Samaja op-ed on Biju Patnaik on his anniversary

March 5th, 2008 | Chitta Baral | Comments Off on Samaja op-ed on Biju Patnaik on his anniversary

Grievance redress mechanism of GOI

Their web page is at http://pgportal.gov.in/. The page http://dpg.gov.in/purview.htm lists the departments which are under the purview of this mechanism. At present they are:

1)      Railways

2)      Posts

3)      Telecom (incl. BSNL & MTNL)

4)      Urban Development (DDA, L&DO, CPWD, etc)

5)      Petroleum & Natural Gas

6)      Civil Aviation (IA, AI, AAI, etc)

7)      Shipping, Road Transport & Highways

8)      Tourism

9)      Public Sector Banks

10)  Public Sector Insurance Companies

11)  National Saving Scheme of Ministry of Finance

12)  Employees Provident Fund Organization

13)  Regional Passport Authorities

14)  Central Government Health Scheme

15)  Central Board of Secondary Education

16)  Kendriya Vidyalaya Sangathan

17)  National Institute of Open Schooling

18)  Navodaya Vidyalaya Samiti

19)  Central Universities

20) ESI Hospitals and Dispensaries directly controlled by ESI Corporation under Ministry of Labour

 

 

March 5th, 2008 | Chitta Baral | Comments Off on Grievance redress mechanism of GOI

NRO established Next Generation Technology of NY (USA) to establish an IT and Bio park

Their web site is http://www.ngtechinc.com/. Following is from Samaja.

 

March 5th, 2008 | Chitta Baral | Comments Off on NRO established Next Generation Technology of NY (USA) to establish an IT and Bio park

Orissa and Andhra Pradesh agree to share 50% power from Machkund

Following is an excerpt from a report in New Indian Express.

Andhra Pradesh has agreed to the State Government proposal to share 50 percent of the total energy generated from Machhkund hydro power station in Koraput district.

A ministerial level meeting of the two States in Hyderabad today resolved to get approval of the governments on the proposal within one month. The two States will sign an agreement here sometime in April, said Energy Minister S N Patro.

The Central Electricity Authority (CEA) will be approached for evaluation of asset and the cost of the additional 20 percent share of the hydro power station will be paid to Andhra Pradesh.

The meeting also decided to go for renovation and uprating of the hydro power station having installed generating capacity of 114.75 mega watt. The cost for renovation and uprating will be shared on 50:50 basis, Patro said, adding the staffing pattern will be on equal basis.

March 4th, 2008 | Chitta Baral | Comments Off on Orissa and Andhra Pradesh agree to share 50% power from Machkund

Oceanworld waterpark about to open

See http://oceanworldwaterpark.com.

They are located between Cuttack and Bhubaneswar and their Physical address is:

Kuranga Sassan
PO-Kothapatna via-Fulnakhra
Thana sadara,Dist-Cuttack 754001 – Orissa
Email-info@oceanworldwaterpark.com
March 3rd, 2008 | Chitta Baral | 12 Comments »

Shiva temples in Orissa: Samaja

March 2nd, 2008 | Chitta Baral | Comments Off on Shiva temples in Orissa: Samaja

Latest BSNL Orissa ad in Samaja

BSNL in Orissa now has many plans on land line, cell phone and broadband, including certain combinations of them. Following is a recent ad.

March 2nd, 2008 | Chitta Baral | Comments Off on Latest BSNL Orissa ad in Samaja

Inaugural run of Bhubaneswar-Ranchi Garib rath on March 7

Following is an excerpt from a report in The economic Times.

The long awaited Garib Rath air-conditioned train between Bhubaneswar and Ranchi will be inaugurated on March 10, railway officials said on Sunday.

While the special inaugural run would be flagged off on March 10 7 from here, schedules for the regular service of the train, proposed to be provided thrice a week, were being finalised, a senior railway official said.

The Bhubaneswar-Ranchi Garib Rath would effectively have eight 3-tier AC coaches, each having a capacity of 78 berths, sources said adding though the train had been announced in the last rail budget, its introduction was delayed because of various reasons.

Perceived as the poor man’s AC train, Garib Rath passenger fare is around 50 per cent less than the three tier AC coach fare in other trains, they said.

There has also been a demand from some political parties and section of public for a long time to extend the Garib Rath train currently running between Secunderabad and Visakhapatnam upto Bhubaneswar, they added.

In regards to the last sentence, how can there be a long standing demand, when the announcement of Secunderabad-Vizag Garib Rath was only made 5 days back. In any case, it is better to extend it before the introduction of the train than after, as the later will create more resentment from the people in Vizag.

March 2nd, 2008 | Chitta Baral | Comments Off on Inaugural run of Bhubaneswar-Ranchi Garib rath on March 7

Companies in Orissa that allegedly do not pay attention to pollution; Government seems to be soft on them

Following are excerpts from a report in tathya.in.

