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Following is an excerpt from a New Indian Express report on this.

Expanding its business portfolio, the Kolkata-based Saraf Group, promoters of Forum Mart shopping malls, has now decided to set up a titanium plant at Chhatrapur in Ganjam district.

The plant will be set up over 600 acres of land at an investment of Rs 2,000 crore in collaboration with the Russian Government. Production is likely to start by 2009- end.

This was disclosed by Saraf Group chairman S M Shroff while talking to mediapersons here on Tuesday. He said the project had received approval of the State Government and an MoU would be signed soon. The company had already acquired 200 acres.

He also announced setting up of two more shopping malls in the State, buoyed by the success of Forum Mart here. Both the malls – to come up in the Capital city and in Berhampur, would also have four-screen multiplex. The projects are likely to be completed by 2009-end.

Following is an excerpt from Newkerala.com on this.

He said the Government would put on tracks ‘Southern Splendour express’ covering most of the tourist spots in Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and Orissa at a cost of Rs 40 crore, for which the Railway Ministry had approved.

An excerpt from Zeenews is as follows:

Palace on wheels a special train for tourism would be taken up with a total outlay of Rs 40 crores connecting Tamil Nadu, Orissa and Andhra Pradesh, Reddy said and added orders were placed for 19 bogies for this purpose.

1. Deecan Herald, Bangalore  On Puri and Raghuraj pur. Excerpts: “There you have 752 ovens,” he said and grinned at me. I got more attentive to the building and to what the panda (priest) had been saying about the famous Jagannath Temple of Puri in Orissa. “We have 400 cooks and 200 helpers and four to five lakhs of earthen handis of prasadam are cooked every day, consisting of ghee-rice, khichdi, different vegetable preparations and a host of sweetmeats,” he added. We were still at the stepped courtyard that leads to the Pidha deul (outer sanctum) of the temple.

   There seemed to be a preoccupation with food, I thought. And Dasarathji soon explained why. “Lord Vishnu wakes up in Dwarka in the west, meditates in Badrinath in the north and then takes his bath at Rameswaram in the south,” he said. I now understood the bathing ritual at Rameswaram I had witnessed there some years ago. Dasarathji continued, “Then the Lord comes here, to Puri, to have His food.”

2. OutlookIndia.com on the aftermath of the 1999 super-cyclone. Excerpts: The figures speak for themselves. Practically every family that lost their home received money to construct a concrete house. Some 221 healthcare units were built or restored along with nearly a thousand km of road, 500 agro-service centres, 2,555 lift-irrigation facilities, 8,890 primary schools and 1,149 high school buildings. …                                                                                                                                                                                               "We’ve trained people from each coastal village in rescue operations and first aid. They form the backbone of the shelters and we hold refresher courses for them once in three months," OSDMA MD Nikunja K. Sundaray told Outlook. In addition, the agency has drawn on personnel from the state armed police to form the Orissa Disaster Rapid Action Force (ODRAF), which has platoon-strength units stationed in five coastal locations. Four hundred communication posts, equipped with VHF sets and satellite phones, are strung out along the coast to provide early warnings.

   The agency proved its mettle on September 13, when a tsunami warning sounded in the early evening. "Within a few minutes, people in all the coastal districts were alerted," Sundaray said. "And within two hours, we had evacuated lakhs of people to safer places, including the cyclone shelters." In fact, the UNDP was so impressed that it is now studying their response mechanism as a model for other countries. On its own initiative, the OSDMA is offering disaster management consultancy to other states.

   Orissa received thousands of crores of rupees in aid after the cyclone.Amazingly, not a single allegation of corruption or irregularities in distribution of relief has surfaced. Baijayant (Jay) Panda, the BJD MP, recalls that immediately after coming to power in early 2000, CM Naveen Patnaik drew up guidelines to ensure that "relief, rehabilitation and reconstruction had to be efficient and transparent, without any bias and corruption," and that all such projects were strictly monitored. "We’ve evolved a set of clear benchmarks and ‘best practices’ that are now being emulated by other states," he told Outlook. Even Opposition leaders in Orissa concede the remarkable achievements of the government’s relief and rehab efforts, which have shown that a gust of ill wind can be harnessed to blow some good.

