___________

Update2: Following is from a Pioneer report about Medicinal Plant’s garden in Patrapada.

At the Patrapada Medicinal Plants’ Garden, presently consisting of 50 species of bamboo trees, another 100 species of bamboos from across the globe will be planted.

CM Naveen Patnaik planted a Budha Belly bamboo sapling at the garden on Tuesday. He advised the high authorities of the Forest Department to develop the garden so that it can attract even international visitors.

It may be mentioned here that the garden is constructed over a land of 150 acres.

Update: Following is about Jayadev Batika on the back side of Khandagiri.

Following descriptions and pictures are from http://www.bdabbsr.in/bdaservlets/more4.jsp.

INDIRA GANDHI PARK (The old parade ground in front of the Secretariat and assembly)

Indira Gandhi Park was developed over an area of 10.60 acres of land. It is centrally located infront of Orissa Secretariat and State Assembly. Indira Gandhi Park was previously the parade ground of Bhubaneswar city, and is the place where Late Prime Minister Smt. Indira Gandhi delivered her last public speech on 30th October, 1984. The park was dedicated to the public with a statue of Smt. Indira Gandhi designed and sculptured by Russian sculptor Mr. Dimitry Ryebachev and Alexander Ryebachev.

BIJU PATTNAIK PARK (Earlier called Forest Park)

Biju Pattnaik park is located in front of Capital Hospital , Unit – 6. Biju Pattnaik park has a lot of forest species, ornamental trees, flowering and foliage shrubs with a view to provide a forest in the centre of the city. A statue of one of the greatest leaders of Orissa and former Chief Minister Late Biju Pattnaik was unveiled in the park on 5th March, 2002 by Sri Naveen Patnaik, Hon’ble Chief Minister, Orissa and the then Union Minister Steel & Mines Sj. Ram Vilas Paswan on theauspicious occasion of Biju Pattnaik Jayanti. The park covers an area of 22.00 Ac. Of land. Multiple jogging track, colourful fountain, children play corners, rosarium, rockeries etc are the main attractions of the park.

MAHATMA GANDHI PARK (Just north of Swosti Plaza hotel)

Mahatma Gandhi park has been developed by Bhubaneswar Development Authority on a part of 27.00 Ac of Janta Maidan. The park has landscape lawn, rockeries, fountain & stream jogging track, lighting system etc. The statue of Mahatma Gandhi  sitting in the prayer position is very attractive and a number of visitors coming to Bhubaneswar pay their homage to the Father of the Nation.

BUDDHA JAYANTI PARK (Near Niladri vihar and Shailashree vihar)

Horticulture Wing in Bhubaneswar Development Authority has started functioning from April, 1987. The Wing has developed and maintaining 51 nos. of parks & open spaces in and around Bhubaneswar City , Khurda & Jatni. The major parks are:

• Indira Gandhi park
• Bijupattnaik park
• Dr. Shyamprasad Mukharjee park
• Jawaharlal Neheru park
• Jayaprakash Narayan park
• Mahatma Gandhi park
• Buddha Jayanti park
• Kharvela park
• Netaji Subash Bose park and
• Panchasakha parks at M.L.A Colony

      In addition to these there are colony parks like:

• N-1 park, Nayapalli
• N-2 park (Raju Bhaya park), Nayapalli,
• N-3 park, Nayapalli
• Pallashpalli park
• Kapilprasad park
• BJB Nagara parks
• Sahid Nagar parks
• Bhoinagar park and
• Baramunda H.B Colony park are also developed by BDA

      The parks provided with garden lighting system are open to public in the evening, they are:

• Dr. Shyamprasad Mukharjee park,
• Buddha Jayanti park
• Bijupattnaik park
• Panchasakha Park
• Indira Gandhi park
• N-1 park, Nayapalli
• N-2 park(Raju Bhaya park), Nayapalli
• N-3 park,Nayapalli
• Indradhanu Market park
• Netaji park and
• Mahatma Gandhi park

        All these parks are opened to public from 4.00 PM to 8.00 PM & 5.00 AM to 8.00 AM. These parks are provided with pathways, jogging track, benches etc. to facilitate morning & evening visitors, Bijupattnaik park, N-2 park, Nayapalli and Kudiary park at Jatni are also provided with children play equipiments. All these parks are beautifully created parks with landscape lawn, shrubbery, flower beds, trees, rosarium, hedges, water bodies, sprinkler system and two parks have Sulabha Souchalaya & public convenience. At Indira Gandhi park & Bijupattnaik park visitors can park their vehicle by paying usual parking fee.

