Heritage Walk at Balangir on Tourism Day 28 SEPTEMBER 2011 BALANGIR | PNSHITS: 3

Heritage Walk at Balangir on Tourism Day
28 SEPTEMBER 2011 BALANGIR | PNS HITS: 3
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District Collector SN Dey flagged off a Heritage Walk on Tuesday from the PR High School to the PWD bungalow here to create awareness about the rich heritage of the country and the State. Principal of State Institute of Hotel Management, Balangir, Chandrakant Mahapatra administered the pledge to all participants to be the “goodwill ambassador of the country and adhere to the highest code of conduct and not to do anything to tarnish the image of the country.” Later, the members of State Institute of Hotel Management, tourist officers, academicians, mediapersns and historians visited the Dhabaleshawr Temple at Belkhandi, 60 km from here, in Kalahandi district. The temple is located on the confluence of the rivers Tel and Utoiee. Principal of Government Women’s College, Bhawanipatna, and Reader in History Siba Prasad Nanda explained the historical backgrounds and significance of this temple and the area .He suggested more excavations in this area to ascertain the exact conditions prevailing in ancient times.
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Cash for kerosene scheme in Balangir in the offing WEDNESDAY, 28 SEPTEMBER 2011 01:30 PNS | BHUBANESWAR HITS: 33

Cash for kerosene scheme in Balangir in the offing
WEDNESDAY, 28 SEPTEMBER 2011 01:30 PNS | BHUBANESWAR HITS: 33
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PDS (public distribution system) consumers in Balangir district will get cash subsidy for kerosene. The State Government has decided to take Balangir as the pilot district for implementation of Cash Subsidy for kerosene, a national project according with a recent decision taken at a meeting of State Food and Civil Supplies Secretaries in Delhi.

Taking the cue, Commissioner-cum-Secretary Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Welfare Madhu Sudan Padhi has taken the lead in making arrangements to implement the programme in the State.

Accordingly, the State Government has requested the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas for funding of the pilot project in Balangir. The State Government’s letter to the Centre mentioned that an estimated amount of `2 crore would be required for developing a system for ensuing direct transfer of cash to the bank and post office accounts of the beneficiaries under the pilot project in the district.

At present, the district has a population of 16,58,574 as per the Provisional Census Report and 3,67,776 ration card holders under the BPL, AAY and APL categories.

The process will involve digitisation of the existing ration cards on the database of the National Population Register (NPR) as has been compiled by the State’s Director of Census Operation, reduplication, issue of bar-coded ration cards, training of entrepreneurs having set up common service centres (CSC) at the GP level.

This apart, printing and distribution of ration cards, developing application software for printing bar-coded coupons of the GP-level CSC, IEC activity, creating awareness and others were also parts of the system to be placed before implementation of the project.

Besides, the State Government has also decided to request the Centre in the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas to sanction `3 per month for printing of bar-coded coupons for each beneficiary family which would be used for transaction of kerosene at the FPS level and later read into the system as proof of sale for subsequent transfer of subsidy to the account of the beneficiary.

“The pilot project will require about three to four months for its implementation,” said a senior official, adding that the aim of introducing the system is to check black-marketing of kerosene and ensure that the needy people get the benefit.

Probe illegal appointments in ordnance factory’ MONDAY, 26 SEPTEMBER 2011 21:38 PNS | BALANGIR HITS: 1

‘Probe illegal appointments in ordnance factory’
MONDAY, 26 SEPTEMBER 2011 21:38 PNS | BALANGIR HITS: 1
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Members of the Balangir District Educated Unemployed Forum, led by Santanu Nayak, on Monday, staged a dharna before the Collectorate here demanding an inquiry into the irregularities in the appointment of DBW workers in the ordnance factory at Badmal.

According to their petition, several candidates got appointment in the Defence factory as DBW workers on the basis of fake residential certificates. The matter came to the limelight during the tenure of the then Balangie Collector, Vijay Arora.

After the issue came out in the media, the High Court ordered a joint verification of fake residential certificate holders, who were recruited as DBW workers, said the agitators.

According to them, the present Collector SN Dey had directed the Sub-Collector of Titilagarh and General Manager of the Ordnance factory for a joint verification of the illegal residential certificates. But the inquiry report has been suppressed. “We demand publication of this report and a CBI inquiry against those who have got appointment on the basis of fake residential certificates,” demanded the unemployed youth.

“We are going to submit the report shortly,” informed the Sub-Collector of Titilagarh, Biswanath Sahu, over phone to this correspondent.
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Balangir girl rescued from brick kiln in Bangalore FRIDAY, 23 SEPTEMBER 2011 23:22 SUDHIR MISHRA | BALANGIR HITS: 6 User Rating: / 0

Balangir girl rescued from brick kiln in Bangalore
FRIDAY, 23 SEPTEMBER 2011 23:22 SUDHIR MISHRA | BALANGIR HITS: 6
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A minor girl, Kuni, of Phulki Munda village in Balangir district was left behind by her parents in a Karnataka brick kiln in June, 2011 was rescued by Bangalore police on Thursday.

DSP (Rural), Bangalore Kumarswamy said the girl along with her parents had been brought by a middleman here. Her parent fled from the brick kiln on the pretext of going to market to purchase essential items. And they did not return. But the minor girl was left behind.