3. OutlookIndia.com on Bhubaneswar and the accessibility of Orissa government. Excerpts: Orissa’s rulers and administrators have maintained Bhubaneswar’s ethos, unlike in West Bengal where we have defiled, destroyed or made ugly even what we inherited from the British. Bhubaneswar is not congested, and never will be, since building regulations are strictly implemented unlike in Kolkata where politicians sponsor slums and unauthorized colonies that have made this city not only an urban mess, but one of the ugliest in the world.

   Bhubaneswar was devastated just eight years ago by the super-cyclone; the city not only displays no signs of that, but has learnt from that experience and adopted a number of measures to cope with such calamities in future. Kolkata would have wallowed in that misery for decades and used it to justify its miserable state.

   Clean & Efficient

   There’s an air of efficiency to everything in Bhubaneswar. On a visit to the state secretariat there, I couldn’t help comparing it to our Writers’ Building. A well-manicured, lush garden greets visitors, unlike the chaos that reigns supreme outside Writers’. Inside, I was surprised by the absence of any crowds. There were no pot-bellied cops lounging around, no pan-chewing hangers-on, no parasitic touts, no babus scurrying around with bulky files, no peons chatting in the corridors and loud crowds waiting to gain entry to meet ministers and bureaucrats. Even the Chief Minister’s Secretariat looked uncluttered, free of fixers and the babus all seemed to be working.

   I’m told that after coming to power in 2000, Naveen Patnaik brought about this sea change. Touts, fixers and other undesirables were banned entry. Visitors’ entry was streamlined and ministers and bureaucrats asked to devote time to meet people instead of keeping them waiting. The administration was made extremely responsive, efficient, transparent, and largely honest. The number of cops on duty at the secretariat was sharply reduced to the bare minimum. All employees were asked to be courteous and helpful and turn up for work smartly.

   The secretariat building is simple, but clean and well-maintained, sans all those employees’ union posters, betel-leaf stains, dust, cobwebs and garbage that predominates Writers’. Overall, the seat of governance in Orissa is a pleasant place and emits a positive aura that not only puts visitors at ease, but also conveys the impression that works gets done. It does, and I found that out first-hand.

   Accessible To All

   Having encountered, quite frustratingly, Bengal’s politicians and bureaucrats for the past few years, meeting their Orissa counterparts was like inhaling a breath of fresh air. I sought, and got, appointments with top bureaucrats at very short notices. In Kolkata, everyone would have made me wait for days and in only very rare cases would have agreed to meet me. It is quite easy to meet Ministers and the Chief Minister or to talk to them over the phone, unlike in Bengal where ministers and bureaucrats make themselves inaccessible.

Update: The Orissa government tourism home page has a link to the list of tourist spots in Orissa.

In 2002-03 Raghurajpur (in Puri district) was the first village to be put in this list. This was followed by Pipli (in Khordha district) in 2004-05 and Khiching (in Mayurbhanj district) in 2005-06. The four new villages that are being added are Hirapur (in Khordha district), Barapali (in Baragarh district), Padmanavapur (in Ganjam district) and Deolajhari (in Angul district). Hirapur is famous for the 64 Yogini temple and the villages around it also make a lot of bronze utensils and artifacts. Barapali is famous for Pata Sarees – Sambalpuri style, while Padmanavapur is also famous for Pata Sarees – albeit of a different style. Deolajhari is near a waterfall. Following is Dharitri’s report on this.

Update: The Orissa government’s tourism web page has additional information on the Shamuka beach project.

Following is an excerpt on this from Expresshospitality.com.