Take the case of Bhusan Power & Steel (BPSL), an integrated power and steel plant set up at Thelkoloi in Sambalpur district.

The Orissa Pollution Control Board (OPCB) on 16 February issued a closure notice to BPSL for violating the Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act and Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act.

BPSL was asked to stop all production until further orders, failing which stringent penal proceedings would be initiated against the company.

According to sources though the company is producing power for more than 2 years is has no designated site to dump fly ash released from the plants.

In absence of a proper place the company authorities were dumping in nearby places like Laripalli, for which villagers raised hue and cry.

Now they are dumping in Khinda, said a source.

Secondly BPSL filled up the river bed of the Bheden River by dumping earth.

These, according to environmental norms are serious offences.

OPCB had been asking BPSL to conform to environmental norms for the past six months, said the source.

However, the company allegedly did not pay any heed to it, added an official.

OPCB waited for six months and finally decided on closing down the unit.

… On 1 March OPCB has lifted the closure notice.

… Months ago when Dr. Hrushikesh Panda was at the helm of Forest & Environment Department, Tata Refractories Limited (TRL) at Belpahar,  was accused of pollution.

He impressed upon the OPCB to issue closure notice to the company.

OPCB issued closure notice and the Chief Minister announced the closure of TRL in the floor of the House.

So unrelenting was he that the State Government was to shift Dr.Panda to provide relief to TRL.

With so many pollution prone large mineral based industries coming up in Orissa, the soft approach of the Government’s Green Authority bodes ill for the state, feel an environmentalist.

March 2nd, 2008 | Chitta Baral | 1 Comment »

100 crores for Handicraft and Handloom promotion

Following is an excerpt from a report in Pioneer. (Tathya.in also has a similar report.)

The Centre has proposed to set up an Integrated Marketing Project for the development and promotion of handicrafts and handloom of Orissa with a special focus on Tribal and Fibre Crafts.

The project is proposed to be executed by Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) of Export Promotion Council for Handicrafts (EPCH) and IL&FS. It will involve an investment of approximately Rs.100 crore.

In order to make it a reality, Executive Director of the Export Promotion Council for Handicrafts, Rakesh Kumar along with other senior officials called on Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik at Orissa Bhawan in New Delhi on Saturday and apprised him about the project.

During the meeting, Patnaik said the State has a vast potential for development of Tribal Crafts, Tribal Jewellery, Dhokra Casting, Silver Filigree work and other metal work, Terracotta, Wood work, Appliqué work, horn work, golden grass work, Cane and Bamboo products.

Kumar informed the Chief Minister that the project will include various components like human resource development, design & product development, national & international marketing, setting up of a state of the art Crafts Complex at Bhubaneswar and Puri as well as setting up of showrooms abroad.

March 1st, 2008 | Chitta Baral | 1 Comment »

Tourism circuit being planned for Ganjam district: Samaja

March 1st, 2008 | Chitta Baral | Comments Off on Tourism circuit being planned for Ganjam district: Samaja

Shrikhetra Culture Museum foundation stone laid in Puri: ad in Samaja

www.orissalinks.com/orissagrowth/wp-content/uploads/image/20080229a_001101010.jpg

February 29th, 2008 | Chitta Baral | Comments Off on Shrikhetra Culture Museum foundation stone laid in Puri: ad in Samaja

BSNL wireless broadband service in Orissa: ad in samaja

February 28th, 2008 | Chitta Baral | 12 Comments »

Overcoming problems that come up in Paddy cultivation : Samaja

February 28th, 2008 | Chitta Baral | Comments Off on Overcoming problems that come up in Paddy cultivation : Samaja

Dealing with water scarcity in agriculture: Samaja

February 28th, 2008 | Chitta Baral | Comments Off on Dealing with water scarcity in agriculture: Samaja

Medicinal effects of Neem: Samaja

February 28th, 2008 | Chitta Baral | Comments Off on Medicinal effects of Neem: Samaja

Khurda – Balangir project got cheated: Sambada

February 28th, 2008 | Chitta Baral | Comments Off on Khurda – Balangir project got cheated: Sambada

Agreement with Navayuga Engineering on Astaranga port expected

February 28th, 2008 | Chitta Baral | 1 Comment »

What does “money sanctioned for railway projects in 2008-09” mean?

It has been widely reported that the total money sanctioned for railway projects in Orissa in the 2008-09 Railway budget is 972.34 crores. This amount comes from adding up the items in the pink and the orange book.

Many people wrongly interpret that "total money sanctioned for railway projects in Orissa in the 2008-09 Railway budget is 972.34 crores" means that the amount is of new money. That is NOT true. This amount may include money that was sanctioned in earlier budgets but has not yet been spent.

