29 April 2011

MASSIVE CHANGES IN BUREAUCRACY EFFECTED

Bhubaneswar: Odisha Government on Friday effects major reshuffle in IAS cadre. The state government on Friday shifted nine District Collectors and seven secretaries.

Malkangiri District Collector R Vineel Krishna whose abduction by Maoists in February sparked a nationwide outcry, was transferred and posted as director of Scheduled Tribe and Scheduled Caste Development department.

Kandhamal district collector Krishna Kumar was transferred and posted as the collector, Ganjam district. Ganjam collector V Kartikyan Pandian was transferred and posted as Private Secretary to the chief minister while Koraput district collector R P Patil was named as the new collector of Kandhamal district.

Others who were transferred and posted as collectors include- D V Swamy (Keonjhar), S Balwant (Malkangiri), Arabind Agarwal (Sambalpur), S P Mishra (Angul), R P Singh (Gajapati) and T S Ramachandra (Koraput).

The Panchayati Raj department secretary S N Tripathy was posted as the principal secretary in Rural Development department. RD secretary R L Jamuda was posted as the secretary of Agriculture department.

Energy secretary P K Jena was shifted to Panchayati Raj department along with his additional charge of secretary IT department. Chief minister's Private Secretary G Mathivathanan was posted as Secretary Energy department. Fisheries secretary S Sahu has been given additional charge of CMD, OMFED.

R P Saha was posted as secretary Excise department while CTM Suguna had been posted as secretary Labour and Employment. Sanjeev Chada has been posted as Director Horticulture department.

Lawyers’ cease-work strike cripples courts in Nabarangpur.

Nabarangpur:
Though after several assurance and announcement from the Government for the establishment of district judge court at Nabarangpur seems to be bare.
The common people and the litigants in the district are facing untold hardship following the Nabarangpur Bar Association’s indefinite cease work stir from 29th April. The association is demanding the Government declare Nabarangpur as a judicial district.

However, 18 years on, the repeated pleas with the Government to establish a District Judge Court here has fallen on deaf ears and the court in functioning in Koraput due to which the people and the litigants are suffering from great deal of hardship and their grievances have not been redressed.

Despite the fact that in Feb 2010 during the visit of the Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, and law minister, Bikram Araku, announced in a public meeting for the establishment of district judge court at Nabarangpur soon. Now the assurance seems to be unfilled.

The cold response of the State Government and the other authorities forced the lawyers to go on as stir, said president Sri.Uma Sankar Tripathy.

YC launches Jail Bharo; demands CM scalp

PNS | Nabarangpur
Thousands of youth Congress activists were taken into custody while they were launching a Jail Bharo agitation organised by the Odisha Pradesh Youth Congress (OPYC) on Thursday.

Demanding the resignation of Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik for the large-scale irregularities in the implementation of MGNREGA, the OPYC had called for the agitation in Koraput, Malkangiri and Nabarangpur districts.

They also demanded action against those involved, including the arrest of Jharigam BDO, Rabindra Kanhar and other officials, in the alleged corruption in MGNREGA and staged a relay hunger strike outside the block office at Jharigham in Nabarangpur.

OPYC president and Nabarangpur MP Pradeep Majhi said that the Chief Minister was responsible for the bungling as he was the chief of the State monitoring cell of the scheme with huge central funds meant for the poor. He said the highest amount of Rs 11.23 crore was spent in Jharigaon block of Nabarangpur district in the last fiscal 2010-11, but very few tangible assets, created under the scheme, could be seen there. He alleged that Rs 7 crore out of the allotted amount had been misappropriated.