Shamuka Beach in Orissa near Puri is being developed as a high-end luxury tourism destination by the Orissa Tourism Development Corporation. The department has acquired a 1000 acre property south of Puri, and is in the process of acquiring 2000 acres more. It is a natural island and is being developed by the name Shamuka Beach project. Divulging further details about the project, Asit K Tripathi, secretary, Orissa Tourism, says, "It is going to be one of India’s best integrated, dedicated and up market tourism project, with only 5-star hotels. We had advertised and the response has been overwhelming. We have got responses from leading players in the country as well as abroad. ITC-Welcomgroup, the DLF-Hilton combine, Taj Hotels Resorts and Palaces, IHHR’s Ananda Spa, Casino Group of Hotels Earth (CGH Earth), The Oberoi Group, Apeejay Surrendra Group, Marriott International, and Carlson Hotels Asia Pacific have all shown interest. We can allot land to approximately 20 national and international hotel brands. We are coming out with a blue print to develop infrastructure. The third stage will be to establish a golf course and convention center. This will raise the value of Orissa as a leisure destination." "Although we have 934 hotels in Orissa and 2000 rooms, the majority cater to primarily low spending groups, and the rest target high spending tourists or corporates. With this initiative, within 1-2 years, we will have more quality rooms," says Devi Prasad Mishra, tourism minister, Orissa. Samukha Beach and Puri, as well as industrial growth centers like Paradeep, Talcher, Kalinganagar, as well as Jharsuguda and Angul have generated interest from the hospitality industry in recent times – especially budget hotels and business hotels. The no-frills brand of The Indian Hotels Company, Ginger Hotels opened their first hotel in Bhubaneshwar. Carlson Hotels Asia Pacific plans to open its Radisson Hotels & Resorts in Chilika, Puri and Bhubaneswar. Cabana Group, the master licensee of the world-renowned chain of hotels – Best Western International from California is setting-up an international standard culinary college cum 5-star property in Bhubaneswar, and is eyeing Puri to develop the brand.

Following is an article and a photo from Dharitri on this.

Pioneer reports that an oyster park will be created in Puri.

Excerpts”

The Puri coast will soon have an international oyster development project covering about 3,000 acres of the sea beach to attract more and more tourists from abroad. 31 corporate giants and industrial houses both from India and abroad, for which the State Government received applications recently, will fund this ambitious project.Announcing this to the Press, State Tourism Minister Debi Prasad Mishra said that in addition to this, global quotations would be invited for the establishment of a new ‘Conference and Golf Tourism’ in the same belt in Puri district as the State has vast potential for such type of ventures for tourism development .

The Government has also decided to go ahead with a new project named ‘Camp Tourism’ in the vast coastline connecting Puri, Rajahansa in Chilika, Sanaparikuda and Harachandi Temple to attract tourist traffic to various spots.

For this, the Government has introduced a Mega Circuit Area Development Project to operate in the area.

The Minister further said that the Government is hopeful of at least 20 per cent increase in tourist flow to the State this year. He said special attention would be given for heritage tourism, cultural tourism, eco tourism, beach tourism, Buddhist — Jain temple tourism and tribal and rural tourism.“

Update: Tathya.in has a nice article on this. Following is an excerpt.

The temple of Taratarini, the twin Goddesses, is situated on the top of a blue capped hill of Purusottampur, only 32 KM from Berhampur.

The following invitation for bids is for

• the construction of a Garden of peace at Dhauli which will include an amphitheater, and
• group housing scheme at Gadkana.

Following is an excerpt from a Pragativadi report.

The capital city of the state, Bhubaneswar, is the oldest city of the world that grew up 5000 years ago.

This historic evidence, unearthed by the Indian National Trust for Arts and Cultural Heritage (INTACH) in its survey report, was submitted to the Orissa government on Thursday.

The report that has proposed the state government to take necessary measures by writing a letter to the United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organisation (Unesco) to declare Bhubaneswar as a heritage city, has been accepted in principle by the government. …

The survey report states that the state capital city traces its history to the 4th Century BC, when it was the capital of the Kalinga empire.

In the 7th Century BC, the city became the capital of the Sailodbhava kings under whose reign it had witnessed a golden era.

In the next 500 years, during the reign of the Sailodbhava over 7,000 temples each of a unique design were built.

These temples are architectural wonders in terms of their decorations and hand carved designs.

This great architectural tradition, flourished till 17th Century.

Bhubaneswar is one of the richest cities in India where Lord Shiva is known as Tribhuvaneswara or Lord of the Three Worlds, from which the city derives its name. Bhubaneswar is also known as temple town and Cathedral city on account of its many temples in the extravagant Orissan style that are a true manifestation of the architectural potential of the people of this historic city.

Some of the temples of Bhubaneswar have stood witness to the history of this city that dates back to 25 centuries.

