authorities have allowed construction by Odisha Bridge and Construction Corporation Ltd. The department also plans to reconstruct the Gharial Research and Conservation Unit (Gracu) at Tikarpada," said Naba Kishor Bisoyi, president of the samiti, quoting the petition he sent to the Chief Justice of India. Bisoyi also drew the attention of National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA), additional director general (wildlife), ministry of environment, forests and climate change, and deputy director general of forests, regional office. "The 2011 norms allows for a 10-km ESZ from the Satkosia boundary. We filed the draft proposal to demarcate the ESZ afresh, which was done in consultation with people," said Saroj Panda, divisional forest officer, Satkosia. Prasanna Behera, a local wildlife activist, said the way the draft plan has been drawn, the reserve will be almost devoid of the ESZ in its core area close to the Mahanadi gorge. "It is appalling that the wildlife wing was so lenient in redrawing the ESZ to suit tourism needs. Apart from compromising tiger conservation, it will severely affect the conservation of crocodiles and gharials," Behera said.
New Indian Express
2 days ago
- Politics
- New Indian Express
Odisha clears AI policy to bolster good governance; approves Rs 171 crore Joranda project
BHUBANESWAR: The state cabinet on Wednesday approved the Odisha Artificial Intelligence (AI) Policy-2025 to improve governance, stimulate innovation, enhance data-driven decision-making and enable inclusive socioeconomic development. The highlight of the policy approved at the cabinet meeting presided over by Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi is creation of a dedicated AI Mission which will serve as the highest institutional mechanism to implement AI initiatives across departments, coordinate pilot projects and provide support to public agencies, startups and academic institutions. The Mission will have a two-tier governance structure comprising a taskforce and a cell to drive cross-sectoral AI adoption and facilitate pilot projects, chief secretary Manoj Ahuja told mediapersons. The chief secretary said the Mission will also identify high impact AI use cases across critical sectors such as healthcare, agriculture, education, climate change, disaster management and governance. The Mission has been mandated to work for AI-assisted disease prediction and screening, smart irrigation and crop diagnostics, multilingual AI tools for personalised education, predictive disaster response system and intelligent citizen engagement platforms. The chief secretary said in line with global standards, the policy places emphasis on ethical and responsible deployment of AI. Besides, the policy proposes robust data governance frameworks and institutional mechanisms to prevent misuse, bias and harm. It also commits to align Odisha's AI development with national and international best practices, he said.
Hindustan Times
2 days ago
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
Odisha raises upper age limit to 42 years for entry to govt jobs
The Odisha cabinet on Wednesday raised the upper age limit for entry into government services in the state to 42 years from the existing 32 years. Chief secretary Manoj Ahuja said the upper age limit for entry into government services in the state governed under the Odisha Civil Service (Fixation of Upper Age Limit) Rules-1989 has been raised from 32 to 42 years. 'As per the existing rules, the upper age limit for entry into government jobs is 32 years. The state government had received several representations from various quarters to raise the upper age limit to enable the overaged aspirants to participate in the recruitment process,' said Ahuja. Also Read: Chandigarh: Now, retired teachers at Panjab University can serve as guest faculty 65 The upper age limit will be relaxed further for candidates of Scheduled Castes (SC), Scheduled Tribes (ST), Socially and Economically Backward Classes (SEBC), women, ex-servicemen and people with disabilities (PwD), said the chief secretary. However, the enhancement in the upper age limit will not be applicable for jobs, where a higher upper age limit has already been prescribed by the government. The enhancement in the upper age limit will not be applicable for uniformed services including police, fire services, forest and excise services. Officials said raising the upper age limit to 42 years will provide an opportunity for older aspirants who missed earlier recruitment cycles due to delays. Many candidates, particularly those who crossed the previous age threshold of 32 or 38, will regain eligibility to compete for government jobs. They also pointed out Uttarakhand, Andhra Pradesh, and Haryana have similar upper age limits. Goa has the highest upper age limit for general candidates at 45 years, followed by Telangana and Assam, both at 44 years.
