Half of State’s blocks lack even 35% irrigation level SATURDAY, 25 AUGUST 2012 00:09 PNS.|.BHUBANESWAR HITS: 12

Bhubaneswar  Half of State’s blocks lack even 35% irrigation level

Half of State’s blocks lack even 35% irrigation level

SATURDAY, 25 AUGUST 2012 00:09

PNS.|.BHUBANESWAR

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State Agriculture Secretary Rangalal Jamuda disclosed in the 51st Foundation Day ceremony of the Odisha University of Agriculture and Technology (OUAT) here on Friday that in half of the 314 blocks of the State irrigation facilities do not reach the level of 35 per cent.

In these areas, groundwater would be used for irrigation. There are plans to promote the bore-wells with attractive schemes for all sections of farmers, he informed. He also dwelt on issues to enhance agricultural productivity that included soil health, seed replacement and farm mechanisation.

Chief guest Agriculture Minister Debi Prasad Mishra informed that the State is setting up a Freshwater Breedstock Bank which would help meet its own demand for freshwater fish in the next few years. Some of the 10 Agro Polytechnics to impart skill to farmers are already operational and the others would be operational this year itself, he added.

Fisheries and Animal Resource Development Secretary Satyabrat Sahu pointed out that the State’s fish productivity is less than half of Andhra Pradesh. Use of proper amount of feed for the fish, cattle and poultry reared by farmers can help the State achieve significant productivity enhancement. Sahu disclosed that the State is to be included in the the National Dairy Plan soon.

OUAT Vice-Chancellor Prof DP Ray pointed out that the graduates of the university have no dearth of jobs and the enrolment capacity in Bhubaneswar has been doubled from 96 to 192 students to meet the increased demand. He urged the State Government to source breeder seeds from the OUAT to the extent possible before looking it from sources outside the State.

DGP moves with team to review anti-Maoist operations in Nuapada SATURDAY, 25 AUGUST 2012 00:19 PNS.|.NUAPADA HITS: 37

Bhubaneswar  DGP moves with team to review anti-Maoist operations in Nuapada

DGP moves with team to review anti-Maoist operations in Nuapada

SATURDAY, 25 AUGUST 2012 00:19

PNS.|.NUAPADA

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For the first time, a Director General of Police of the State is moving along with his team to the far-flung Maoist-infested zones.

On Thursday, Prakash Mishra airlifted at least nine top cops to Nuapada, where other six IPS officers joined them in a mind-blowing session on anti-Maoist operations. So, as many as 15 IPS officers landed in the hotbed of Red rebels which provides corridor to a tri-junction for Balangir, Kalahandi and Bargarh districts.

The mountain ranges of Gandhamardan cover an area of over 18,000 hectares of forests which is providing shelter to the Leftwing Extremists. The ultras are moving from Gandhamardan to Balangir, Bargarh, Nuapada and Kalahandi, and these operatives are mostly from Chhattisgarh with local rebels being few, said a police source.

The DGO landed here in the company of Director of Intelligence Abhya, IG of Operations Arun Sarangi, IG of Modernisation Debasis Panigrahi, IG of Personnel Sanjeeb Panda, CRPF IG SN Sabat, Odisha Police Housing Corporation CMD Satyajit Mohanty, DIG of Operations Saumendra Priyadarshi and SIW DIG Dhirendra S Kutey.

DIG Northern Range Sanjay Kumar, DIG South West Range S Dev Datta Singh, Nuapada SP Umashankar Dash, Balangir SP R Prakash, Bargarh SP Anoop Krishna and Kalahandi SP K Safeen Ahmed attended the meeting.

Earlier, DGP.Mishra had gone to Malkangiri to oversee the operations which led to a successful attack on the Maoists resulting in the killing of one of their area commanders.

The morale of the police seems to be high and the SPs are upbeat over the approach of the new DGP.

Now, Nuapada has turned out to be the most important corridor for the Maoists as more numbers of the ultras are entering Odisha from the neighbouring Chhattisgarh with their total number estimated at more than 60 in Nuapada alone, said the sources. They have turned the Sunabeda jungles into the operation zone of the Nuapada Division of the CPI(Maoist).