        Horticulture Wing also give permission for commercial shooting at different parks @ Rs. 2000/- per day. BDA has also developed a large public meeting place at Janta Maidan in front of NALCO Head Office at Chandrasekharpur over an area of about 22.00 Ac. The ground rent for booking of Janta Maidan to hold any public meetings/ conference, exhibition is Rs. 15,000/- (Rupees fifteen thousand) only per day for the entire field. Organisations can also book Maidan big patch @ Rs10,000/- per day & small patch @ Rs. 5,000/- per day.

        BDA Horticulture Wing has also developed a nursery at Laxmisagar, Bhubaneswar where a number of seasonal plants, sapplings are propagated. The annual production capacity of nursery is about 50,000 sapplings of different trees, shrubs, forest species etc. Seasonal saplings are produced more than two lakhs per annunm. Sapplings are sold to the public at very reasonable price. During monsoon, sapplings are also provided to NGOs, Residential Welfare Associations, Municipalities, public and private institutions, Schools and Colleges etc. at free of cost with prior approval of authority.

The Pal Heights mall is next to the Pal Heights hotel. This mall also has a small Oxford book store. Following is from a report in Pioneer.

Spencer’s Retail Limited launched its first store in the State, in the capital city on Friday. Company’s vice-president (Operation) and business head (East) Mohit Kampani opened the store at Pal Heights.

The outlet would offer a wide range of merchandise in food and grocery, fruits, vegetables, electrical and electronics, home and office essentials, garments and fashion accessories, toys and personal care items, imported food products and a speciality section and international cuisine like Thai, Chinese and Italian organic foods counter and fish and meat counter.

Spencer’s Retail Limited also plans to open another store in Bhubaneswar by the end of March.

• Chikiti , Ganjam
  • Patisonapur, Sonapur, Katuru, Chandanbada, Ekasingi
• Gopalpur, Ganjam
  • Dhepanuapada, Sasanapada, Phasinuapada, Indrakhi, Markandi, Lohadigam, Kirtipur, Kostapeta, Kamalpur, Hatipada, Golbanda, Boxipalli, Venketraipur, Gopalpur (NAC)
• Chhatrapur, Ganjam
  • Uppalaputi, Kalipalli, Basanaputi, Matikhala, Arjyapali, Humuribana, Podapadar, Agastinuagan, Jimi, Damodarpurpankalo, Ganjam (NAC), Pallibandha, Gokharakuda, Mayurapada, Jayamangalahil, Kantiagada, Nuagambarapalli, Padagadajhatipadar, Palurgada, Madhusudanpur, Prayagi
• Brahmagiri, Puri
  • Anikarapur, Nandala, Ramalenka, Brahmandeo, Hunjan, Pitisal, Baliapokhari, Udaygiri, Fatepur, Naba, Nababeatarea, Siandi, Gopalpur, Ora, Noliapatna, Jamuna, Alanda, Alandapatna, Titipia, Balianala, Mithakua, Nuapada, Deulapada, Biripadar, Kamalasing, Patharkata, Patanasi, Jharakata, Khirisahi, Kharisahi, Janhikuda, Bhabanipur, Parla, Gurubai, Berhampur, Maensa, Gopinathpurpatna, Alupatna, Satapada, Bankijala, Baghamunda, Sipakudapatna, Chandramara, Pirijipur, Banamalipurpatna, Mirjapur, Manika, Padanpur, Anandpur, Bhagbanpur, Manikpatna, Rameswarpur, Arakhakuda, Jenapur, Hasimpur, Sipasurubili, Narasinghpurpatna, Gorual
• Puri
  • Puri town, Balukhanda, Mohanipur, Beldal, Batulia Kesharpur, Bhimapur, Batulibhuan, Chhaitana
• Kakatpur, Puri
  • Gadabangor, Bangar, Sutan, Khalakata, Sahukbanata, Konark NAC, Dudhiabar, Jamara, Godhanpada, Abadan, Singharpal, Chhenua, Udaykani, Tandahar, Keutajanga, Rahakhandol, Daluakani, Chhuriana, Gundalaba, Sudikeswar, Sahana, Nanpur, Nuagarh, RIVER
• Balikuda-Ersama, Jagatsinghpur
  • RIVER, Badabali,  Dhanuhar Belari, Mankadakhia, Nadiakhia, Kusupur, Harispurgarh, Sahadabedi, RIVER, Padampur,  Jatadhartanda, Barkuda, Gadakujanga, Noliasahi, Polanga, Nuagaon, Gobindpur, Dhinikia, MUHANA, Abhayachandapur, Kansaripatia
• Paradeep, Jagatsinghpur
  •  Paradeep, Boitarakuda, Kaudia
• Mahakalapada, Kendrapada
  •  Hetamundia, Hukitola, Kansaridah, Baligarh, Bhitara-Kharinasi, Kharinasi, Jamboo, Kandara Pata, Banapada, Odiasala, Paunsiapal, Baro, Suniti, Chaulidiah
• Rajanagar, Kendrapada
  • Barunei muhana, Harishpur, Karanjia, Gohipur, Jurapanga, Bikeikani, Teisimouza, BaghaDiha, Paramandapur, Mohanpur, Govindapur, Kanhupur, Satavaya, Badagahiramatha, Kaduanasi, Sanagahiramatha, Habelichintamanipur, RIVER, Pravati, Ahirajpur, Sailendrasahi, Kantiakhai, Suravi, Rajapatna, Jyotiprasad, Birabhanjapur, Tikatatnagar, Talchua, Rajendranagar, Rajeswarinagar, Sailendranagar, Kanaknagar, Krishnanagar, Baghua, Subarnapur, Trilochanpur, Kamalpur, Saradaprasad, Dangamal, Nalitapatia, Govindpur, RIVER
•  Chandbali, Bhadrakh
  • RIVER, Kasturikana, Dhrubapahalipur, Rajendrapali, Rajarajeswarpali, Dakshinadhamara, Smal Wheeler, Jayadurgapatna, Jyosnamayee, Sabitrisarai, Amarnagar, Rabindranagar, Dosinga, Balisahi, Dhamara port, Coconat Island, Saratprasad, Kishoreprasad, Gouraprasad, Hrudayaprasad, Karanjamal, Narendrapur, Dhanakuta, Baincha, Kuamara, Karanapalli, Bijaypatna
• Basudevpur, Bhadrakh
  • Nandapatna, Balimunda, Badahabelisahi, Sanahabelisahi, Bideipur, Krushnapur, Kismatkrushnapur, Basudevpur (NAC), Chudamani port, RIVER, Adhuan, Eram, Kantipur, Kumarpur, Mohanpur, RIVER
• Soro, Balasore
  •  Kharasahpur, Kheranga, Maharudrapur, Balisahi
• Remuna, Balasore
  • Talapada, RIVER, Inchudi, Deulabad, Kantarda, Khadu, Rasalpur, Bhimpur, Kusumuli, Jayadebkasapa, Jayadevkasba, Nidhipada, Gudu, Hidigan
• Balasore
  • Chandipur, Budhbalanga river mouth, Srikona, Parikhi, Bagda, Dubulagadi, Sartha, Kasafal muhana, Kasafal
• Basta, Balasore
  • Jambhirai, Jamunasul, Chandamani, Aladiha, Balibil, Betagadia, Narayanpur, Dagara, Chaumukha, Kirtania port, Subarnarekha RIVER
• Bhograi, Balasore
  • Subarnarekha RIVER, Rasalpur, Kumbhirgari, Kirtaniajalpahi, N. M. Padia, Chandrabali,  Narayan Mohanty Padia, Talasari beach, SAND

