BHUBANESWAR: The State Government declared 17 of the 30 districts as drought-affected on Thursday. The announcement comes a day after Opposition Congress and BJP slammed the BJD Government for the alleged delay in providing assistance to the affected farmers.

The decision was taken after receiving reports on possible crop loss of 50 per cent or more in 12,046 villages under 113 blocks and 100 wards under 25 urban local bodies in the 17 districts, Revenue and Disaster Management Minister SN Patro informed the Assembly.

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.

JEYPORE: Loan burden claimed the life of yet another farmer in the State. Damburu Gowada, a 65-year-old farmer of Koraput village under Kolar panchayat of Boipariguda block, allegedly committed suicide by consuming poison over loan burden on Wednesday. Sources said Damburu had taken loans from various sources to cultivate paddy in his five acres of land in the kharif season. However, the crops were damaged for lack of irrigation facilities and inadequate rainfall.

BHUBANESWAR: In another step towards food security in the state, Odisha has been included in International programme for Roots and Tuber Crops (RTC), initiated by International Potato Centre (known by its Spanish acronym CIP).

The State Horticultural Mission will implement various schemes worth Rs.77 crore during the current financial year for producing and distributing planting materials, expanding organic cultivation and training and post-harvest management, among others.

Chief Minister Oommen Chandy would inaugurate the schemes at a function at Koothuparamba at 4 p.m. on September 17, Principal Agricultural Officer P.P. Rasheed Ali and State Horticultural Mission consultant V. Suresh told presspersons here on Wednesday.

Agricultural Minister K.P. Mohanan would attend the function.

Bhubaneswar: In a glaring instance of step-motherly attitude, the Centre has ignored the repeated requests made by the Odisha government to release a special package of Rs 4,500 crore for Special Plan for backward Kalahandi, Balangir and Koraput (KBK) region.

BHUBANESWAR: The State Government has formed a Task Force of medical experts for surveillance and initiation of control measures in view of the recent increase in dengue cases in different districts.

BHUBANESWAR: The Ministry of Environment and Forests has sanctioned stage-II and final level clearance to National Aluminium Company Limited (Nalco) for diversion of 110.3 hectares of forest land for bauxite mining lease in Koraput.

 The forest diversion was required for the renewal of its mining lease for 20 years in Panchpatmali South Block. The original lease period was for 30 years. Since the Navratna PSU has embarked upon a slew of expansion projects, this forest clearance will help enhance its production capacity.

BHUBANESWAR: After initial refusal to sanction funds under Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS) to the six districts under CBI scanner, the Centre on Monday released Rs 170 crore for the wage employment programme.