Following is from http://pib.nic.in/release/release.asp?relid=59137.
The Ministry of Environment & Forests have identified 38 sites on a nation-wide basis as appropriate for planting of mangroves and their conservation and management. Of these, seven sites are in Orissa, They are Bhitarkanika, Mahanadi, Subernarekha, Devi-Kadua, Dhamra, Chilka and Mangrove Genetic Resources Centre (Kalibhanj-Dia). Proposals were received from State Forest Department, Govt. of Orissa for three sites viz. Bhitarkanika, Mahanadi and Devi-Kadua for which the Ministry sanctioned a sum of Rs. 123.29 lakhs.Rs. 83.406 lakhs has already been released during the current financial year.
Many of them raised various Railways related issue. MPs Bhakta Das and Sanjay Bhoi raised the issue about a medical college and a national university in Bhawanipatna. Following are news items from Dharitri and Samaja on this.
Following is an op-ed piece from Samaja on the Railways issue.
Following is from Samaja. Its unacceptable that Orissa only spent 650 crores out of the allocated 1100 crores for NREGS during 2008-2009. The unspent money could have built half of Khurda-Balangir line. The Orissa government needs to do a better job at spending this money.
The Statesman reports on this. Following are some excerpts.
The railway ministry continues to show its step-motherly attitude towards the Talcher – Bimlagarh railway line, which is one of the most important and vital railway links in the state. This is one of the most controversial railway projects, having been undertaken about forty years ago and is yet to witness completion. Every year money is put on this 200 kilometre project, for the purpose of keeping it alive.
Answering to a question raised by Mr Juel Oram, the MP, Sundergarh, Mr Velluraman the minister of state for railways, informed that the department has sanctioned an amount of Rs 15 crore for this railway link. The minister added that the amount has been allotted for expansion, survey and other such works needed before laying the railway track.
“The ministry is not very serious about it, for which it has been neglected for years. This little amount is meant to keep the project alive,” the official said. This vital link will certainly go a long way in improving the economic condition of the state, besides increasing the connectivity between western and coastal Orissa. This railway link will also provide an easy approach for goods to reach the Paradip port and it will earn more profit.