Following is from a report in Business Standard.

The State Level Single Window Clearance Authority (SLSWCA) headed by Orissa chief secretary Ajit Kumar Tripathy today approved 2 thermal power projects with combined investment of Rs 16,140 crore.

This includes 1680 Mw thermal power project proposed by L &T with an investment of Rs 10,200 crore near Dhamra in Bhadrakh district and 1000Mw thermal power plant proposed by Jindal Steel and Power Ltd (JSPL) at Bainda in the Dhenkanal district with an investment of Rs 5940 crore.

SLSWCA, which considered 10 proposals in the power and steel sector today approved 2 proposals, rejected two proposals while deferring its decision on the remaining 6 proposals.

The two proposals which were rejected are Surya Chakra Power Company proposing to set up a thermal power plant at Balasore and Adhunik power proposing a thermal power plant at Banto in Bhadrakh district.

Talking to the media after the meeting, A K Meena, managing director, Industrial Promotion and Investment Corporation Ltd.(Ipicol) said, due to the non availability of water in different locations some proposals have either been rejected or deferred.

He said, SLSWCA approved the proposal of the L&T Ltd. subject to the condition that the company will use sea water for its plant. Besides, it will have to withdraw the case filed against Orissa government regarding the iron ore lease. It has been suggested that the company will be allowed to sign the memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the state government only after it meets the above two conditions. Similarly, SLSWCA recommended the proposal of the JSPL for setting up a thermal power plant subject to the participation of the company in the creation of water storage capacity in river Mahanadi. The proposals which were deferred are those of Tuff Energy, Tata Sponge Iron Ltd., JR Power Gen Ltd., Poysa Power Project Ltd., Jindal India Thermal Power (capacity expansion) and Lanco group (capacity expansion).

