Odisha launches automated GPF service for govt employees

By Our Correspondent
Bhubaneswar, Oct. 6: Odisha has launched automated its General Provident Fund (GPF) service along with the Push SMS system for its government employees, thus becoming first state in the county to provide the beneficiaries latest updates on their accounts without any hassles.
According to officials, the automation service will benefit nearly two lakh state government employees whose GPF accounts are managed by the Accountant General (AG) of Odisha.
“The officials will now be able to check their GPF status online, just like they browse details of their bank accounts,” Jugal Kishore Mohapatra, state chief secretary, said while launching the GPF automation system with Push SMS here on Saturday.
 The software was planned by the AG Odisha with technical inputs from National Informatics Centre (NIC), NIC, Bhubaneswar.
The chief secretary said the new system was step forward in the mission to achieve paperless office and would help expedite GPF transactions and make the process accurate.
State Principal Accounts General Gargi Kaul said Odisha is the first State to have both the GPF e-statement and SMS push system.
“All the Drawing and Disbursing Officers (DDOs) must take up the e-scheduling on time so that e-statement and Push SMS can serve the subscribers of GPF.  Till now, the office of the AG of Odisha was issuing the GPF account statement to subscribers annually through the respective DDOs. The employees had to wait till the end of the year to know the exact GPF position,” Mr Kaul said.
Now, employees can instantly check their balance position and all that they have to do is log on to the official website of AG, Odisha http://www.agodisha.gov.in. Besides, they can also point out any omission or mistake to the AG office for quick settlement, she added.
The system has also provision for registration of mobile numbers of subscribers through which they can get their monthly updates through SMS. Any subscription or withdrawal made from the GPF account will send an SMS alert to the subscriber. To avail the system, the employees, however, will have to get themselves registered through their respective drawing disbursal officers (DDOs).
Finance secretary Upendra Nath Behera said Odisha was ahead in different areas of e-governance and this is another significant step towards transparent GPF management.
Deputy Director General of NIC, Bhubaneswar SK Panda and Technical Director RN Behera spoke about technical details of the system. NIC has previously developed software for other administrative departments.

Three fishermen killed was battery goes off

By Sudhir Ranjan DashParadip, Oct. 6: Three fishermen were killed and seven others injured when their trawler named Jaya Durga caught fire in the Bay of Bengal near Astarang in Puri district late on Saturday night.The accident, according to the survivors, took place at around 2 am due to battery explosion.“After midnight, our pilot noticed blazing fire in the rear part of the trawler. He woke me up and we tried to douse the fire. Seven of our colleagues sustained burn injuries. Three persons who were received critical burns succumbed to their injuries on board the vessel,” said Babu Ray, the co-pilot.Sources said after the vessel caught fire, the pilot alerted the trawler owner over phone. The owner then informed the India Coast Guard about the mishap.“We traced vessel after two hours of voyage and rescued the injured fishermen. There was not delay whatsoever in the operation. Night factor accounted for a little delay in locating the ill-fated trawler,” said S.K. Nath, a senior Indian Coast Guard officer.Of the seven injured, the condition of three persons are stated to be serious. They have been sent to SCB Medical College.

Youth involved in triple murder found hanging

By Akshaya Rout / www.indusvalleytimes.com

Jajpur (Jajpur), Dec. 8: A 28-year-old who allegedly hacked his mother, sister and brother to death on Tuesday night at Katikata under Mangalpur police limit in Jajpur district, was on Thursday found hanging from a tree near his village.

Soubhagya, an educated unemployed youth, was suffering from mental disorder for past couple of years. After hacking his family members to death on Tuesday night, he was absconding to avoid police arrest.

The villagers informed that the mentally deranged youth’s father had committed suicide three months ago.

On Tuesday night, Soubhagya’s mother Usharani, sister Madhusmita and brother Dipti Ranjan were asleep in a room when he attacked them with an axe. All the three died on the spot.

Jajpur superintendent of police Deepak Kumar said the exact cause of the murder was not yet known.

“The exact reason of murder is not yet known. We are investigating into the case. Neighbours say the accused often fought with his family members demanding money from them,” the SP said.

