Berhampur University Celebrates its 18th convocation

Source: The Sambad and The Telegraph

Prime Minister approves airport at Brahmapur including 50 other cities in India

The Union government on June 28 decided to set up 51 new low-cost airports across India including 3 in Odisha at Brahmapur, Raurkela and Kendujhar. This is aimed at giving a boost to the civil aviation sector and increase air connectivity to Tier-II and Tier-III cities. Apart from the low-cost airports, the government has also decided to grant new international airport status to Bhubaneswar in Odisha.

The state-owned airport operator, Airports Authority of India (AAI), would set up these low-cost airports. The decisions were taken at a meeting chaired by the Prime Minister held in New Delhi to finalize infrastructure projects for 2013-14 which was attended by Finance Minister P Chidambaram, Planning Commission Deputy Chairman Montek Singh Ahluwalia and Ministers of Power, Coal, Railways, Roads, Shipping and Civil Aviation.

Source: PIB

Leading NGO Odisha Pride organises marathon against drug abuse in Berhampur

Source: The Sambad

Berhampur University a beacon of hope for backward South Odisha

Source: The Sambad

18th convocation of Berhampur University will be held on June 28

The 18th convocation of the Berhampur University will be held on June 28. While governor-cum-chancellor of universities SC Jamir will preside over the convocation, former chief minister of Odisha and present governor of Assam JB Patnaik will deliver the convocation address.

According to vice chancellor of Berhampur University Prof JK Mohapatra, as many as about 40,000 passed-out students of the years 2011 and 2012 will be awarded degrees at the convocation.

Besides, 400 MPhil passed-out students will get their certificates while the chancellor will award doctoral degrees to 217 successful researchers of different disciplines who completed their research works between January 2012 and May 2013.

Berhampur students make rich haul of IIT-JEE ranks

Source: The Sambad

Funds woes plague Berhampur Municipal Corporation

The Berhampur Municipal Corporation, which is facing financial crisis, is desperate to mop up revenue. “The corporation has plunged into a deep financial crisis and the situation is precarious,” said civic body commissioner Ajit Kumar Mishra. “Collection of holding tax, parking fee and trade licence, which are the major source of income for the civic body, is not encouraging. We have fixed a target and asked the field staff to collect Rs 2 crore revenue within one month. We have also decided to take stringent action against the revenue field staff who are not serious about fulfilling the target,” said Mishra.

The civic body has also launched raids on several shops to ascertain whether they have trade licences. More than 100 businessmen, including silk sari shop and cloth merchant in Bada Bazar, were running their establishments without trade licence. The corporation has collected Rs 1.25 lakh as fine from them. “There are around 7,500 registered trade licence holders in Berhampur and the target of revenue collection is Rs 3.24-crore per annum. But the number of trade licences must be more than 25,000 in the city. Those running their business without a licence should come forward,” said Mishra. The corporation collected Rs 16 lakh only out of a target of Rs 3.24-crore per annum. Similarly, there are 60,000 holdings in the corporation limits. “The target of collection of holding tax is Rs 3.66 crore per annum, but the collection is Rs 1.25-crore now and there is a short fall of Rs 2.40 crore. Though many news houses have come up, the civic body is totally in dark about the development. Most people are approaching the Berhampur Development Authority for the approval of their houses and they come to us only when they face difficulties of civic amenities,” said Mishra.

As such, holding tax has been assessed in 35 per cent cases. A huge due from the government sector is also alarming. “The amount of arrears from the government sector is Rs 1.4 crore. We have collected Rs 16,374 only from the government establishments. We have a target to collect Rs 1.29 crore from the kiosks and cabins, but have collected only Rs 4.27 lakh,” he said. He added that revenue collection from kalyan mandaps (marriage venues), guesthouses, town hall and slaughterhouses was meager. Revenue from hoardings, which is a major source of revenue, is lagging behind. “We have a target of collection of Rs 60 lakh. But the collection is only Rs 83,320,” said the commissioner. “We need another Rs 1.60 crore per month to run the corporation. Otherwise it will be difficult for us to manage the establishment,” said Mishra.

Source: The Telegraph

Several pilgrims from south Odisha districts stranded in Uttarakhand

Several pilgrims from districts of south Odisha are reported to be stranded in floodwater in some areas of Uttarakhand. According to sources, around 40 of them are from Paralakhemundi area in Gajapati district and around twenty are from Berhampur and Ganjam district. As per unconfirmed reports twenty other pilgrims from Koraput and Malkangiri districts are also stranded in the flood-hit mountainous area. The pilgrims from Gajapati district had reached Uttarakhand for ‘chardham yatra’ that includes visit to Kedarnath and Gangotri area, which were worst affected by the recent floods. They had gone there in two batches of thirty members each. According to the information provided by one of these stranded pilgrims, M. Dharmaraju of R. Sitapur village near Paralakhemundi, twenty pilgrims from Gajapati district had safely returned to Haridwar, while the others were stranded at Uttarakashi, Gangotri and Kedarnath. After receiving information, Gajapati district administration has started collecting information regarding all persons of the district stranded in Uttarakhand. Similar measures have also been initiated by the Ganjam district administration. Meanwhile, the State Home Secretary Upendra Nath Behera declared that Odisha government was making all possible efforts for safe return of Odia pilgrims stranded in Uttarakhand. According to him the resident commissioner of Odisha posted in New Delhi was in touch with Uttarakhand government regarding state of Odia pilgrims stranded there.