Quoting a report of the Comptroller Auditor General (CAG) of India and the National Institute of Rural Development, Hyderabad, Majhi said there was large scale misappropriation of funds to the tune of 88 per cent in Nabarangpur, Koraput, Malkangiri, Rayagada, and other districts of Odisha.
Source: The Pioneer

Corruption: BJD-Congress battle hots up

In a battle of one-upmanship, agitations launched by the youth wings of the BJD and the Congress over corruption issues have charged up the political atmosphere in the State.
The Orissa Pradesh Youth Congress (OPYC) organised a ‘jail bharo’ on Thursday in Koraput, Malkangiri and Nabarangpur districts demanding the resignation of Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik for the large-scale irregularities in the implementation of MGNREGS.
In retaliation, the Biju Yuva Janata Dal (BYJD) announced on Thursday that it will demonstrate in front of the Raj Bhavan on Friday demanding the resignation of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh over the 2G spectrum scam.
Alleging that the involvement of the chief minister in the MGNREGS scam cannot be ruled out, OPYC president Pradip Majhi alleged that irregularities in such a large-scale could not have continued throughout the State without the knowledge of the higher-ups.
The highest Rs 11.23 crore was spent in Jharigaon block of Nabarangpur district in 2010-11 but very few tangible assets, created under the scheme, could be seen there. He alleged that Rs 7 crore out of the allotted amount was misappropriated in the block.
Announcing the BYJD decision in a media conference here on Thursday, State convener Sanjay Dasburma said during the next ten days demonstrations and dharnas will be organised at all the district headquarters demanding the resignation of the prime minister over the 2G scam.
He said memoranda in this regard will be sent to the President from all BYJD district units.
Dasburma alleged that the 2G scam has exposed the true colours of the Congress. Several senior Congress leaders are also involved in the CWG and Adarsh housing society scams.

26 April 2011

Youth Congress Staged relay hunger strike at Jharigam.

Nabarangpur,
Demanding action against those involved in alleged corruption in implementation of MGNREGA, Congress workers led by party MP, Pradip Majhi, on 17th Apr staged a relay hunger strike outside the block office at Jharigaon in Nabarangpur district. Huge central funds meant for poor had beensiphoned off in Jharigam block, allotted highest amount under the scheme last fiscal, Majhi, Orissa youth Congress President alleged.

Majhi, who is also the Chairman of District Vigilance and Monitoring Committee, said during the committee''s visit to the block, large scale misappropriation of public money was found to have been done by officials concerned. The committee not only reported the matter to the district administration but to the state government for immediate action, he said.

Majhi said the committee had already sent 13 files in connection with the alleged misappropriation of MGNREGA funds to vigilance department which had recently raided the block office. Besides in other blocks of the district the scheme was implemented

10 April 2011

Nabarangapur has recorded the lowest literacy rate, Census report.

The latest Census report 2011 reveals that the highest percentage of literates has been recorded in the district of Khordha (87.51 percent). And the lowest literacy rate is recorded in Nabarangapur (48.20 percent), said Director of Census Operations of Odisha, Bishnupada Sethi. He has found out that Nabarangapur has recorded the lowest literacy rate among both males (59.45 percent) and Females (37.22 percent).

Lions Club Nabarangpur Celebrates Silver Jubilee.

Nabarangpur.
The Lions Club of Nabarangpur celebrated their Silver Jubilee on Saturday. It was a proud moment for the members who could look back with a certain amount of pride in their service to the local community over twenty-five years.
"We Serve" is the motto of the organisation and service to the community is at the heart of all Lion activity. This service has taken different forms through the years and in the Silver Jubilee year of the club it is predominantly concerned with the senior citizens of the community.
Collector Sibabrata Dash, Guest of honour said that self service to the mankind is the essence of life, by serving others basically you service yourself and you learn to live together in unity and harmony. One can not be happy when the rest of mankind is unhappy. So one should share prosperity with others, strive to alleviate the sufferings of others.
Chief guest the Governor of Lions District 322-C2, Gopinath Mohanty, said Melvin Jones the founder of this great service organization in 1917 as kions clubs international with 27 clubs from around the United States. Now the Lions organization have grown to over 1.3 million members in over 45,000 clubs. This organization provided a unique opportunity not only to serve those who need us but also to strengthen our own capabilities. He assured the club would work in coordination with the citizens of the community and district administration in future for successful implementation of its projects. Among others Chairman, Municipality, Nabrangpur, Prahalad Tripathy, Dr.K.D.Patnaik, spoke on the occasion. A souvenir was released at the function, Later a cultural troups performed dances of Odissi, and modern songs.
To celebrate their 25 years, the lioness Club of Nabarangpur released a special gift of silver Ganesh, and souvenir on the occasion. Nihar Ranjan Behera, read out the services of the club in the past years. Lions club organized several health camps, planted trees, conducted blood donation camps. Members of Lioness Clubs and Leo clubs of un-divided Koraput district came together for the celebrations.