Advani sounds hard on Manmohan, mum on Naveen

By Debadas Pradhan/Sikha Sashirekha (source:www.indusvalleytimes.com)
Sambalpur (Orissa), Oct. 24: Senior BJP leader L.K. Advani on Monday questioned the prudence of the Prime Minister Manmohan Singh issuing direction that either finance minister Pranab Mukherjee or home minister P. Chidambaram should remain in Delhi to look after the day-to-day affairs of the Government in his absence.
“As per practice, the Prime Minister can appoint one or two deputy Prime Ministers to assist him. But there cannot be two Number-2 ministers. Until today, we knew that Pranab Mukherjee was the No. 2. But, as media reports suggest, the Manmohan Singh’s strange decision is aimed at demolishing the powers of the No. 2,” Mr Advani said while addressing a press conference here.
The BJP veteran said by nominating Mr Chidambaram as one of the No. 2 ministers, the PM wanted to thwart the probe into the 2G Spectrum scam in which the latter’s name figured.
Continuing his UPA bashing, Mr Advani said the Central government suffered problem the problem anarchy and chaos.
“Anarchy and chaos has plagued the UPA government. It is in a state of paralysis. It cannot take decisions on its won. In Telengana issue, it has sought two months time allowing the agitation to continue and young people committing suicide for the cause,” he observed.
Stating that the UPA government was continuously disregarding the federal structure of the country, the BJP veteran said the Central government has no right to discriminate a state government basing on the complex of the government.
Claiming that his current yatra had garnered bigger public response than his previous five yatras, Mr Advani said failure of the UPA government in governance and bring back black money stashed away in foreign banks were the reasons for the people’s massive support.
The BJP leader, as usual, appeared reticent on the ruling BJD in Orissa.
“I do not want to comment on any state government or chief minister. As regards Orissa, he (chief minister Naveen Patnaik) broke the ties with us without any information. However, I believe our state leaders are unsparing about the government here. I will not prevent them from doing so,” he observed.
Asked if there is possibility of the BJP enrolling the BJD into the NDA fold, Mr Advani said, “I’ m not ruling out anything. But, as I understand, the relationship between the two is very much tense here.”

Panic grips Orissa’s mining belt as Dengue claims 2 lives

By Debadas Pradhan

Bhubaneswar, Aug 7: A 36-year-old man died of dengue at a private hospital here on Saturday, taking the total death toll in the infectious tropical disease to two in the last 36 hours.

Brunesh Mohant, a 36-year-old youth from Talcher who was admitted to Ayush Hospitals & Trauma Care here in the city on Friday evening, breathed his last at 1.50 p.m. The first dengue death of this season was reported from the Talcher colliery area on Friday. Narahari Behera, who was admitted to Cuttack-based Sun Hospital, died after battling for life for six days.

According reports, nearly 50 people are suffering from the disease in different parts of the state.

Of the 42 samples examined at the Sriram Chandra Bhanja Medical College, Cuttack, 27 tested positive. Angul reported the highest 21 cases while three each were received from Sudergarh and Cuttack districts.

In a quick response, the state government deputed health teams to the affected pockets.

“The government has promptly responded to the situation. We have sent separate health teams to Angul, Cuttack and Sundergarh districts,” health minister Prasanna Acharya told reporters here

Most of the dengue cases were reported from Talcher colliery areas near Angul as stagnant water was a breeding ground for mosquitoes, the minister said.

He added that authorities in all districts and the state capital had been asked to take immediate preventive steps and mosquito control measures.

Source: www.indusvalleytimes.com

Brown sugar worth Rs 4 crore seized in pilgrim city Puri

By Debadas Pradhan/www.indusvalleytimes.com

Bhubaneswar, May 27: The Orissa excise department officials on Friday arrested two persons and seized four kilograms of brown sugars from them in pilgrim city Puri, nearly 65 km from here.

The price of the seized contraband in international market is estimated to be Rs 4 crore, the excise department officials claimed.

The arrested persons were identified as Shyama Das of Puri and Tarachand Haripal of Madhya Pradesh.

According to police, acting on a tip off, - a special team of excise department officials stopped an Indica car which was coming from Bhubaneswar at Atharanala, the entry point to Puri, and recovered the banned item hidden under the seats of the vehicle.

“We were keeping a close watch on the movement of the two drug-peddlers for the past few days. We were informed that they were coming to Puri today with a huge haul of brown sugar. They were caught-red-handed,” the excise department officials said.

In yet another incident in the same city, miscreants seriously injured inspector Puri Town police station B. N. Mohanty by attacking him with the butt of a country-made pistol.

“While on duty, the injured inspector Mr Mohanty saw two criminals wanted in a number of cases were moving around in the city. When He tried to stop them, they attacked him. Despite the murderous assault on him, the inspector overpowered one of the criminals while the other one managed to escape. A manhunt is on to nab him,” informed deputy inspector general of police Sanjay Kumar.

The police officer Mr Mohanty – who sustained serious cut injuries on the left part of his head - was immediately rushed to the district headquarters hospital. His condition is said to be stable and out of danger.