See the two attached sheets: one from the pink book of  2007-08 and another from the pink boom of 2008-09

Lets take the last item in both: Rajathagarh-Barang doubling

In 2007-08:
Anticipated cost                       – 240 crores
Outlay expect to end of 06-07 – 102.7 crores
Outlay proposed for 07-08      – 86 crores
Balance to complete work       – 51.3 crores

In 2008-09:
Anticipated cost                       – 240 crores
Outlay expect to end of 07-08 – 96.7 crores
Outlay proposed for 07-08      – 125 crores
Balance to complete work       – 18.33 crores

Most papers have reported that the budget as 125 crores for the doubling of Rajathagarh-Barang.

Yes, but not all of that is new money.

This year’s budget only adds 33 crores of new money to this item. (The rest is from previous years’ budget).

February 28th, 2008 | Chitta Baral | Comments Off on What does “money sanctioned for railway projects in 2008-09” mean?

Yoga centers in Puri: a video in Rediff

See http://www.rediff.com/news/2008/feb/27video.htm.

 

February 28th, 2008 | Chitta Baral | Comments Off on Yoga centers in Puri: a video in Rediff

Developing the Talasari beach: Samudra utsav in April (From Samaja)

February 27th, 2008 | Chitta Baral | Comments Off on Developing the Talasari beach: Samudra utsav in April (From Samaja)

Orissa in the 2008-09 Railway budget

Besides the new trains, extensions and increase in frequency, Orissa comes up in the Railway budget in the following places: (Note: The 2007-2008 budget with its pink book is also available.)

  • On new lines the allocations to Orissa (all in ECOR) are (Total 164.43 crores) – from the Pink Book
    • Koraput-Rayagada – 5 crores
    • Talcher – Sambalpur – 2 crores
    • Lanjigarh Rd – Junagarh – 35 crores (57 crore more needed to finish)
    • Khurda Rd – Balangir – 32.43 crores (580 crores more to finish)
    • Haridaspur-Paradip – 80 crores via RVN (401 crores more to finish)
    • Talcher – Bimlagarh – 10 crores (847 crores more to finish)
  • New Lines (Total 80 crores) – from the orange book
    • Daitari-Bansapani – 20 crores (69.2 crores more to finish) – ECOR
    • Angul – Sukinda Rd – 60 crores (251.12 crores more to finish) – ECOR
  • On gauge conversion (Total 50.41) – from the Pink Book
    • Naupada- Gunupur – 10.41 crores (14.7 crores more to finish) – ECOR
    • Rupsa – Bangiriposi – 40 crores (11.1 crores more to finish) – SER
  • Doubling (Total 288.25 crores) – from the Pink Book
    • Talcher-Cuttack-Paradeep (2nd bridge on Birupa and Mahanadi) – 3.25 crores (1.75 crores more to finish) – ECOR
    • Cuttack-Barang (12km) – 35 crores (51 crores more needed to finish) – ECOR
    • Khurda Barang 3rd line (35 km) – 125 crores (14.43 crores more  to finish) – ECOR
    • Rajathagarh-Barang (20 km) –  125 crores (18.33 crores more to finish) – ECOR
  • Doubling (total  350 crores ) – from the orange book
    • Titlagarh-Lanjigarh Rd – 7 crores (29 lakhs more to finish) – ECOR
    • Khurda Rd – Puri Phase 1 – 2 crores (2.79 crores more to finish)-ECOR
    • Sambalpur – Rengali – 2 crores (8.76 crores more needed)-ECOR
    • Jharsugurha – Rengali – 45 crores (26.41 crores more needed)-ECOR
    • Sambalpur – Titlagarh – 65 crores (399.25 crores needed)-ECOR
    • Raipur – Titlagarh – 65 crores (548.35 crores needed)-ECOR
    • Padapahar-Bansapani – 70 crores (26.58 crores needed) – SER
    • Barbil – Barjamada – 40 crores (5 crores needed) – SER
    • Bimlagarh – Dumitra – 50 crores (23.52 crores needed) – SER
    • Bansapani – Jaruli – 4 crores (72.22 crores needed) – SER

(Below, a slightly edited version of  a posting in IRFCA gives the difference between the Pink book, the Orange book and the green book used in earlier years.)

  • Green book lists the works sanctioned under SRSF(special railway safety fund). All these works are to be completed by 31.3.2008 .Therefore this year a green book was not published. Green book was prepared as a 5 yr plan in 2003 to renew overaged assets chargeable to the SRSF of Rs 17000 cr.
  • Orange book contains those works which are justified for enhancing the carrying capacity of Route (i.e., throughput enhancement work in railway terminology). It contains those gauge conversion, doubling & traffic facility works which are sanctioned for the enhancement of throughput. Railway gives higher priority to complete them.
  • Pink book is the main book of budget & contains all sanctioned (new as well as work in progress) works except those which are in the green or orange book.

 

February 27th, 2008 | Chitta Baral | 2 Comments »

Science museums in Orissa

There are two science museums in Orissa:

They are both part of the BITM (Kolkata) family.

February 27th, 2008 | Chitta Baral | Comments Off on Science museums in Orissa