As per this page in the document prepared by IIT Kharagpur the population of the above complex in 2008 is 1.9 million.

Following is excerpted from a report in Economic Times.

… Bamboo, one of the most important forest produces in Orissa, is mostly used as raw material for the paper industry. However, it has great potential in Orissa for its multiple uses if managed well. Orissa has 9% of the country’s total bamboo forest cover and 7% of total growing stock of bamboo.

According to a study done by the Beijing-based International Network for Bamboo and Rattan, the market potential of bamboo and bamboo products from Orissa is more than Rs 600 crore per annum. This could increase at double the existing rate at 3.9%.

The state will require to produce 6.45 lakh tonne of raw bamboo every year to meet the demand of increasing market of bamboo. The state produces only 1.8 lakh tonne per annum. Bamboo in forest areas of Orissa grows as a mixed crop associated with sal and other species.

The mixed bamboo forest area is spread over about 17,795 sq km and pure bamboo forest (occurring mostly as bamboo brakes) is about 375 sq km. There are about 13 species of bamboo available in the state. The study says some 13 lakh villagers, most of them tribal, are directly dependent on bamboo production and business related to bamboo and its products.

“The maximum annual earning from current livelihood options — working in agricultural land, as labour and making bamboo handicrafts — in the surveyed villages is Rs 10,000. “Involvement in bamboo plantation and primary processing of bamboo by tribal communities can provide additional incomes up to Rs 12,000 per year. The potential of bamboo as a sustainable livelihood solution to the community in Orissa is thus a reality,” according to the study.

Orissa Bamboo Development Agency (OBDA) with support from National Bamboo Mission (NBM) and National Mission on Bamboo Application (NMBA) has already started promoting many alternative uses of bamboo like house building materials, particle boards, corrugated sheets, mat boards, ply boards, handicrafts, furniture, energy and charcoal, textile fibre and food.

The fresh young shoots (karadis in local name) procured from the forests by the tribals are also used as food and for adding taste and flavour in many regular dishes (after drying, locally known as hendua). Besides, most of the species of bamboo available in the state have edible shoots.

These shoots are of very high nutritional value, with low fat and considerable content of fibre, vitamins, and cellulose and amino acids, which make them a food item with great market potential. Meanwhile, OBDA has joined hands with Xavier Institute of management to explore the potential of bamboo and bamboo products from within and outside the state, according to Prof Neeraj Kumar, a faculty of rural management.

Following is an excerpt from a report in Business Standard.

The Airports Authority of India (AAI) under the Union ministry of civil aviation will sign a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Orissa government very soon for the development of a second airport in the state at Jharsuguda.

"We have already submitted the draft MoU to the state government and discussed the matter with the Orissa Chief Secretary for the development of the proposed airport at Jharsuguda", said PK Singhal, executive director, AAI (eastern region). At present, the state has only one full-fledged airport in Bhubaneswar.

He, however, said the commencement and completion of the new airport depends on the availability of land from the state government. Around 90 acres of land was required for the development of the airport at the industrial town of in south Orissa.

AAI would invest about Rs 80crore in the first phase of the project while the investment in the second phase would depend on the traffic of the airport, he stated.

… Singhal, however, ruled out any other proposal to develop or upgrade airstrips in the state to a full-fledged airport apart from Jharsuguda. “We have not received any other proposal from the government for the development of airport in the state apart from Jharsuguda", he said.

There are 16 airstrips and 12 helipads in the state for landing of aircrafts and helicopters.

There is also a plan to install radars in Jharsuguda. Following is an excerpt from a report in Hindu.

In a bid to strengthen security in the wake of Mumbai terror attack, Airport Authority of India will soon install three monopulse secondary surveillance radars (MSSR) in Orissa and West Bengal.

… The radars would be installed in Kolkata and Raniganj in West Bengal and Jharsuguda in Orissa for proper surveillance of aircraft moving in the region, Mr Singhal said.

At present only one MSSR is functioning here in Orissa’s Ganjam district since 1992.

The radar installed at Berhampur is capable of making surveillance up to 400 km in air path and functions without an airport, he said.

They are:

• Approval of Chakulia-Buramarra line with an estimate of 468 crores.
• Proposal of a line via Banki for goods trains. (A line from Naraj to Banki to Khurda will form a circular Railway around greater Bhubaneswar.)

Following is an excerpt from a report in Business Standard.

Indian Railways has planned major infrastructure facilities like freight nodal points, container park and a coaching complex to cater to the proposed Petroleum, Chemical and Petrochemical Investment Region in Paradeep.