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Liquor shop downs shutter in face of public protest

By Alok Mohanty/www.indusvalleytimes.com
Cuttack: In a step forward towards combating anti-social activities, hundreds of agitating women from Jillinda, Regeda and Kamaladiha villaged under Narasinghpur tehsil in Cuttack district recently forced closure of two liquor shops in their area.
The shut down shops were opened two months ago allegedly without the prior consent of the Palli Sabhas.
Binapani Mahila Mahasangha and the Mukti, a philanthropic organisation, had resorted to strike and demonstrations for over a month seeking closure of the shops. Hundreds of local people, including women, had participated in the protest rally.
During the protest rally, the agitators assembled at Medical Ground at Jillinda where the resolved to make the area drug-free.
Jnana Ranjan Nayak, Sushant Mohanty, Muna Pradhan, Uttam Nayak and Jyotsnarani Sahoo, Anjalibala Pradhan and Anima Ray were among several leaders who spearheaded the campaign against the closure of the liquor shops.
Dr Biswajit, central co-ordinator of Rastriya Youth Organisation coordinated the programme.
“The protest against spread of liquor trade in area will continue and those who will stand in the way will face the consequences,” warned Sushant Mohanty, president of Mukti said.
-Alok Mohanty is student of Ravenshaw University, Cuttack, Orissa.

Orissa government should publish a whitepaper on the Industry : Janata Vikash Manch

By Our Correspondent/
www.indusvalleytimes.com

Bhubaneswar: Janata Vikash Manch, a leading forum of intellectuals on Thursday urged the Orissa government to come out with all the details on how many memorandum of understandings (MoUs) has been signed since 2000 and how many of them have materialized till date.
The forum also sought details on how many people will lose their land and livelihood and how many jobs will be created through these MoUs.
In an interaction with the media, office-bearers of the forum said the Saxena Committee and Meena Gupta Committee report on Posco project in Jagatsinghpur and Saxena Committee on Vedanta project at Niyamgiri and Orissa High Court order on Vedanta University land issue show that the ecological impact of these plants needs to be properly assessed by the independent authorities before giving clearances to any project.
While interacting with the media persons here recently, the JVM members Sai Prasan, Pritikant Panda, Devi Prasad Tripathy, P. Deepti Rani and Manoj Jena said that Orissa government may resolve the problems it is facing in projects like Posco and Vedanta.
“It should take the people of the area into confidence and democratically sort out the issues in a transparent manner. The rule of law should prevail. It may hold referendum too, if necessary, to seek a public opinion in the project affected areas like it has been done in the RIL’s SEZ project in Rayagada district of Maharashtra,” they demanded.
The JVM Team said that only paying the compensation to the people against their land and offering them jobs may not be enough. Apart from this, the state government should explore other options too. The valuation of the land can be done. And, the value of the cost of the land can be converted into an equity which can also make the land owners shareholders / stakeholders in the project. A Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) can be created for this purpose.
The political leadership both at the Union and Odisha government/s should rise above the party lines and work together to resolve all the issues concerning these projects in interest of the people of the state. They should follow the rule of law and work in a democratic and transparent manner in the interest of the state, they said.
The industrial scenario of the state in the last one decade clearly shows that few people have got jobs and more people have lost their livelihood. Hence, the development of the agriculture sector is necessary for the development of the 85% of the population living in rural Orissa. However, the continuous suicides of the poor farmers show the health of the agriculture sector is also not good.
The Farmers Commission has submitted its interim report. The Commission needs to address several important issues in its final report to be submitted in February or March next year. The farmers are mainly committing suicides recently two in due to the higher interest rates, weak irrigation facility and absence of the land pattas. Absence of pattas deprives the farmers of availing the benefit offered by the governmental agencies.

Orissa MLA throws pen-stand at Speaker’s podium, regrets

By Ratikant Mohanty
Bhubaneswar, Dec. 20: The Orissa Legislative Assembly, which is most often in news for wrong reasons, on Monday witnessed yet another unpleasant scene as Congress members – irked by “insulting” remarks by the state industry minister Raghuanth Mohanty trooped into the well of the House and one of them threw a pen-stand the Speaker’s podium.
Fortunately, the pen-stand did not hit the Speaker. It flew away a few yards right of the Speaker Pradip Kumar Amat and fell behind his chair after hitting the wall.
The noisy scene took place during the question hour when industry minister Raghunath Mohanty, during his reply to a query, observed that the Opposition Congress members were involved in tender fixing activity in water resources department.
Enraged at the minister’s statement, the Congress members rushed to well of the House and urged the Speaker to direct the minister to “withdraw” his remark.
As the Speaker did not pass on the any ruling on the Opposition’s demand, Congress members Santosh Singh Saluja threw a pen stand at the Speaker’s podium.
Seeing that the situation was turning violent, the Speaker adjourned the House for 15 minutes from 11.14 a.m. to 11.29 a.m.
After the House reassembled, Congress member Mr Saluja expressed regret for his act. The minister Mr Mohanty sounded apologetic and said he did not want to hurt the sentiment of the Opposition.
Chief minister Naveen Patnaik condemned the behavior of Congress member Mr Saluja as “unfortunate” and said the Speaker would take appropriate action against the legislator.
“This is most unfortunate that a violent incident took place in the Orissa Legislative Assembly today. I hope the Speaker would take appropriate action against the member (Santosh Singh Saluja),” said Mr Patnaik.

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