Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman today presented the Union Budget 2024-25, making history with her seventh consecutive Budget speech. She becomes the first finance minister to achieve this milestone, surpassing the previous record held by former Prime Minister Morarji Desai, who presented six consecutive budgets from 1959 to 1964. Major Announcements: Tax Reforms: Sitharaman announced increased…
The recent decision by the newly-formed BJP government in Odisha to rename the Biju Patnaik Sports Award to the Odisha Rajya Krida Samman has sparked considerable debate. Instituted in 2001-2002, the Biju Patnaik Sports Award honored the legacy of the former Chief Minister Biju Patnaik, who made significant contributions to the state’s overall growth and…
Tourism and travel stakeholders in Odisha have called for a comprehensive revision of the Odisha Tourism Policy, which was introduced by the previous BJD government in 2022. They claim that the current policy has failed to develop tourism or attract foreign visitors to the state. In the 2022-23 period, Odisha ranked last among Indian states…
The Odisha government appointed Senior Advocate Pitambar Acharya as the new Advocate General of Odisha. An official notification from the Law Department stated, “In pursuance of Clause (1) of the Article 165 of the Constitution of India, the Governor of Odisha is pleased to appoint Pitambar Acharya, Senior Advocate, High Court of Orissa, to be…
India has set ambitious targets to achieve a 45% reduction in emission intensity by 2030 and to attain energy independence by 2047, ultimately aiming for net-zero emissions by 2070. Central to this vision is the wider adoption of electric vehicles (EVs), the manufacturing of indigenous energy storage systems, and the generation of renewable energy…
In a significant administrative reshuffle, the Odisha government has transferred Ravi Kant, the Resident Commissioner of Odisha Bhawan in New Delhi, to the role of Officer on Special Duty in the Home Department. The official notification regarding this change was released on Monday. Ravi Kant is an 1998 batch IPS. In addition, Vishal Gagan, who…
India’s export sector has shown significant growth in June 2024, with total exports, including merchandise and services, estimated to grow by 5.40% compared to June 2023. The cumulative overall exports for the period April-June 2024 are projected to grow by 8.60%. Merchandise exports have seen a positive increase of 2.55%, amounting to USD 35.20 billion…
Jindal Steel and Power (JSP) has announced plans to build the world’s largest steel plant in Angul, Odisha, by 2030. Chairman Naveen Jindal shared this ambitious vision during a meeting with Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi on Tuesday. JSP is currently working on expanding its Angul steel-making facility, aiming to double its capacity from 6…
Tata Power’s power distribution companies (discoms) have invested ₹4,245 crore over the past 3-4 years to expand and upgrade power infrastructure in Odisha, the company announced on Friday, July 12. This substantial investment has significantly improved the state’s power distribution network. In 2022, the company had announced to invest Rs 6000 crore in Odisha in…
Union Minister Dr. Jitendra Singh held a high-level meeting with Norwegian Ambassador to India, Ms. May-Elin Stener, to review and enhance the Indo-Norway collaboration on the Blue Economy. The discussions centered around reinforcing the Joint Task Force (JTF) on Blue Economy, co-chaired by the Secretary of the Ministry of Earth Sciences, Government of India. Dr….