… Mr KC Jena chairman of Railway Board said that “Paradeep is poised to emerge as one of the major industrial hubs in Orissa and it is also the site for the proposed PCPIR in the state. A master plan is being prepared for the Paradeep region and according to this plan, the Railways will set up infrastructure facilities like freight nodal points, container park and a coaching complex.”

Mr Jena said that the Railways is also committed to boost connectivity in the Paradeep region which includes the 82 kilometer Paradeep to Haridaspur broad gauge line, being taken up at an investment of INR 577.78 crore. East Coast Railway has acquired 1,146 acres of private land out of the total of 1,653 acres of land required for the project. This project being implemented by Rail Vikas Nigam Limited is scheduled for completion by March 2011.

… On the 290 kilometer Khurda Road to Bolangir project, Mr Jena said that “Work is already in progress for the first 36 kilometer stretch of the project and the fund for the second phase of the project is likely to be sanctioned in this year’s railway budget.” He added that the project had suffered delay due to land acquisition problems and a fast track committee for railway projects formed under the chairmanship of the Orissa Chief Secretary was making efforts to expedite the process of land acquisition.

Mr Jena added that the overall outlay for the various railway projects in Orissa stood at INR 1,049 crore in 2008-09, compared to INR 764 crore in the previous fiscal and the sanctioned figure excludes the projects being implemented by Rail Vikas Nigam Limited.

Following is an excerpt from a report in domain-b.

Tata Consultancy Services (TCS), the country’s largest exporter of information technology and IT-backed products, has opened a 1,000-seat software development centre at Bhubaneswar – TCS Kalinga Park – as the company extends its presence to Tier-II and Tier-III cities.

…  Spread over 45 acres of land, TCS Kalinga Park will have a capacity of 7,000 seats at full capacity, he added.

With over 70 per cent of campus hiring at TCS taking place at Tier II and Tier III cities, these centres will drive growth for the company,  he said.

TCS Kalinga Park, an approved special export zone (SEZ), also boasts of the country’s first Energy and Environmental Design (Leed)-rated IT campus.

Planning Commission secretary S Pani, who was instrumental in providing a boost to the IT sector in Orissa, said Bhubaneswar has the potential to become a major IT hub with at least 50,000 software developers.

The Tata Group, which has so far invested in a Ginger hotel and the TCS software development centre in Orissa, will also be investing in a mega-steel plant in the state.

”Orissa, regarded as a late starter in the nineties had emerged as a favored IT destination due to the congenial work environment and effective policy initiatives, ” said chief minister Naveen Patnaik while inaugurating the TSC Kalinga Park.

The chief minister also said the state government will soon get into the e-governance mode for all procurement and tendering processeses.

Following is an excerpt from a report in Business Standard.

The State Bank of India (SBI), the largest bank in the country, has picked up 19.7 per cent equity in Orissa-based Mayfair Hotels and Resorts (MHRL) through a private equity (PE) deal.

The deal was for 37,33,333 shares with a face value of Rs 10 each. … As a result, the subscribed equity base of the company has increased to 1,89,33,333 shares from 1,52,00,000 shares previously. Post-deal, the promoters’ share will be 80 per cent.

… Dilip Ray, chairman and the managing director of MHRL, said. He said, the company plans to hit the capital market with an initial public offer (IPO) in about 24 to 36 months after utilisation of the proceeds of the 19.7 percent equity issued to SBI. The timing of the IPO will depend on the market condition. The group is in the process of executing a Rs 260-crore expansion plan. While the company intends to raise about Rs 124-150 crore from the proposed IPO, the borrowing component is likely to be about Rs 65 to 75 crore. The remaining funds will be mobilised in the form of internal accruals. The new 5-star deluxe property of Mayfair Gangtok, developed by a subsidiary, is expected to be commissioned by March 2009.

Meanwhile, the company has forayed into western India tourist circuit through acquisition of of an existing 32-room hotel at Betul Beach in Goa. This unit will be operational by September 2009 after refurbishment and upgradation to a 5-star boutique at an investment of about Rs 25 crore.

MHRL has been achieving an annual growth of 22 per cent for the past four years and has completed the expansion of its four operative properties at Bhubaneswar, Puri, Rourkela and Darjeeling by adding 52 rooms with additional facilities. Post-expansion, MHRL will have an inventory of 600 rooms spread over 12 properties in ten locations, sources said. It intends to add three properties at Puri (second unit), Cuttack and Chilika, which will add 134 rooms to the inventory. Since land for these projects are available, Cuttack and Puri properties are expected to be operational by June 2010. Similarly, Chilika property is expected to be operational by September 2010. The land acquisition for the Paradeep and Jharsuguda property will be taken up in 2011 and the entire process of expansion will be completed by June 2011, sources added.

