Bhubaneswar: Chief minister Naveen Patnaik on Thursday wrote to the Prime Minister Manmohan Singh demanding more fertilisers for the state. “Lack of adequate supply of fertilisers is likely to hit the agricultural crop during the Kharif season,” said Naveen. In his letter, Naveen said, though the state required 1.80 lakh metric tonne of urea by July, Orissa has so far received 64,422 metric tonne of urea fertilisers. Similarly, the state has not yet received the required amount of MOP (muriate of potash) and DAP (diammonium phosphate). Bhubaneswar: The twin cities of Cuttack and Bhubaneswar will be conferred metro status by 2031. This was revealed by chairman of the high-power expert group on urban infrastructure and services, Isher Judge Ahluwalia on Thursday in a meeting with CM Naveen Patnaik. She also discussed issues like better city-based services and academic reforms. In Orissa, 17 per cent of the people are living in urban areas and out of that 25 per cent are living in slums. The gross domestic product (GDP) in the state has reached 9 per cent, so if the development trend continues, it will definitely change the image of Orissa in the nation,” she said. Bhubaneswar: The state government has decided to identify landless people in 1,024 villages through Orissa Tribal Empowerment and Livelihoods Programme (OTELP). A decision to this effect was taken at a meeting chaired by chief secretary Bijay Patnaik. For this purpose, 424 community resource persons have been trained in collaboration with Resource Development International, an international organisation which provides technical support. Sambalpur: Two persons were killed and six others were injured on Thursday in a road accident at Gurupali under Rengali police limits of Sambalpur district, 25 km from the city. A bus, which was coming towards Sambalpur from Sundergarh, rammed into a stationery truck at the spot of the accident. A tanker also rammed into the same bus from behind. The deceased were identified as Siddheswar Sahu and Kishore Luha. The latter died on the spot while Siddheswar Sahu died while undergoing treatment at the VSS Medical College and Hospital in Burla. Six injured passengers are still receiving treatment at the medical college. Bhubaneswar: Some criminals on Thursday stolen gold jewellery and some other valuable assets from a house in Old Town area when the family members were taking an afternoon nap. According to the complaint lodged by Niranjan Barik, as the main door was kept open, two gangsters entered the house and stole valuables kept in the almirah. When they tried to snatch the gold necklace of his sister-in-law, she shouted. The robbers fled from the house taking away ornaments worth more than Rs 1 lakh. A case was registered with the Lingaraj police.
Monday, 09 February 2026
