Rs 4 Crore Bribe Haul: Odisha Mining Scam Exposes Deep-Rooted Rot in Resource Governance

In what officials describe as the largest cash seizure in the state’s history, Odisha Vigilance on February 24, 2026, arrested Debabrata Mohanty, Deputy Director of Mines, Cuttack Circle, after recovering more than Rs 4 crore in unaccounted cash. Mohanty was caught red-handed while allegedly accepting a Rs 30,000 bribe from a coal trader in exchange for facilitating depot…

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Odisha Economic Survey 2025–26: High Growth, Hard Questions

A Growth Story with Big Ambitions Bikram Keshari Arukha tabled Odisha’s Economic Survey 2025–26 in the Assembly on February 19, outlining a state economy that is expanding steadily and positioning itself as a future eastern powerhouse. With Gross State Domestic Product (GSDP) nearing ₹10 lakh crore and a long-term aspiration to contribute meaningfully to India’s $10-trillion-by-2047…

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First-Ever Perfect Scorer from Odisha Sparks New Wave of JEE Aspirations

Odisha is basking in pride following the declaration of JEE (Main) 2026 Session-1 results by the National Testing Agency. The state’s students delivered standout performances, headlined by a perfect percentile score and multiple high national rankings. For Odisha, traditionally underrepresented among India’s top engineering entrance performers, the results mark a symbolic and substantive milestone—one that signals…

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KISS Sets National Benchmark: 2,100 Tribal Students Appear for Odisha Matric Exams in Historic Milestone

A Record-Breaking Moment for Inclusive Education Over 2,100 students from the Kalinga Institute of Social Sciences (KISS) are set to appear for the Odisha Board of Secondary Education matriculation examination in 2026, marking the largest number of candidates from any single institution in India at this level. The cohort—comprising roughly 1,100 girls and 1,000 boys—reflects the scale…

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A Golden Voice Falls Silent: Remembering Geeta Patnaik, the Melody of Odisha

Renowned Odia singer Geeta Patnaik, whose mellifluous voice defined an era of regional music, passed away at the age of 73, leaving behind a rich legacy that continues to echo in countless hearts. Her demise on Sunday evening following a brain stroke has plunged Odisha’s cultural fraternity into mourning. For decades, her songs provided comfort, joy, and…

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Dual irrigation method, shows a path to dual income

A farmer from Sundargarh in Odisha has stunned social media users and agricultural experts alike with an ingenious farming model. By engineering a trellis system over his fish pond, he has transformed a single plot into a dual-income ecosystem—growing vegetables overhead while cultivating fish beneath. The innovation has sparked discussion on how integrated pond-based farming could help…

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Odisha Bets Big on Sovereign AI: $2.3-Billion Sarvam Pact Signals Digital-Industrial Pivot

Sovereign AI Park to Anchor Odisha’s Next Growth Cycle In a landmark push to position itself at the forefront of India’s digital economy, Odisha has signed a USD 2.3 billion memorandum of understanding with Bengaluru-based Sarvam AI to establish the country’s first full-stack Sovereign AI Park. The agreement, unveiled at the Black Swan Summit in Bhubaneswar and…

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President Droupadi Murmu’s Homecoming Spurs ₹284-Crore Push for Tribal Mayurbhanj

President Droupadi Murmu returned to her home turf in Odisha on February 4, 2026, inaugurating and laying foundation stones for development projects worth ₹284 crore in Rairangpur, Mayurbhanj district. The visit combined ceremony with substance: new facilities across health, education, sports and civic infrastructure were launched in the presence of Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi and local…

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From Red Corridor to Renewal: How Malkangiri Turned the Tide on Maoist Insurgency

Odisha’s remote Malkangiri district, once synonymous with Maoist violence and isolation, was officially declared “Naxal-free” on February 4, 2026. The announcement followed the surrender of Sukhram Markam, a key insurgent commander carrying a significant bounty, marking the end of an era in a region that had long been considered one of India’s most entrenched rebel strongholds….

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