News from Bhubaneswar

The Odisha government will carefully interpret the recent Supreme Court verdict making the Teachers’ Eligibility Test (TET) mandatory for recruitment and continuation in service, School and Mass Education Minister Nityananda Gond said on Tuesday.

In a move set to strengthen air connectivity between Odisha and Jharkhand, Air India Express has launched a new Ranchi-Bhubaneswar transit flight, approved by the Birsa Munda Airport authorities in Ranchi. The service, which commenced on Monday, is part of a broader plan to connect Ranchi with five major cities in the east, south, and northeast.

Following the Orissa High Court’s directive, the Odisha Subordinate Staff Selection Commission (OSSSC) has issued a fresh notification for the Preliminary Examination to recruit candidates for multiple posts, including Revenue Inspector (RI), ICDS Supervisor, Assistant Revenue Inspector (ARI), Amin, and Statistical Field Surveyor (SFS).

A fresh cyclonic circulation has developed over the northeast Bay of Bengal and is expected to intensify into a low-pressure area, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) predicted on Tuesday. Under its influence, rainfall activity across Odisha is likely to increase in the coming days.

In a major success, Odisha Police rescued 2,417 missing persons — including 358 children — within just five days under Operation Anweshan. Conducted statewide from August 18 to 22 by the Crime Against Women & Children Wing, the initiative aimed to reunite missing individuals with their families. Puri, Bhadrak, and Cuttack districts reported the highest rescue numbers.

A rift has surfaced within the Jharpada Durga Puja Samiti as it allegedly splits into two factions ahead of the 2025 celebrations. Political tensions between BJP leader Jagannath Pradhan and BJD leader Sridhar Jena have caused confusion over who will organise the festival. The dispute threatens the festive spirit, raising concerns among locals in Bhubaneswar's Jharpada locality.

In preparation for Durga Puja 2025, Commissionerate Police have enforced strict restrictions in Cuttack and Bhubaneswar. DJ music, laser lights, and firecrackers are banned during immersion processions to maintain peace and uphold tradition. Only traditional musical instruments will be permitted. The directive aims to curb noise and air pollution, following guidelines from the local authorities.

BJP National Vice-President and Kendrapara MP Baijayant Panda on Sunday appealed to people to listen to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s monthly radio address, ‘Mann Ki Baat’, broadcast on the last Sunday of every month.

Rasmita Sahoo, a canoeing player from Odisha, found special mention in Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s 125th edition of his radio address ‘Mann Ki Baat’ on Sunday. PM Modi interacted with her while speaking about the recently held Khelo India Water Sports Festival.

A popular biker and travel vlogge's brother was found dead near the railway tracks close to Palaspalli, adjacent to Bhubaneswar’s Lingaraj railway station on Sunday morning.

A Bhubaneswar vigilance court on Friday convicted Kushal Chandra Chatterjee, a former Junior Town Planner with the Bhubaneswar Development Authority (BDA), in a bribery case and sentenced him to three years of rigorous imprisonment.

The Supreme Court has directed the Odisha government to submit a compliance report within two weeks on its order mandating strict enforcement of urban development laws, following a contempt plea filed by a Bhubaneswar resident alleging inaction.

Amid Bhubaneswar and Cuttack’s smart city boom, five villages inside Chandaka-Dampada Wildlife Sanctuary remain forgotten. With no proper roads, houses, or amenities, nearly 250 families live in harsh conditions, caught between forest conservation rules and urban development. While relocation offers exist, delays, mistrust, and lack of clarity have left these communities stranded in a 'development dead zone'.

Odisha is witnessing an unprecedented scale of railway development, with projects worth more than Rs 80,000 crore currently under execution across the state.  These include a mix of new line constructions, multi-tracking, electrification, station redevelopment, and flyover projects aimed at boosting connectivity, capacity, and passenger convenience.

Odisha has secured the fifth spot among all states in the country in terms of electric mobility and has plans to further scale up its e-bus fleet for sustainable urban transport, informed Housing and Urban Development (H&UD) Minister Krushna Chandra Mahapatra on Thursday.