Latest news with #RevenueandDisasterManagementdepartment
New Indian Express
12 hours ago
- Politics
- New Indian Express
OHRC seeks report on ‘ban' on SCs from crematoriums in Odisha
BHUBANESWAR : The OHRC has asked the additional chief secretary in the Revenue and Disaster Management department and secretary of ST & SC Development department to submit reports on allegations of SC community people of Jagatsinghpur, Cuttack and Khurda being denied use of public crematoriums. A complaint was filed with the OHRC by state coordinator of Bahujan Student & Youth Front Anil Mallick who alleged that there has been systemic exclusion of SC people from accessing public crematoriums and they are forced to cremate the bodies in open fields which is a violation of Article 17 of the Constitution, and the SC and ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989. Citing an incident, he said in Jagatsinghpur district, a crematorium at Jaleswarpada village displays a casteist signboard 'Mohanty Sahi' and SCs are denied access. In 2018, the state government had prohibited the practice of displaying caste signboards at crematoriums. In Cuttack's Dhurusia, they have been threatened of social boycott if they use the community crematorium. The OHRC has sought the reports by August 26.
New Indian Express
23-05-2025
- Politics
- New Indian Express
Odisha Government to purchase land of SC/STs to protect them from exploitation
BHUBANESWAR : The state government has planned to purchase land from the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes communities to protect them from exploitation, informed Revenue minister Suresh Pujari on Thursday. Speaking to mediapersons, Pujari said while 20 per cent of the land sale by SCs and STs is for genuine reasons like weddings, medical treatments and education expenses of their children, the remaining is often triggered by pressure from influential persons, among other reasons. 'The government had conducted a survey in this regard through the district collectors to find out the pattern of land sale by the SCs and STs. Based on the survey, it has decided to step in to prevent such type of land sale by SCs and STs by purchasing it,' he added. The minister further informed that the government intervention will help these communities get the genuine prices for their land. Land owners can repurchase their land within three years if they want, he added. 'The state government has decided to set up a corpus fund in this regard. A committee headed by the additional chief secretary in the Revenue and Disaster Management department will be set up to suggest how to proceed with the proposal. The committee will hold discussions with the tribal groups, political parties, experts and people's representatives at the ground-level before finalising the report. The scheme will be formally announced basing on the report of the committee,' Pujari said. Meanwhile, the Opposition BJD and Congress have expressed doubts whether such an initiative will work. Opposition chief whip and BJD leader Pramila Mallik alleged, 'The government acquires land for projects. This is an attempt to mislead the people.' Congress MLA Ashok Das said the government does not seem to be serious about the matter. 'What was the need to announce it before finalising the scheme?' he questioned.
New Indian Express
20-05-2025
- Politics
- New Indian Express
Tribal backlash over move to rename Bengali villages in Odisha
MALKANGIRI: The state government's poll promise of renaming about 220 villages inhabited by Bengali settlers in Malkangiri has received a jolt with the Zilla Adivasi Samaj Mahasangha opposing the decision tooth and nail, forcing the district administration to put on hold ongoing g ram and p a l l i sabha meetings. The Revenue and Disaster Management department, recently in a letter, asked the district administration to conduct gram sabha in all the Bengali settlers' villages and send the resolution for approval to grant revenue village status. Subsequently, the collector asked all tehsildars who in turn directed the respective block development officers to conduct gram sabha and palli sabha in villages inhabited by Bengali settlers. Accordingly, gram sabha and palli sabha meetings were conducted in all such villages in Kalimela and Malkangiri blocks. But the meetings were disrupted midway due to stiff opposition from tribal PRI members and leaders over state government's decision to change the nomenclature of alpha numerical Bengali villages to their real names. At present, there are 220 such villages in the district of which 136 are Malkangiri villages (MV) and 84 Malkangiri Potteru villages (MPV). In Kalimela block alone, there are 41 Malkangiri villages followed by 55 Malkangiri Potteru villages. Contacted, ADM (Revenue) Bedabar Pradhan told this paper that process was started to conduct palli sabha and gram sabha. In some villages, the meetings were conducted but disrupted midway after which meetings have been put on hold.
New Indian Express
05-05-2025
- Business
- New Indian Express
Odisha to freeze administrative boundaries from July 1, 2025 for upcoming census
BHUBANESWAR: The state government on Sunday started the process for ensuing census by freezing the boundaries of the administrative units from July 1, 2025. According to a notification issued by the Revenue and Disaster Management department, the boundaries of all the administrative units like the district, sub-division, block, tehsil, village and urban local bodies will be frozen from July 1, 2025. Changes in the boundaries of the administrative units are allowed till June 30, 2025, the notification stated. Official sources said this freeze in the administrative boundaries will ensure that overlapping or conflicting data which could arise from mid-census changes can be avoided. This will ensure consistency during the census period as it requires stable boundaries of the administrative units. Besides, it will also ensure that data collected during the survey is accurate. The notification was issued in exercise of the powers conferred on the state government under clause (IV) of the rule 8 of the Census Rules 1990 which states that the boundaries will be frozen from a date specified that will not be earlier than one year. The freeze will remain till the completion of the census. The boundaries of the administrative units can be changed till June 30 to allow any necessary reorganisation for several reasons like population changes, governance needs or disaster management requirements. The notification modifies several earlier directives from 2020 to 2024 so that the administrative boundaries can be set taking into account the evolving needs of the administration as well as the people and the requirement of the census. Post-census, it will also lead to administrative efficiency because of accurate data collection and the government can make financial provisions as per the requirement of the people. The notification by the Revenue and Disaster Management department has come days after the Centre decided enumeration of different castes in the census.