During the meeting, the INTACH representatives briefed the chief minister that about 199 temples Bhubaneswar and 239 in Puri were unprotected monuments.

The chief minister later directed the concerned officials to spend funds from the 12th Finance Commission (TFC) to preserve the monuments.

He also directed the officials to take steps for the protection of all maths near Jagannath Temple in Puri.

The archaeology department would remain in charge of the conservation of these temples and maths.

The meeting also decided to paint all the buildings near Bindusagar in a single colour.
All care would be taken to clear encroachers from the sides of historical monuments.

(a picture of Dolphins in Satapada from the Orissa government photo gallery)

New Indian express reports that an ecological park will be setup in Satpada. Satpada is famous for Irrawady dolphins in the area. Following are excerpts from the New Indian Express article.

“Satpada, the approach to the home of Irrawady dolphins in Chilika, will soon have a distinct feel and look about it. Almost everything about this tourist spot would now connect either to the brackish water lagoon or to its rare aquatic species.

A theme-based park and illumination based on dolphins will be the highlight of the face-lift that the State Government is planning for this tourist site.

The tourist arrival in Chilika through Satpada is on the rise – from 76,000 in 2005 to 96,000 in 2006 and the Government is keen to leverage from it.

The Centre for Environment Education (CEE), Ahmedabad, has been roped in by Chilika Development Authority (CDA) to conceptualise and design an eco-park at Satpada over a 4.5 acre land near the latter’s visiting centre.

Estimated at a budget of Rs 15 lakh, the park’s central theme will revolve around Chilika itself. “The park will give tourists a feel of the ambience of the lagoon. Special sections on avian and aquatic species of Chilika will find place in the park,” CDA Chief Executive Dr Sudarshan Panda said.

Besides, CDA has also tied up with a private sector electrical major which has designed what it terms ‘dolphin-lights’ for the first time. Panda said, the lights are designed in dolphin shape and are going to be launched at Satpada where streetlights will be installed over a stretch of 400 metres.

Apart from disseminating information about the lagoon, these measures will also put up a strong case for conservation needs of the lagoon. The Orissa Government has already banned use of polythene bags in the lagoon and CDA has been authorised to implement it.

Panda said a local development committee is also being constituted to look after maintenance of the new installations. The committee will have power to collect parking fees from tourists and maintain streetlights in days to come.”

Following are excerpts on this from a New Indian Express report.

… Island tourism is a big hit elsewhere, but Orissa is waking up to it now for the first time. The Orissa Tourism and Chilika Development Authority have joined hands to launch it at three islands near Muggermukh from November.

Over 96,000 tourists – domestic and foreign – visited Chilika taking Satpada route in 2006 but most visitors take a boat ride, look to sight dolphins and go back home. But both Tourism Department and CDA want tourists to spend more time in the lagoon and that’s how the Island Tourism concept came into their minds.

The three islands near Muggermukh were identified by the CDA. Created out of dredged materials, the islands are of different sizes – largest being 21 acre and the smallest spread over eight acre.

According to Director, Tourism Rabi Narayan Nanda, private operators will be roped in to provide 3-star and 4-star tenting accommodation for visitors. …

The private vendor would take care of the transportation through fast-moving boats, food and accommodation, lighting as well as security measures. In fact, this will be marketed in attractive tourist packages, he said.

Called Dredged Islands 1, 2 and 3, these three are free from forest laws and do not come under Coastal Regulatory Zone provisions making the task easy for Tourism Department well as CDA. However, no construction will be allowed in the islands.

“We’ve developed these islands and carried out extensive plantation. Babul, Neem and Casuarina plants have given them a whole new face,” Chief Executive of CDA Sudarshan Panda said.

Following is an excerpt on this from a New Indian Express report.

… Orissa is bracing up for a new addition to its tourism development initiatives.

It is set to launch home stay facilities for both foreign and domestic travellers in major tourist destinations across the State.

Further under the Bed and Breakfast Establishments scheme of Indiatourism, the home stays would first be introduced in Bhubaneswar and the most popular destinations of Puri and Konark.

Indiatourism aims at harnessing about 100 households, majority of them in Bhubaneswar, during the first year 2007- 08 to provide the facilities, which would be expanded to other parts.