09 April 2011

Railway reservation at Umerkote soon

Nabaranpur:
The East Coast Railway Division, will soon open a Passenger Reservation System (PRS) Counter at Umerkote in the district. After chalking out the details and study of demand from the train traffic the division has already initiated the materialization process, the division GM, Arvind Kumar Vohra, informed to the Nabarangpur, MP, Pradeep Majhi, vide letter no, CCM/44/PRS/Proposal/646 , that PRS facility has been sanctioned at Umerkote Post Office, and action has already been initiated for early commissioning of the system.
Expressing happiness over this step Mr. Majhi, said the long-time demand of the Umerkote, Chandahandi, Jharigam, and Raighar Block people would be met. He said the move will benefit as many as 5 lakh people of the five blocks of the district. The people of the area would not have to struggle for booking their railway tickets now.

Four Child Labours of Umerkote rescued from Koraput

Reported By: Sanjeev Subudhi,Umerkote
Umerkote Police has rescued four numbers child labourers from the clause of labourer contractors in Koraput area while they were supplied to Hyderabad to work in a company on Saturday, Police has arrested accused contractors Krishna Biswas,Karuna Mani,Mohammed Goush and Mahammed Yunus.

Sources said that labour mafias are in active in rural pockets of the district to supply child labourers to other states. They have been engaged local unemployed youths to motivate poverty stricken, distress and hap less child labourers to go other states in quest of job. They commit to give good remuneration and other initiatives in reputed company in which poor families agree to send their children to other states in quest of job. Later, they humiliated and tortured the child labourers in other states. Hundreds of child labourers and other labourers have been migrated to other states.

On Friday, labour mediators Krishna Biswas and Karuna Mani, of UV-52 village under Umerkote, police station limit, along with two persons Mohammed Goush and Mahammed Yunus, who were belongs to Hyderabad motivated local poverty stricken childrens to generate high income in Hyderabad. They gave assurance to local child labourers to employ them in a reputed Company of Hyderabad.

It may be mentioned here that this year crop would fail due to scanty rainfall so the poor parents have forced to send their children to other states in quest of job. Other guardians have expressed that they have been deprived to get work under Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme in which they are living in harassed condition so they have forced to send their children to other states for daily workers.

IIC of Umerkote, police station Mr.Tapan Rath, said that one the parent of teens informed, the matter and he requested Koraput PS, to detain OSRTC, Bus Raighar-Vishakapatnam, and after search they found the accused aswell as the child labourers, Mr.Rath has expressed that accused contractors has no labour license in which they were arrested four persons and forwarded to the court,where their bail petition was rejected. Meanwhile, police has informed the guardians to hand over their childrens.

