Rise in seats

Bhubaneswar: The school and mass education department has decided to increase 10 per cent seats over and above the sanctioned strength in private junior colleges and higher secondary schools in rural and tribal areas for the session 2017-18 only. In another move, the department has also taken a decision to give another chance to students who qualified for slide-up, but failed to take admission in the colleges of their choice. They have been advised to move to their higher-option colleges and take admission on or before August 19.

Assembly

Bhubaneswar: The Assembly's monsoon session will begin on September 7 and end on September 16. Sources said the state government will introduce some important ordinances regarding establishment of a council for development of higher education and land and property rights to slum-dwellers in the upcoming session.

Power tariff

Bhubaneswar: The four electricity production companies - Gridco, OHPC, OPGC and OPCL - on Wednesday urged the Odisha Electricity Regulatory Commission to take a decision on increase in the existing power tariff. However, the commission deferred its decision and said it would examine whether the petitions filed by the power companies in the middle of the year was admissible or not.

Dhamra

Paradip: Authorities of the Dhamra Port Company Ltd on Wednesday announced an ex-gratia of Rs 20 lakh to the next of kin of the three labourers who were killed after a coal heap caved in at the stockyards here on Tuesday. The decision was taken at a review meeting held by the authorities in presence of the district collector, sub-collector, superintendent of police and the labour officer. The company decided to employ a family member each of the deceased trio and financial assistance to educate their children.

Students ill

Khurda: Over a hundred students of a primary school here were taken ill after eating food served in the mid-day meal programme on Wednesday. According to sources, some students of Deulatangi Model Primary School complained of nausea after consuming the food. Shortly after, the headmaster and other staff admitted them to the District Headquarters Hospital.