Naveen seeks PM help on special tag

Bhubaneswar: Chief minister Naveen Patnaik has requested for the personal intervention of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to confer special category status on Odisha. tating that the nine special category states were better off in comparison to Odisha, he said Planning Commission deputy chairman Montek Singh Ahluwalia’s view that Odisha did not meet the eligibility criteria for the tag was superficial.

State UGC plea

Bhubaneswar: Members of the All-India University Employees’ Confederation urged governor S.C. Jamir to advise the state government to set up a State University Grants Commission to streamline release of grants and their equitable distribution among state-run varsities. hey have also demanded constitution of a review commission to probe irregularities at various universities.

Youth wing

BHUBANESWAR: : State president of Biju Juva Janta Dal Sanjay Das Burma has appointed district presidents for the vacant posts in the youth wing. Former vice-presidents of the wing, Ranjit Mohapatra and Amra Nayak, were left out allegedly due to their proximity to Pyari Mohan Mohapatra, founder of the Odisha Jana Morcha.

Top cop joins

Bhubaneswar: Senior IPS officer Rajendra Prasad Sharma joined as the new police commissioner of Cuttack and Bhubaneswar on Tuesday. Sharma replaced Sunil Roy, who was appointed as additional director general of the Human Rights Protection Cell. Sharma became the fourth commissioner of the Cuttack-Bhubaneswar police, which was introduced in 2008.

Meet stalled

Kendrapara: Police stopped the Odisha Jana Morcha from holding public meetings here on the ground that it had not sought due permission. A group of alleged BJD supporters created disturbance at Marshaghai, attacking vehicles carrying the OJM leaders. obody was injured in the incident. General secretary of the political outfit Jagneswar Babu held chief minister Naveen Patnaik responsible for the turn of events.

Jumbo scare

BHUBANESWAR: Panic gripped Rental Colony near Baramunda bordering on the Chandaka-Damapada reserve forest after a herd of elephants were seen near human settlements. At least six elephants were seen roaming near the wall separating the colony from the forest on Tuesday afternoon. The herd, however, left the spot to go deep into the forest after around an hour, said a forest official.