08 April 2011

What is the Jan Lokpal Bill, why it's important

The Jan Lokpal Bill (Citizen's ombudsman Bill) is a draft anti-corruption bill drawn up by prominent civil society activists seeking the appointment of a Jan Lokpal, an independent body that would investigate corruption cases, complete the investigation within a year and envisages trial in the case getting over in the next one year.
A look at the salient features of Jan Lokpal Bill:
1. An institution called LOKPAL at the centre and LOKAYUKTA in each state will be set up
2. Like Supreme Court and Election Commission, they will be completely independent of the governments. No minister or bureaucrat will be able to influence their investigations.
3. Cases against corrupt people will not linger on for years anymore: Investigations in any case will have to be completed in one year. Trial should be completed in next one year so that the corrupt politician, officer or judge is sent to jail within two years.
4. The loss that a corrupt person caused to the government will be recovered at the time of conviction.
5. How will it help a common citizen: If any work of any citizen is not done in prescribed time in any government office, Lokpal will impose financial penalty on guilty officers, which will be given as compensation to the complainant.
6. So, you could approach Lokpal if your ration card or passport or voter card is not being made or if police is not registering your case or any other work is not being done in prescribed time. Lokpal will have to get it done in a month's time. You could also report any case of corruption to Lokpal like ration being siphoned off, poor quality roads been constructed or panchayat funds being siphoned off. Lokpal will have to complete its investigations in a year, trial will be over in next one year and the guilty will go to jail within two years.
7. But won't the government appoint corrupt and weak people as Lokpal members? That won't be possible because its members will be selected by judges, citizens and constitutional authorities and not by politicians, through a completely transparent and participatory process.
8. What if some officer in Lokpal becomes corrupt? The entire functioning of Lokpal/ Lokayukta will be completely transparent. Any complaint against any officer of Lokpal shall be investigated and the officer dismissed within two months.
9. What will happen to existing anti-corruption agencies? CVC, departmental vigilance and anti-corruption branch of CBI will be merged into Lokpal. Lokpal will have complete powers and machinery to independently investigate and prosecute any officer, judge or politician.
10. It will be the duty of the Lokpal to provide protection to those who are being victimized for raising their voice against corruption.

07 April 2011

Mega Health Camp at Nabarangpur gets great response.

World Health day observed at Nabarangpur
To remark the occasion of world health day mega Health Camp which was organized for three day was extended upto Thursday. Organized by the the district administration and the Health Department, at the Nabarangpur Mondei Ground, Collector, Mr.Sibabrata Dash, was joined a the chief guest speaking to occasion he said that the role of ASH, and Anganwadi workers, are key in helping people to access essential health services at the village level. He requested all the ASHA and Anganwadi workers to perform their duties in their respective villages.

As many as 14,200, patients benefited from the Camp. All major pathological tests were conducted free of cost. After diagnosis of disease, the registered patients were also provided free consultation and medicines. The Mega health Camp was Inaugurated on Monday.

Doctors from seashore groups, Bhubaneswar, including specialists from Visakhapatnam, Koraput, took part in the health camp, Twenty paramedical staffs of Nabarangpur district participated and helped the physicians.
General Physicians, team of Orthopaedic Surgeon, Gynaecologist, ENT Specialist, Ophthalmologist, Cardiologist, Dermatologist, Dentist, Psychiatrist, Pediatrician, Oncologist & General Surgeon participated in the camp. Team of technicians that included Optometrist, Lab technicians & ECG technician along with GNM staffs worked hard to make the event a grand success. Banners, posters, loudspeakers were used to inform people about the camp.
A publicity drive was taken up in all slums of the district to attract people towards the camp. The district administration, local police, ASHA and Anganwadi workers extend their support to ensure proper conduct throughout the camp. Tricycles, wheelchairs, and hearing aids, were distributed. Among others CDMO, Jugal Kishor Behera, DPC SSA, Anand Jena, DPM NRHM,and ADMO, present.