While CRPF jawans are in place in Nuapada, action-oriented operations are yet to take place as the earlier regime was disinterested for any such tough action, revealed a senior cop. Now, CRPF DG K Vijaya Kumar, after visiting the State, has talked to the jawans at length and it has provided them a lot of enthusiasm, said the sources.

Banking activities hit hard in Balangir as strike takes effect

Bhubaneswar  Banking activities hit hard in Balangir as strike takes effect

Banking activities hit hard in Balangir as strike takes effect

THURSDAY, 23 AUGUST 2012 01:07

PIONEER NEWS SERVICE.|.BALANGIR

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Banking activities came to a grinding halt here on Wednesday, the first day of a two-day all-India strike called given by the United Forum of Bank Unions opposing the unilateral implementation of the Khandelwal Committee recommendations, outsourcing of bank operations, closure of rural banks, issuing of arbitrary guidelines on HR issues and other issues.

Employees of the State Bank of India led by their union’s assistant general secretary Ashok Mishra staged a dharna before the SBI Main Branch here.

Mishra said, “We are on strike for two days as earlier talks between the Chief Labour Commissioner and the Indian Bank Association failed to sort out our demands.”

He said that unilateral implementation of the Khandelwal Committee recommendations would bring a lot of adverse changes in the banking sector, affect promotion of employees and herald further privatidation of banks.

In Balangir, all other nationalised banks closed their units supporting the strike. Even private banks also closed their offices, said Mishra.

The strike caught many people off guard and customers faced difficulties. “I had come to a bank to open my account today as I had earlier been told to come. I had no information on the strike,” rued Praveen Thakur, a customer.

Gram Sabha proceedings to be video recorded WEDNESDAY, 22 AUGUST 2012 01:32 PNS.|.BHUBANESWAR

 Bhubaneswar  Gram Sabha proceedings to be video recorded

Gram Sabha proceedings to be video recorded

WEDNESDAY, 22 AUGUST 2012 01:32

PNS.|.BHUBANESWAR

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The State Government has decided to make video recording for each Gram Sabha and Palli Sabha meeting as mandatory, informed Panchayati Raj Minister Kalpataru Das.

Das said that the State Government has decided to record the proceeding of the meetings of each Gram Sabha and Palli Sabha in video mode. The purpose of video recording is to ensure transparency and strengthen the Gram Sabhas, particularly in the tribal areas, he informed.

“We are trying to launch the process of video recording most likely on October 2 on the occasion of Gandhi Jayanti. In the process, video clippings or CDs would be transferred to the department and to the districts. The CDs will be made available to people through Right to Information,” he clarified.

Regarding installation of toll-free helpline, the Minister said that the Government has decided to operationalise this mechanism for redressal of public grievances. Persons affected with various administrative works at the panchayat, block and district levels can lodge complaints or make suggestions through toll-free helpline. The district or departmental officers would attend the grievances and address them in a stipulated time frame, he added.

‘OPEN MAHILA POLICE STATION IN BALANGIR’ MONDAY, 20 AUGUST 2012 00:03 SUDHIR MISHRA N BALANGIR HITS: 0

‘Open Mahila police station in Balangir’

‘Open Mahila police station in Balangir’

MONDAY, 20 AUGUST 2012 00:03

SUDHIR MISHRA N BALANGIR

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Even though the Supreme Court has given a judgment and directed all the Government departments to form a five-member committee to prevent sexual exploitation of working women in Government offices, no such committee has been formed in Balangir district.

This was observed by Joint Registrar (Law) and Focal Point Human Rights Defender, NHRC, New Delhi AK Parashar while speaking at the Mahila Adhikar Siksha Sibir organised jointly by the Human Rights Front and the Odisha State Commission for Women here on Saturday.

Parashar said that in that committee there would be five members of whom three would be women. Besides, there would be members from social service sectors along with their phone numbers. After formation of the committee, it has to be notified in each office so that if a working woman wants to lodge any complaint she would contact them too and lodge her complaint in case any sexual harassment.

Even though Mahila police stations have been opened all over the country, Balangir district has not a single Mahila police station so far and it should be opened as early as possible, said Parashar.