The company achieved a turnover of Rs 48.5 crore in 2007-08 with a net profit of Rs 9.27 crore. Despite the slowdown, it hopes to achieve a turnover of Rs 60 crore in 2008-09 with expected net profit of Rs13 crore.

“Nowhere the slowdown has impacted our business. We have 100 per cent occupancy in our Bhubaneswar, Puri and Rourkela property,” Ray added.

Following is an excerpt from a report in tathya.in.

… Mr.Agarwal impressed upon the Chief Minister that his group is eager to expand the .50 million ton smelter in Jharsuguda to a 1.6 million ton per annum (MTPA). 

Naveen Patnaik, asked the Chief Secretary to look into the matter finalize the expansion program, said sources. 

Mr.Agarwal updated the Chief Minister about the status of Vedanta’s ongoing projects in the state here on 3 January..

The Alumina Project at Lanjigarh, Smelter and Power Projects at Jharsuguda and the University project at Puri is being implemented by the Vedanta group.

On Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) front, adoption of 400 anganwadis, providing education for 14000 children at Kalahandi are being implemented, briefed Mr.Agarwal.

Mr. Agarwal agreed to extend the coverage to 40000 children and agreed to introduce the Mid Day Meal scheme for 30000 primary and the secondary level school student in the state through Nandi and Sterlite Foundation as the Chief Minister requested him.

He also announced a 100 bedded state-of-the-art multi-speciality hospital at Jharsuguda will provide medical facility to the local people.

Chairman Vedanta group reiterated his earlier commitment to build a 1000 bedded super-specialty hospital at Puri.

It was also informed that the design and the engineering has been completed and construction is to begin soon.

In addition Mr Agarwal put forth his plans of setting up of a downstream Aluminium Park in collaboration with the government to promote as many as 600 small and medium scale industries at Jharsuguda. 

The project will generate large scale employment opportunities and additional economic activities in the region.

Currently the Vedanta Group’s investment commitments are in excess of Rs 50,000 crores, half of which has already been invested in various projects of Orissa.

Vedanta is presently generating a huge number of direct and indirect employment for approximately 25000 people, eighty percent of which belong to the state of Orissa.

After the meeting the CM, Mr Agarwal told reporters that all the ongoing projects of Vedanta would continue as per schedule in spite of the recent global recession.

He also assured that in his personal capacity he would make all possible efforts to complete the Vedanta University Project, a world class University at par with the Havard and Stanford University of U,S.A.

He has already committed personal contribution of Rs 5000 crore towards this project.

Note, that Jajpur-Rd Duburi is also being 4-laned. With all these 4-laning, Kalinganagar area will be surrounded by four 4-lane segment: NH-5, NH-200, NH-215 and Jajpur Rd-Duburi.

(The above map fragment is from an wikipedia map.)

There will also be two four lane paths from Kalinganagar area to Rourkela.

 With approved plans to four-lane NH 42 between Angul and Sambalpur, the state govt. needs to four lane the segment between Angul and Talcher to have a seamless 4-lane transition between NH-42 and NH-200 at Angul-Talcher.

There is plan to four-lane Bhubaneswar-Puri. The Orissa government should pursue the four-laning of the following:

• NH-42 from Cuttack to Angul
• NH-23 from Talcher to NH-6

The Orissa government should team up with Jharkhand to 4-lane

• NH-23 from Rourkela to Ranchi
• NH-83 from Jamshedpur to NH-6
• NH-5 between NH-6 and Balasore (the last two need for port access in the upcoming ports in the Balasore district)

The Orissa government should team up with West Bengal, Jharkhand, Chhatisgarh and Maharashtra for four-laning NH-6 completely.

These actions will 4-lane the upper part of Orissa with fairly direct 4-lane paths from many areas of Orissa to Delhi and Mumbai. (Fairly direct 4-lane connections exist between Orissa to the south and Kolkata.)

Following is from http://pib.nic.in/release/release.asp?relid=46329.

The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs today gave its approval for the development of 4 laning of (i) Panikoili-Keonjhar-Rimouli, (ii) Rimouli-Roxy-Rajmundra sections of NH-215 and (iii) Chandikhole-Duburi-Talcher Section of NH-200 in the State of Orissa under NHDP Phase III A on BOT Basis.