05 April 2011

Mega health camp inaugurated at Nabarangpur

Nabarangpur: A three-day-long mega health camp with 35 stalls and specialists from different hospitals was inaugurated by Collector Sibabrata Dash on Monday. It is an attempt to provide free modern healthcare to the poor living in different parts of Nabarangpur district and they should avail the benefit, Dash said. Among others, Zila Parishad president Bhagirathi Nayak and CDMO Jugal Kishor Behera attended the inaugural event. Although the programme was to be inaugurated by Nabarangpur MP Pradeep Majhi with Science & IT Minister Ramesh Chandra Majhi as the chief guest, both were conspicuous by their absence. Taking to this newspaper, Majhi expressed his concern over the “several irregularities” in the arrangement of the health camp.

Published in The Pioneer, Bhubaneswar,
On 5th.April.2011

03 April 2011

More than 200 people affected due to food poisoning in Raighar.

Nabarangpur:
In a shocking development, around 200 peoples of Gurishinga-I, Budrapara, villages under Raighar block region were under going treatment owing to food poisoning on Saturday night. The health officials stated that more than 200 were kept under observations. As per villagers, they were fed Prasad (bhogo) during the Satnarayan Puja held at the houses of Susanta Roy, of Village Gurusingha-I and Pravat Sardhar, of Budrapara, in the night of Saturday. In the middle of the night, some people complained of symptoms like stomachache, nausea and diarrhea. In the morning the Anganwadi workers, and local sarpanchs informed the matter to the Righar PHC, and CDMO, Nabarangpur. A team of para medical staffs including three Doctors, Dr.Himansu Mishra, Dr.Khirod Chandra Sahu, and Dr.Susant Kumar Sethy, rushed to the effected villages as per the direction of CDMO, Jugal Kishor Behera. After medical examination, the health officials shifted 11 persons with severe condition to the Raighar PHC.
CDMO, Jugal Kishor Behera, said everything is under control now. Condition of the people admitted to the hospital is stable. Our medical teams are camping in the villages where the remaining peoples are undergoing treatment.

Cuttack lifts the Sahani Cup Final.

Nabarangpur;
Cuttack lifted the prestigious Sahani Cup-2011 by beating Balasore 1-0 goal in final match in the inter district senior sahani Cup Football tournament held in Nabarangpur stadium on Sunday.Sudhansu Sekhar Roy, scored the goal within 71 minute.
Science and IT, Minister, Ramesh Chandra Majhi, Local MP, Pradeep Majhi, Collector, Sibabrata Dash, and Superintend of police Mr.Niti Sekhar, Local MLA, Manohar Randhari, Orissa Olympic Association Secretary, Ashirbad Behera, , Orissa Football Association, Vice-President, and Secretary district athletic association, Mr.Prahalad Tripathy,attended the award ceremony.
DAA Secretary, Mr. Tripathy requested for development of the stadium, and construction of dormitory. Local MP, Mr.Majhi, assured to give some fund, for the development of the stadium. Minister, Mr. Majhi, said that for the first time in the KBK, (undivided Koraput,Balangir, Kalahandi districts) the prastigious tournament has held, for which he thanked to the organiser, Collector, SP, and DAA, State Football association. Collector, Mr. Dash, said that the district has a vast and large platform for organizing any types of spots, so he requested to give more such tournament to this district.

02 April 2011

Orissa Police Formation Day held at Nabarangpur.

Nabarangpur.
The 76th Orissa Police Formation day was observed at Reserve Police Parade ground here on Friday, Nabarangpur Superintendent of Police Sri Niti Sekhar, the chief guest at the function, took the salute and read over the message of the Governor and Chief Minister, He called upon the police to work dedicatedly for the nation, towards duty and justice to common men. He felicitated the in charge of Kundei police station, Mr Salil Pradhan, ASI of Tentulikhunti Police satiation, Mr.Sebak Nayak, Head Constable of Papadahandi PS, Basant Mandal, best constable, Asst. driver K.V.Reddy, Best OR Constable, Maheswar Patnaik of Jharigam PS,
After the parade a blood donation camp was organized, SP, Sri Niti Sekhar, Reserve Police Sergeant, Mr Bhabani Prasad Jena, along with the police personnel’s donated 25 units of blood. For the first time in the district Supt of Police, inaugurated a new energy police satiation at Ichabatiguda, Nabarangpur town.