Among others, Balangir SP R Praksh, Chairperson of State Commission for Women Jyoti Panigrahi, Manoj Jena and Sakuntala Bhoi spoke on various provisions of IPC, steps to be taken in cases of violation of women’s rights, various provisions to redress grievances of women, steps by the Women’s Commission and the NHRC and legal provisions against domestic violence.

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State Govt plans to provide police power to forest officials

 Bhubaneswar  State Govt plans to provide police power to forest officials

State Govt plans to provide police power to forest officials

SATURDAY, 18 AUGUST 2012 00:28

PNS | BHUBANESWAR

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The State Government has proposed to provide police power to forest officers engaged in forest protection, said Forest and Environment Minister Bijoyshree Routray here on Friday.

After inaugurating the two-day Divisional Forest Offiers' Conference, Routray said the Forest Department would take up the issue with the Home Department to provide police power to forest officers under legal provisions to face exigencies.

The department authorities have been asked to prepare a draft proposal to amend the CrPC in line with Assam to be put up before the Chief Minister for necessary steps.

Stating that forest protection has been one of the major issues, Routray said the field officers are working in the most adverse conditions inside inhospitable and inaccessible areas at the risk of their life. Many of them have lost their lives and have also faced brutal assault a number of times from forest mafias and Left wing ultras.

Lamenting that in the background of extremism, the forest officials have been asked to surrender their arms in the police stations which has become a serious threat to forest protection, Routray said the Principal Secretary, Forest and Environment Department was asked to examine the issue and take steps for restitution of arms and ammunition to field forestry personnel.

He said in order to make forest management focussed, more intensive and more people-centric, there is a proposal to reduce the jurisdiction of Forest Guards, Foresters and Forest Rangers from the existing structure.

Routray said it was decided to increase the number of eco-clubs in schools for planting trees and protecting them.

He aid in order to popularise tree plantation, a methodology was being worked out wherein every student at high school level should plant at least five trees, grow them with care and show them after two years. For this, the student would be awarded with certain marks in the annual high school examinations. He said it is proposed to include forestry and environment as part of the educational curriculum at high school level. The issue would be taken up with the School and Mass Education Department and modalities worked out, Routray said.

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State makes registration of cyber cafes mandatory SATURDAY, 18 AUGUST 2012 22:23 PNS N BHUBANESWAR HITS: 6

18^th August,2012,Sunday

Dear all

I enclose the news published in Bhubneshwar edition of “The  Pioneer “for your perusal

Yours

SudhirMishra/Pioneer/Balangir.

State makes registration of cyber cafes mandatory

SATURDAY, 18 AUGUST 2012 22:23

PNS N BHUBANESWAR

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In a bid to check cyber crimes, the State Government has made the registration of cyber cafés mandatory as per the Central guideline.

According to Information Technology Minister Raghu Nath Mohanty, formal

notification to make cyber café registration compulsory would be issued soon.

Mohanty said the Centre had already issued a notification relating to opening of cyber cafés, Cyber Café Rule-2011, on March 16 last. The notification asked all  State Governments to register cyber cafes and authorised district Collectors and Commissionerate of Police to make the registration mandatory at their level under Rule 3 of the Cyber Café Guideline.

He said as per the proposed notification all the cyber cafes, including the existing ones, would have to register themselves with the concerned authorities.

Mohanty said as per the rule, the cyber cafes operating in districts would have to register themselves with the district Collectors and the cafes operating in the limits of the Commissionerate of Police areas would have to register themselves with the Commissioner of Police. They would regularly monitor the activities and operation of the cafes, he said.

As per the proposed rule, a cyber cafe shall not allow any user its computer resources without identity of the user being established. The intending user has to prove his or her identity by producing photo identity cards issued by authorised officials or heads of their institutions.

Mohanty said as per the rule, after identity of the user is established, the cyber cafe would record and maintain the required information of each user in the log register for a minimum period of one year.

The cafe owner has to prepare a monthly report of the log register showing the details of the usage of the computer resources and has to submit the report to the licencing agency on every fifth day of the next month.

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