BHUBANESWAR, June 19 -- IN tune with Finance Minister, P Chidambaram's directive to banks to open ladies branches throughout the country, Bank of Baroda opened its first ladies branch of Odisha Region at Saheed Nagar here today. The branch was inaugurated by P Srinivas, Executive Director, Bank of Baroda in the presence of Rajeev Sekhar Sahoo, Director, Bank of...

BHUBANESWAR, June 19 -- THE high level meeting under the aegis of Union Ministry of Shipping, scheduled to be held tomorrow in New Delhi, will have transloading site of Kolkata Port Trust (KoPT) issue in its main agenda, said Commerce and Transport Minister, Subrat Tarai. He added that it is mandatory to safeguard the interest of the State first when discussion on the...

Cuttack, June 19 -- WHILE the Cuttack city police are grappling to solve yesterday's firing incident at Baranga, yet another firing incident under Choudwar police station this evening has put the Commissionerate police on back foot. Two back-to-back firing incidents in two days have put the Cuttack city police in tizzy while the people here are shocked as to how even...

New Delhi, June 19 -- A man was arrested with smuggled gold bars worth over Rs 1.60 crore by customs officials at Indira Gandhi International Airport (IGIA) here. 48-year-old Ram Niwas Verma, who hailed from Nangloi area of the national capital, was intercepted by the officials after his arrival from Dubai here yesterday. "On detailed examination of his baggage and...

BHUBANESWAR, June 19 -- EVEN as the Environment and Forest department has initiated the process to notify the surrounding areas of Debrigarh Wildlife Sanctuary at Bargarh district as Ecologically Sensitive Zone (ESZ), the Steel and Mines department has asked the views of the Director of Mines over a proposal to include a limestone quarry located near the sanctuary, in...

BHUBANESWAR, June 19 -- EVEN as Panchayatiraj Minister, Kalpataru Das and Food and Consumer Welfare Minister, Pratap Keshari Deb reviewed the situation in flood hit areas of the State, the Congress party today decided to depute its own fact finding team in order to assess the actual crop loss due to the incessant rains that wrecked havoc in the southern districts. The...

BHUBANESWAR, June 19 -- WITH the Centre proposing to launch Governance and Accelerated Livelihood Security (GOALS) project in three states soon, Union Rural Development Minister, Jairam Ramesh today informed that the project will be implemented in four districts of Odisha for empowerment of backward tribal districts. ...

BHUBANESWAR, June 19 -- EVEN though a number of villages in southern districts of Kalahandi, Koraput, Nabarangpur and Rayagada districts have been denuded by flash floods, caused by the low pressure induced incessant rains, there are no signs of epidemics like diarrhoea or dysentery, said Health and Family Welfare Minister Damodar Rout, adding that officials of the...

BHUBANESWAR, June 19 -- TO give due attention to cases related to crimes against women and children, Odisha government today sanctioned creation of 537 posts of sub-inspectors of police, official sources said. "Chief Minister has directed the Staff Selection Commission to start recruitment process soon," an official said adding that Mahila and Sishu Desks have been...

Cuttack, June 19 -- CITY based journalists today met Additional DG of Police, Sanjib Marik at the police headquarters here and submitted a memorandum demanding immediate arrest of miscreants who attacked a local TV channel reporter inside SCB Medical College and Hospital last week. ...