Source: The Hindu

Flood fury in South Odisha districts

Major South Odisha colleges including Khallikote College to loose Autonomous tag? Odisha Government tight lipped

Source: The Sambad

MKCG Medical College second entry gate remains closed even as patients suffer

Source: The Sambad

South Odisha gets technical education boost

ITI, Berhampur

The Odisha Government is planning to start two new polytechnics in Gajapati and Kandhamal districts and increase the number of seats in the ITIs at Berhampur and Chhatrapur in Ganjam from this year. The objective is to boost technical education in southern Odisha. The new polytechnics would function at Paralakhemundi and Phulbani in Gajapati and Kandhamal districts respectively. Sixty students each would take admission in the civil, mechanical, electrical and electronics and telecommunication streams in each polytechnic course, official sources said. The buildings of the new polytechnics are nearing completion and are likely to be handed over next month. The Government, however, is yet to appoint teachers for the new institutes. “We expect the Government to appoint teachers before the commencement of classes on August 1,” said the in-charge of the polytechnic and ITI Phulbani Principal, D. P. Patnaik.

Meanwhile, the Government has increased the number of seats in the Government-run ITIs in Berhampur and Chhatrapur in Ganjam by 340 and 378 seats respectively. The seat strength was doubled in the fitter, electrical, welder and electronics streams in ITI Berhampur, while three new trades — instrumental, mechanics and welder — have been introduced at ITI Chhatrapur, besides doubling the seats in the existing disciplines — mechanics, electrical and electronics. The total strength has now been increased to 1,300 and 567 in ITI Berhampur and Chhatrapur respectively, said ITI Berhampur Principal Rajat Panigrahi. He said infrastructure was being provided to accommodate the increased number of students. The Government has already provided instruments worth around Rs 80 lakh to the institutes. Two new buildings were set up on their premises at an expenditure of Rs 65 lakh.

Source: The Hindu

Source: The Sambad

Titanium plant in Chhatrapur, Ganjam likely to start soon

Construction of titanium dioxide plant near Chhatrapur in Ganjam district is likely to start soon as the promoter of the proposed plant has agreed to fulfil almost all demands of land-losers. The company officials submitted the agreement with the land-losers to the district administration on Monday.
"We have agreed to pay an extra Rs 40,000 per acre of acquired land, at least a job to each of the project- affected families and undertake periphery development work in the area," said senior general manager of promoter Saraf Agency Private Limited (SAPL) S L Modi. The extra amount would be paid to the land-losers after commencement of work, he said. Most of the affected people have agreed with the proposal and if all things go well, the construct work would start from June 21, he said.
"We have agreed with the company's proposal," said S Reddy, one of the land-losers of Tikiria Berhampur. "We want the company to expedite the work," said adviser to Titanium plant land-losers' association Bipra Acharya.
The Kolkata-based company had acquired around 230 acre, including 199 acre private land, for the project five years ago. Around 300 people of four villages - Tikiria Berhampur, Kanamana, Chandrapada and Mayipatna - lost their lands for the project. Courtesy: ToI 

Odisha to lease out IREL land to Gopalpur port

The Odisha government has initiated the process to resume 269 acres of mined out land of Indian Rare Earths Ltd (IREL). This patch of land will be leased out to Gopalpur Ports Ltd (GPL) for expansion.

Necessary action may kindly be taken for early resumption of 269 acres of mined out land of IREL which will be leased out to GPL for development of Gopalpur port, D N Padhi, joint secretary (commerce & transport) wrote to Ganjam collector. Officials of GPL could not be reached for comments.

The port started its commercial operations last month when 7,500 tonnes of ilmenite, the sand mineral product of Odisha Sands Complex (OSCOM), a unit of the Indian Rare Earths Limited (IREL), was shipped through a small vessel to South Korea.

The clearance for the operation of the port from the State Pollution Control Board (SPCB) and customs department was accorded on May 14.

The port operation was stopped since 2010 for its upgradation to an all weather port. Before 2010, the port, located at Arjeepalli, about 30 km from here, was functioning as a seasonal port.

Initially, GPL was floated as a consortium of three partners- Odisha Stevedores Ltd (OSL), Delhi-based Sara International Ltd (SIL) and Hong Kong-based Noble Group.

But Noble Group exiting the consortium in May 2010 had raised questions on the future of the port. Jindal Steel & Power Ltd (JSPL) has recently evinced interest in acquiring 49 per cent stake in the consortium.