The project cost of (i) Panikoili-Keonjhar-Rimouli section (163 km) is estimated as Rs.1170.59 crore including Rs.84.40 crore towards Land Acquisition (LA), Rehabilitation and Resettlement and preconstruction. Similarly, the estimated cost for Rimouli-Roxy-Rajmundra (106 km) and Chandikhole-Duburi-Talcher Section (133 km) are Rs.849.05 crore and Rs.969.63 crore respectively. The cost towards LA, R&R and preconstruction of other two projects are Rs.195.29 crore and Rs.185.63 crore respectively. The Government would provide the viability gap funding (VGF), which would not exceed 40% of the total project cost excluding the cost of LA, R&R and pre-construction.

The project will be developed by the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) through the Private Sector Concessionaires who will be selected by NHAI following two stage bidding process. The first stage of the bidding process i.e. pre-qualification of the bidders has already been completed by NHAI. The second stage of bidding process is in progress.

The Concession period for the Panikoili-Keonjhar-Rimouli section will be 20 years. For Chandikhole-Duburi-Talcher Section and Rimouli-Roxy-Rajmundra section the concession period is 18 and 25 years respectively.

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Following is from http://pib.nic.in/release/release.asp?relid=46317.

The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs today approved the project of Construction of Deep Draught Coal Berth at Paradip Port on Build, Operate and Transfer (BOT) basis at an estimated cost of Rs.479.01 crore, out of which Rs.408.90 crore will be borne by the BOT operator while Rs.70.20 crore will be borne by the Paradip Port Trust. The length of the approved BOT Coal Berth would be 370 meter, alongside depth of (-)17.1 meter which will be capable of handling vessels of 1,25,000 Dead Weight Tonnage (DWT) and will have developed stacking area of about 1,47,000 sqm. The project is to be implemented within a period of 36 months from the date of award of the concession.

The following are the benefits/results of the project:

(i) The project will help in de-congestion of Port due to handling of coal in higher capacity vessels upto 1,25,000 DWT.

(ii) Reduce Sea freight which will make imports cheaper.

(iii) Boost the industrial economy in the hinterland of Port leading to creation of job opportunities.

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Following is from http://pib.nic.in/release/release.asp?relid=46319.

The CCEA has approved the revision of the rates of royalty for uranium as per recommendations of the Study Group. Accordingly, royalty rates for Uranium would be levied on ad-valorem basis on the basis of compensation amount paid to the Uranium Corporation of India Limited (UCIL), at the rate of 2% of the compensation amount received by the UCIL, to be apportioned on state wise basis as per the details provided by the Department of Atomic Energy.

The Government has taken several initiatives to streamline exploration and mining of mineral Uranium in the country. One of the issues pertained to providing a fair compensation tot he State Governments for the mineral mined out from their territory. While the Government is working out a proposal for revision of royalty rates for all minerals, a considered decision has been taken to enhance the royalty rates of mineral Uranium immediately, keeping the fact in view that uranium is a strategic mineral and mining operations in this sector is restricted to Public Sector only. Royalty on minerals is payable to the State Governments by a holder of a mining lease in respect of any mineral removed or consumed by him from the leased area.

In terms of the provisions of the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Act, 1957, the rates of royalty can not be enhanced more than once in a period of three years. The existing rates of royalty for minerals including Uranium, other than minor minerals, coal, lignite of royalty for Uranium can be enhanced any-time after 14.10.2007.

In order to review the rates of royalty and dead rent the Government constituted a Study Group under the Chairmanship of the Additional Secretary (Mines) with the representatives of the State Governments of Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Karnataka, Orissa, Rajasthan, Ministry of Steel, Department of Atomic Energy, Indian Bureau of Mines, and the Federation of Indian Mineral Industries as members. The Study Group noted that the details on domestic production and domestic pricing of uranium are not available in public domain. Further the mining operations of uranium are exclusively done by public sector, with limited captive use. Thus for the sake of transparency, the Study Group recommended that the compensation paid by the Government to the public sector undertakings involved in mining and processing of uranium, would be used as the reference point for determining royalty payable to the State Governments.

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Following is an excerpt from a report in expressbuzz.

The State Government today decided to develop Puri as a mega tourism circuit with an investment of Rs 50 crore.

An outlay of Rs 30 crore will be made in the next budget for the project that includes improvement of Badadanda (grand road), beautification of Puri town and sea beach, dynamic lighting system of Jagannath temple and Gundicha temple, development of parks and parking lots and construction of a tourist complex.

The high-level meeting chaired by Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik also decided to give a facelift to the peripheral areas of Puri, a major tourist attraction.

At Satapada, a sunset viewpoint and a park will be developed. There will be tourist jetty at Sipaguda and Rajahansa, official sources said. Plans are afoot to paint the buildings lined up on both sides of the Badadanda with a unique colour to give an added attraction to the Puri town. This will be done in consultation with various stakeholders.