A freelance journalist Premanada Mishra brought the incident to the limelight by posting it to different sources and in the internet.

The incident was also published in The Pioneer on July 23, 2011.Following publication of this news the NHRC took suo motto cognisance of the incident and directed the Karnataka police to trace out the girl, informed Mishra

“I got a call from Bangalore police on Thursday evening who informed me that NHRC has taken suo motto cognisance of this incident and instructed them to trace the and asked me for more details, informed Mishra further.

“After getting the order from NHRC to trace the girl we launched a search and could locate the girl in village Suli ,near Hospate, Bangalore .The girl was found to be staying with other Odia labourers children there, informed DSP Kumarswamy to this correspondent over phone.

“We have contacted and informed about the incident to Balangir Superintendent of police.” The girl would be sent with ASI and constable to his native village within a day and they are expected to arrive in Balangir by next day evening or one day late,” he informed.

“The girl has been rescued and the process of handing over the girl to his parents is on. She is expected to arrive here within two days, informed the SP.

Balangir farmers protest inadequate fertiliser supply

Balangir farmers protest inadequate fertiliser supply
THURSDAY, 22 SEPTEMBER 2011 22:00 PNS | BALANGIR HITS: 2
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The farmers here once again gheraoed the Collectorate on Thursday reiterating the same demand. They contended that a farmer is given only one packet of Urea which is not enough and the dealer is unable to provide the fertiliser to all farmers.

Led by Zilla Kurshak Mahasangha president Sudhir Parischha, the farmers held a rally in the town and gheraoed the district collector’s office.

After prolonged discussion in the presence of police, media and Agriculture Department officials, the district collector assured the farmers to supply 100 tonnes, which would be distributed among the farmers.

District collector SN Dey directed enquiry into allegations about black-marketing of Urea and fake fertiliser license holders.

Later speaking to mediapersons, Dey said, “We have a stock of 110 tonne of urea fertiliser in the district. We have decided to supply 100 tonne through different dealers.”

Another rake of fertiliser is expected to arrive in the district very shortly, informed Deputy Director of Agriculture (DDA) Manoranjan Mallick.
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Balangir robbery solved, four held WEDNESDAY, 21 SEPTEMBER 2011 22:08

Balangir robbery solved, four held
WEDNESDAY, 21 SEPTEMBER 2011 22:08 PNS | BALANGIR HITS: 0
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The police have claimed to solve the daylight robbery case that occurred almost a month ago in the heart of the town by arresting four youths from village Risida in Kalhandi district on Tuesday.

The four accused have been identified as Biswadeepak Patra, Ranjan Naik,Giridhari Behera, and Kailash Kumra. These four miscreants came on two motorcycles and while two entered house of Sunil Behera of Rugudipada on August 19 at 11.30 am wearing helmets and the other two waited outside. Barging inside they terrorised the wife of the house owner and administered her an injection and decamped with gold ornaments, some cash. Solving the robbery had become a challenge for the police.

Under the direction of SP Abinash Kumar, a police team consisting ASI Sarojini Samad, inspector in-charge Bimalendu Satpathy, SDPO Mahendra Kumar Patel and Seshdev Barik conducted a raid and nabbed them from Rishida on Tuesday. Police took the help of mobile tracking technology to nab them, ASP Srikant Mishra told the media on Wednesday. These youth do not have any previous criminal record in Balangir district, ASP said.

Balangir farmers block roads, demand supply of urea WEDNESDAY, 21 SEPTEMBER 2011 22:13

Balangir farmers block roads, demand supply of urea
WEDNESDAY, 21 SEPTEMBER 2011 22:13 PNS | BALANGIR HITS: 0
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Notwithstanding the crop loss this year in Balangir district due to irregular rainfall, irate farmers, mostly of Puintala block, on Wednesday held Rastaroko before the Collectorate protesting against the shortage of urea fertiliser and its black-marketing.

A few days ago, the Balangir police had raided some godowns and arrested a Markfed official for blac- marketing of fertiliser.

“We demand that the Government provide fertiliser without further delay,” said an agitating farmer, Brundaban Naik. “The district administration is callous. We came to the local shop for fertliser, but we were told to go to Sudpara, where too we did not get it. So, we came here with our demand for supply of urea,” said another farmer, Lal Behari Kheti. “We suffered loss due to drought. Whatever crop we have, we want to save it, for which fertiliser is needed,” he added.

In Balangir district, paddy cultivation is undertaken by two methods: broadcasting and transplanting. While a majority of lands was covered by the broadcasting method, the transplanting method was targeted to be taken up in 76,000 hectares. But due to the scanty rainfall the transplanting operation could not be undertaken. It was hardly taken up in about 15,000 hectares of land in the beginning.

After the rains in August and September, farmers have taken up transplanting operation. And mostly these farmers expecting a good yield are in need of urea, explained a Government official.

It was planned that 39,760 metric tonnes (MT) of fertilisers, including 19,000 MT of urea, would be supplied during this year’s kharif crop for the district. But about 15,000 MT of urea has been supplied so far. The farmers who have carried out transplanting of paddy late need urea for the top dressing operation, said an agriculture official.

But the clamour for urea seems to be a misplaced one as the old paddy seedlings planted in the second week of September may not give a good yield and the effort may go in vain, said an official under condition of anonymity.
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