The existing promoters of GPL were yet to take a call on allowing JSPL to pick up stake in the special purpose vehicle (SPV).The ports total capacity was envisaged at 54 million tonne per annum (mtpa) and it  was to be developed at a cost of Rs 3,500 crore. Source: Business-Standard

Tara Tarini hill shrine to get new ropeway

Tara Tarini hill shrine near Berhampur in Ganjam district is all set to get a new ropeway to the hill top shrine. According to authorities of the Tara Tarini Development Board (TTDB), a test run of this new modernized ropeway had started from May 14. After completion of one month of test run, there would be a proper security check and date of its inauguration would be fixed.

It may be noted that a Kolkata-based company had started a ropeway to the hill top in 2007. In August 2012 this company withdrew from the project.   After its departure now Usha Breco Pvt. Ltd, Ghaziabad has established this ropeway at the Tara Tarini hill shrine near Berhampur on the lines of the modern Ropeways at Mansa Devi in Haridwar. According to the secretary of the TTDB, Pramod Panda, the ropeway had remained defunct since August 2012. Source: The Hindu

First Monsoon Rain in Silk city Berhampur

Source: MyBerhampur

Greater Berhampur to get city bus service by September 30

City bus services will start in Berhampur September 30. This was informed by Berhampur Municipal Commissioner Ajit Mishra at a meeting held in Berhampur on Thursday.

He said the State Government has released `5 crore to purchase buses which will play between Berhampur and Gopalpur, Berhampur and Chatrapur and Berhampur and Hinjili.

These buses will be operated by Ganjam Urban Transport Service Ltd whose Chairman is Ganjam Collector. The company has been floated by the BMC. Officials like BMC Commissioner, RTO, SDPO and BDA Secretary will function as the company’s directors.

On each of the three routes, eight buses would play at 10 to 12 minutes interval and the bus service would be operated on PPP mode.

This meeting, held on the premises of Berhampur Municipal Corporation (BMC) office premises, was attended by chairperson of the Behampur Development Authority (BDA) Kailash Rana, secretary of the BDA Manoj Padhi, city mayor S.S.Dash, BMC commissioner Ajit Mishra, Regional Transport Officer (RTO), Berhampur Sub-Divisional Police Officer (SDPO) and the representatives of transporters involved in plying small passenger vehicles between Berhampur and places on its periphery.

The transporters expressed their fear that starting a city bus service would end their income source. The authorities told them that city bus service was extremely important for the development of Berhampur city and its periphery and it cannot be stopped.

Sources: The Hindu, The New Indian Express & The Sambad

Book boon for Berhampur University students

To attract more students to pursue Plus III in the distance education mode, Berhampur University has decided to provide study materials to them from this year. The students will have to pay a nominal charge to procure study materials. The charges for pass and honours students are Rs 1,700 and Rs 2,000 respectively. "The amount is very less compared to the market price of the books," said director of the Distance Education Centre Sunil Kanta Behera.

The university has developed a customized syllabus for all streams of Plus III - arts, commerce and science. At the time of admission, the university will provide study materials to students for all three years. The syndicate took a decision in this regard in its last meeting, university sources said.

"The decision will help many poor students from rural areas, who are unable to buy the expensive books from the market, to pursue Plus III. It will also attract more and more students from remote areas to pursue their college education in the distance mode," said the director.

Besides this, the centre will also continue the contact programmes, where teachers clear doubts of students in the line of Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU), he said. The contact classes are being held in Berhampur, Bhanjanagar, Paralakhemundi and Nabarangapur.

Apart from Plus III, the centre is offering some PG courses and PG diploma in select professional courses. One-year PG course in library automation and networking will be introduced from this year, he said. The total number of students in the distance education mode is around 9,500.

Admission for distance education mode will start from August after completion of admission for regular courses, sources said. ToI 

Berhampur Municipal Corporation (BMC) sets up new vegetable vending zone

In all, 303 roadside vegetable vendors would now be able to continue their business in a new vegetable vending zone named Biju Patnaik Vegetable Market.

This project has been taken up by the Berhampur Municipal Corporation (BMC) to rehabilitate the vegetable vendors of Kamapalli, Courtpeta and adjoining areas who were also causing traffic problem. According to Commissioner of the BMC, Ajit Mishra details of this new vegetable vending zone were discussed at a special meeting of the BMC on Saturday.

The BMC meeting was convened to pass a resolution demanding special category status to Odisha. Apart from it the issue related to the new vegetable vending zone was also discussed.

This new vegetable vending zone has been established at a cost of Rs. 41 lakh, Mr. Mishra said. In the first phase 168 vegetable vendors would be accommodated in this new vending zone. The others would be allocated space in this vending zone in the second phase.

The vending units would be allocated to the vendors through lottery system, which would be held on June 7 at diamond jubilee auditorium in the city. “Each of these vendors would deposit Rs.10,000 with the BMC as security and they would have to pay nominal rent of Rs.300 per month”, said Mr. Mishra.

Mr. Mishra said that the vegetable vendors of Gate Bazar market who have been rehabilitated at another place would also be provided proper infrastructure. Source: The Hindu