Time of India
2 days ago
- Politics
- Time of India
Cabinet raises upper age limit for govt jobs to 42 years
1 2 Bhubaneswar: The state cabinet meeting, chaired by chief minister Mohan Charan Majhi, on Wednesday approved raising the upper age limit for govt service entry from 32 to 42 years. The decision brings relief to thousands of job aspirants across the state. To implement the decision, an amendment will be made to the Odisha Civil Service (Fixation of Upper Age Limit) Rules, 1989, following numerous representations from various quarters requesting age relaxation for govt jobs. However, the new age limit will not apply to positions where a higher age cap is already in place or to uniform services such as police, fire services, forest and excise departments where physical efficiency tests are mandatory. "This decision aims to provide greater opportunities to overage candidates to participate in upcoming recruitment examinations," chief secretary Manoj Ahuja said. The govt arrived at this decision after careful consideration of public demand and current employment scenarios. Additional age relaxation will continue to be available for reserved categories, including ST/SC/SEBC, women, ex-servicemen, and persons with disabilities (PwDs), as per existing govt guidelines. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Trade Bitcoin & Ethereum – No Wallet Needed! IC Markets Start Now Undo The move is expected to benefit thousands of job seekers who were previously ineligible due to age restrictions, especially those who crossed the earlier limit of 32 years while preparing for competitive examinations. The amendment marks one of the most significant changes in the state's recruitment policy in recent years, potentially opening doors for experienced professionals to join govt service. The cabinet also approved a major development project for the historic Mahima Gadi and the construction of a new Bhavya Sunya Mandapa at Joranda in Dhenkanal district, fulfilling a long-standing demand of locals. The cabinet accepted the final negotiated offer of Rs 171.11 crore from a bidder. The project, initially estimated to cost Rs 240.01 crore, is scheduled for completion within 36 months. The comprehensive development plan aims to enhance the religious site's infrastructure and boost tourism in the region. "The project will significantly contribute to the area's economic growth by attracting more visitors to the sacred Mahima Gadi," said a senior govt official. The cabinet also gave its approval for a crucial concession agreement between the state govt and JSW Utkal Steel Ltd for developing a captive jetty at Jatadhar Muhan. The project, which received initial nod from the High Level Clearance Authority in 2017, involves the construction of an all-weather multi-cargo, greenfield captive jetty in Jagatsinghpur district's Ersama tehsil. The facility will support JSW's upcoming integrated steel plant and captive power plant in the region. "This development aligns perfectly with our Odisha Port Policy 2022, promoting port-led industrial growth through enhanced infrastructure," a govt statement said.
Time of India
3 days ago
- Business
- Time of India
State cabinet approves policy for implementing AI across different sectors
Bhubaneswar: The state cabinet on Wednesday approved a comprehensive Artificial Intelligence (AI) Policy-2025, establishing the state as one of the pioneers in AI-driven governance and innovation in India. The landmark policy introduces the 'Odisha AI Mission' as its cornerstone initiative. Briefing media persons after the cabinet meeting, chief secretary Manoj Ahuja said efforts will be made to create infrastructure needed for promoting AI, besides skilling manpower. "Improvement of administration using AI and promoting AI startups will be among the govt's initiatives under the new policy," he said. The policy framework rests on four key pillars — AI infrastructure, skills development, energy sustainability, and regulatory mechanisms. It aims to accelerate the state's digital transformation while promoting responsible AI adoption across sectors. "The Odisha AI Mission will serve as the apex body for implementing AI initiatives across departments," said a statement issued by the electronics and IT department. The mission will operate through a two-tiered structure, comprising a high-level AI taskforce and an AI cell at the Odisha Computer Application Centre (OCAC). The policy identifies several priority sectors for AI implementation, including healthcare (AI-assisted disease prediction and screening), agriculture (smart irrigation and crop diagnostics), education (multilingual AI tools for personalised learning), disaster management (predictive response systems), and governance (intelligent citizen engagement platforms). Emphasising ethical AI deployment, the policy establishes robust data governance frameworks to prevent misuse and bias. It aligns with national and international standards for secure AI implementation. "This policy positions Odisha as a potential hub for AI-led public innovation and startups," a govt officer said, adding that it complements the objectives of the India AI Mission. State govt expects the policy to catalyse growth in the AI ecosystem, attracting investments and fostering industry-academia collaboration while promoting sustainable and inclusive technological development.