While additional parking places for vehicles will be created in various parts of the city, arrangements will be made to ease out traffic during festivals like Rath Yatra. There will be three interchanging nodes within the town to evacuate traffic. It has been proposed to set up a multi-media museum called Srikhetra Sankrutika Sangrahalay. Vending zones will be set up on the sea beach to keep it clean and free from pollution.

Special board and lodging arrangements will be made for tourists. A few tourist complexes will be developed in various locations.

It has been estimated that about 34 lakh out of 52 lakh tourists coming to the State every year visit Puri.

Following is from a report in Expressbuzz.com.

… a group of non-resident Oriyas have joined hands to set up Orissa’s first Nuclear Medicine Centre. The state-of-the-art facility under the name of Utkal Institute of Medical Sciences would be inaugurated here tomorrow.

Nuclear medicine has emerged as an important speciality not only for pinpointed diagnosis of complex diseases and conditions but also treatment procedures. It utilises radio isotopes produced in nuclear reactors for diagnostic and therapeutic purposes. The dynamic and functional parameters along with the capability to detect substances at molecular levels has made it complementary to CT, MRI and USG-based scans of the body.

According to Director and Chief of Nuclear Medicine of the Institute Prof BK Das, the Nuclear medicine is useful in cardiology, endocrinology, neurology and nephro-urology and Oncology (cancer). It helps in making accurate diagnosis, assessing prognosis and selecting the most cost-effective therapy as well as monitoring of its efficacy.

While Nuclear medicine has become an integral part of healthcare in other countries, in India it is in its infancy. With a population of over 100 crores, the country has only 175 facilities, mostly in the private sector.

Orissa with over four crore people has no such facility and for investigations and therapy patients have to go to either Kolkata, Delhi and Chennai.

Update: Following is an excerpt from a report in Hindu.

…“The Defence Research Development Organisation (DRDO) had objected to construction of a port at Inchudi which was close to test range at Chandipur”, Chief Secretary Ajit Kumar Tripathy said after holding a discussion with the DRDO personnel here on Frida y.

The state government, which was planning at least five ports in Balasore coast, had received green signal from DRDO for four other ports at Bahalpur, Chudamani, Chandipur and Kirtania. Only one port at Inchudi was objected to, he said.

Meanwhile, the state government had already signed MoU with a private firm for setting up a port at Kirtania. The DRDO objected to the port at Inchudi because it fell within the 50 km range of the test range at Chandipur. The state government, however, claimed that though the Revenue village at Inchudi came under the 50 km radius of the test range, the proposed port is located at its border and well outside the specified distance.

The state government’s argument was not accepted by the DRDO officials who attended the meeting and asked the administration to submit a detailed project report with the Defence ministry again before going ahead with the port proposal at Inchudi.

Following is an excerpt from a report in Pioneer.

The Ministry of Defence has raised objections to the ports like Enchudi, Chandbali, Kirtania, Bahabalpur and Chudamani. However, the State Government has raised objections to it. It has pointed the DRDO had passed the proposals in way back in 1996. The Government officials pointed out that it should have raised the objections at that time when the State submitted proposals for their clearance.

Meanwhile, a high-level team of Defence officials called on the Chief Secretary and discussed these issues. “We will soon sort out the problem. Efforts would me be made to keep the interest of the State,” said the team leader of the Defence officials. The State Government has already singed MoU for the Kirtania port.

Following is an excerpt from a report in Telegraph.

Gently slipping into its silver edition, Nandikar’s National Theatre Festival must receive a standing ovation for persevering annually over 25 years, providing Calcuttans the only sustained platform to see a wide spectrum of Indian theatre. Even if some invitees have proved substandard recently, even if the full houses caused by serpentine overnight queues in the past have vanished thanks to TV, the organizational achievement remains undiminished.

Almost without fail, at least one surprise every year has won us over. This time, Natya Chetana (from outside Bhubaneswar) did the trick with dramatist-director Subodh Pattanaik’s Mati in Oriya, though we might have expected it on the strength of their Katha in 2002. Among those few Indian troupes to live and work on a rural commune, Natya Chetana admirably pursues theatre for social development. Mati (both earth and mother) manages to connect all of India’s present woes, perhaps too causally, but nonetheless passionately. An American in top hat and stars-and-stripes (an unnecessarily simplistic demonization, the only flaw) sells hybrid seeds to farmers through politicians and middlemen; eventually yields suffer and the villagers are exploited, paving the way for Maoist intervention and violence. The grounds for the spread of insurrection are sympathetically delineated. The collective performs energetically (especially the main family, in the picture) and Pattanaik designs another trademark bamboo-and-cloth set, made exclusively of natural material.