The basic objective is to establish and consolidate a supplementary accommodation infrastructure ready to absorb increasing inflow while providing opportunities for the tourist to experience the life and customs of the region concerned, real and up close.

Around 40,000 foreign tourists visited Orissa last year and the inflow has shown a growth rate of over 10 percent annually. With the numbers rising the pressure on providing hotel accommodation has begun tightening and so alternative measures are explored.

… Delhi also joined the list recently and is aggressively marketing it in view of the Commonwealth Games 2010.Any house owner can become a home stay facility provider, if he meets the stipulations – that of providing a truly ethnic atmosphere to the guest while maintaining stringent quality standards.

Well-maintained house and guest rooms with comfortable bathrooms conforming to Western practices, clean and sanitised kitchens, living and dining rooms or spaces along with offering proper guest services are the prime requisites.

The house owner has to stay in the same house too. Interested households would be selected through an inspection and listed by Indiatourism and promote them internationally.

The housekeepers shall be provided training in guest and room services, housekeeping, sanitation, etc, free. The rental would be decided by the house owners themselves and they would keep all the earnings themselves.

Following is an excerpt from a report in Telegraph.

… Forum Projects, which now has a land bank worth over Rs 3,500 crore, is also investing big beyond Bengal. …

A mixed-use city-centre development in Adityapur across 22.5 acres with hospitals, club, cineplex, retail, residential and conferencing facilities, and a 550,000-sq ft lifestyle mall in Bhubaneswar with 1,200 car parks are the other large-format projects on the group’s 5.5 million-sq ft retail roadmap.

The New Indian Express has a report regarding plans to revamp the Padmatola Lake in Balasore district to attract eco-tourists. Following is an excerpt.

The lake in a picturesque location at Kansa near Nilagiri, is spread over 41.26 acres. Migratory birds in large numbers visit it during winter. The Kuldiha sanctuary is also about 10 km away.

The package described below are:

• Photo IDS for weavers within the next two years.
• Annual training to improve productivity and skill for 2000 weavers.
•  Apparel design and training centers in Cuttack, Berhampur, Sambalpur, Rourkea and Baripada.
• Development of a fund for the welfare of weavers.
• A raw material bank for handloom materials.
• Integrated project in handloom in Nuapatana.
• Building of 1000 worksheds.
• A handloom museum in Bhubaneswar.

Following are excerpts from a Pragativadi report:

For the first time, the state government, under its eco tourism has decided to set up camps inside the forest for the tourists, to be known as the eco camp.

The state government has taken elaborate measures to attract the tourists to enjoy the long stretch of forests replete with wild animals in the state.

This novel scheme is the brainchild of chief minister Navin Patnaik under whose directive, the forest and environment department has taken up the eco camp project.
The tourists, during their stay at these eco camps would enjoy the natural forest landscape and witness free movement of wild animals.

The department, in its first phase has decided to set up three eco camps at Ramchandi, Sankuda and Rajhansa islands.

In the next phase, these camps would be set up at Satkosia-Baisipalli, Bhitarakanika, Similipal, Talasari-Dogra, Ushakothi-Badarama, Koraput, Phulbani, Hirakud and some other selected places.

Talking to this paper, tourism minister Debi Prasad Mishra said that a project report on eco camp has been completed.

The project would be taken up on a public-private partnership while the Orissa Tourism Development Corporation would construct the eco camps, he added.
As per the project proposal, laid down by the tourism department, the eco camps would be set up at a selected site in the forest where permanent tents would be set up.

These tents will have toilet and food arrangement facilities. The tourists can stay at these tents in night if they wish. The forest staffs would provide adequate security for the tourists and enable them to enjoy the landscape and free movement of wild animals. The state tourism department would seek cooperation from the forest department in this connection. Mishra said that there has been gradual increase in the number of tourists in the state to enjoy its natural environment.

He said that since tourists are keen to enjoy the 480-km long sea coast with a long stretch of forest cover, natural streams laced with a variety of flora and fauna while staying within the natural environment, the state government has come up with eco camp concept that would surely provide a thrilling experience to the tourists.

Economic Times also reports on this.