NABARD In Nabarangpur Dist. support to boost rural prosperity.

Nabarangpur.
NABARD Nabarangpur branch organized a meeting at the Misson Shakti Conference hall, on the on-going prgrammes and progress achievements in the district On Thrusday. In the meeting Collector, Sri.Sibabrata Dash, as the chief guest,while addressing a press conference DDM, of NABARD, Mr. Vijaya Dora, highlighted the various important achievements said that NABARD is committed and involved in the efforts to bring about the rural prosperity through effective credit support, institutional development and other innovative initiatives.
He revealed that NABARD has launched a Terracotta Cluster in the Tandaguda village of Papadahandi block in Nabarangpur, on 2nd July 2008. The focus was to utlize the traditional pottery skills for diversifying into artistic products of Terracotta. The programme is successfully being carried out. Regularly skill development and design development programmes are conducted by NABARD
To upgrade the skills and compete in the regular and emerging new markets.
Now through training and other support 105 of pottery families are in a position to supplement their incomes through a distinct brand name Tangdaguda Terracotta.
During the Mondei-2010 in Nabarangpur, Tandaguda Cluster has also bagged the first prize in recorded highest sales. In the Cluster Devlopment committee headed by the Collector, PDDRDA,AGM- NABARD, Chief Manager Lead bank, General Manager, DIC, BDO, Papadahandi, Branch Manager, Papadahandi and the NGO, Kalaniketan are the members reviews the progress of the cluster in every quarter.
NABARD adopted village in Papadahandi block under the village development programme,(VDP) as focus village in the year 2009, to focus on overall development of the village by concentrating the various NABARD and govt. schemes in the village to achieve economic, infrastructure, social and human development, education, health, sanitation, drinking water supply, formation of SHG, farmers club, producers group, watershed development activities, accumulation of micro enterprises, bank linkages, accretion relationship with different govt departments, socio-economic development for the local youth, women and children, propagate different govt scheme, market linkages for rural products and craft products and value chain management.

Though NABARD as frontrunner organization working relentlessly for promoting sustainable and equtable agriculture, rural development and other innovative initiatives, has lunched a unique three year programme of promoting sustem of rice intensification (SRI) in two blocks, Papadahandi and Kosagumuda of Nabarangpur district this year. A total of 377 farmers in 16 vilalges of the blocks are benefited form the programme.
NABARD has envisaged a new instrument to reach the land less farmers who were not able to get credit from banks as they do not own any land. This includes tenant farmers, oral lessess, sharp-croppers and those tribals who are using land given by forest department, but do not have title to the land.
Besides the programmes in Dabugam for Dhokra craft, of skill up gradation,Grass level training programmes were conducted in Umerkote and Papadahandi blocks, for Rural Infrastructure Fund,(RIDF) 24 crores loan has been given to the state govt. departments for Rural connectivity and 10 crores for irrigation since 2006. 97 lakhs were sanctioned under RIDF loan for irrigation in Nabarangpur. Mr. Dora thanks to the NGOs of district Kalaniketan, IWDS,SAHARA,READ,OPDSC,IAEET,SANKALP,NDSWAG,PRAYAS, AND HLES, who have partnered with NABARD in the efforts to do something extraordinary in the district. Among others LDM, P.K.Dash, DIPRO, Bhujang Bhusan Rao, NGO members present at the meeting.

Balasore to lock horns with Cuttack in Sahani Cup final

Nabarangpur: In the nail biting semifinal Balasore defeated Angul 1-0 and entered the final of the Sahani Cup Senior Inter Districts Football Tournament at Nabaragpur Stadium here on Friday. Antu Murmu of the winning team scored all important goals in 37th minutes. Balasore would meet Cuttack in the final of the Tournament.