RAYAGADA: Eight children have died in the last 10 days and as many as 30 are suffering from measles in the remote and inaccessible Silapas and Rayalghat villages under Jogipaitunga panchayat of Kashipur block. While one child died on Friday, another death was reported on Sunday.

Kashipur PHC in-charge Rajendra Kumar Mandal said four children have died of measles while another four died of other complications in the last eight days.

Bhubaneswar: In a move to ensure inclusive growth of minerals-bearing areas of Odisha including livelihood programmes, experts have suggested floating of a micro-enterprise fund with Rs 200 crore to the state government. This fund would be utilised to ensure the tribal population’s access to credit and grants for setting new businesses as part of their alternative livelihood options.

BHUBANESWAR: With the dust of panchayat polls slowly settling down, the Government on Thursday announced the much-awaited drought relief for the affected. According to Revenue and Disaster Management Minister SN Patro, 13,032 villages of 133 blocks and 156 wards of 34 urban local bodies in 19 districts are drought-hit. Seven districts __ Balangir, Ganjam, Jharsuguda, Malkangiri, Nabarangpur, Nayagarh (only one in coastal belt) and Rayagada __ are fully affected.

BHUBANESWAR: The State Government is keen on including iodised salt in the public distribution system (PDS) in order to ensure access by the lowest rung of the society and tackle the high prevalence of iodine deficiency disorders (IDDs) in the population, said Health Secretary Anu Garg .
The proposed project would commit itself to universalisation of salt iodisation and is proposed to be carried forward through multi-sectoral engagement.

BHUBANESWAR: The BJP Krushak Morcha on Tuesday sought the intervention of Governor MC Bhandare for inclusion of nine more districts in the list of drought-hit.
A delegation led by State Krushak Morcha president Maheswar Sahu called on the Governor and submitted a 11-point charter of demands. The leaders told the Governor that the assessment of crop situation by the Government was faulty.

BHUBANESWAR: The State Government has proposed linking the river Rushikulya with the Bansadhara through the Nandini Canal Project to overcome drinking water problem in the areas of the Ganjam district affected by drought frequently.

Official sources said the State Government is in touch with the National Water Development Agency (NWDA) for preparation of a pre-feasibility report on the project. This is now at a preliminary stage and details can be known only after the report is completed.

New Delhi:Orissa Mining Corporation (OMC) on Monday challenged in the Supreme Court Jairam Ramesh’s last decision as the environment minister to withdraw clearance to Vedanta’s alumina project and bauxite mining in Niaymgiri hills in Lanjigarh, Kalahandi and Rayagada districts.
A bench of by Justice R V Raveendran sought the Centre’s reply to OMC’s allegation that despite pendency of the issue before tribunals and the SC, Ramesh took the decision on July 11, a day before the Cabinet rejig that saw his portfolio being changed to rural development.

Hindalco Industries, the country's largest aluminium producer, has received the final forest clearance for its proposed 1.5-million-tonne, Rs 6,000-crore alumina refinery project in Orissa

The Supreme Court on Thursday issued notice to the Ministry of Environment and Forests (MoEF) on the plea of Orissa Mining Corporation (OMC) challenging the cancellation of the environmental clearance to the Niyamgiri Bauxite Mining Project in the state.