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Bhubaneswar, Apr 2 (PTI) People across Odisha on Thursday celebrated 'Ama Poshak Ama Parichaya' (Our Attire, Our Identity) Day as part of the ongoing Odia Pakhya, donning traditional handloom attire to showcase cultural pride. The fortnight-long 'Odia Pakhya' is being observed from April 1 to 14 under the aegis of the state's Odia Language, Literature and Culture Department. On the second day of the celebrations, people across the state participated in large numbers, wearing traditional garments that reflect the state's rich handloom heritage. Government offices, including the Lok Seva Bhawan, witnessed officials turning up in traditional attire to promote the initiative. Handloom, regarded as a symbol of the state's rich heritage and cultural diversity, was at the heart of the celebrations. According to an official of the host department, discussion sessions were organised on the theme 'Handloom and Weaving Industry of Odisha,' in several districts. PTI AAM AAM MNB

Srinagar, Jul 19 (PTI) Exports of handmade products from Kashmir have crossed the Rs 300 crore mark in the first quarter of the current financial year, which is the highest for the period in the last four years, an official said on Saturday. "In a major fillip to Kashmir's famed craft sector, hand-made products worth Rs 309.62 crore have been exported to various overseas destinations in the first quarter of the current financial year -- up from Rs 126.90 crore in the same quarter last year," an official of the Handicrafts and Handloom Department, Kashmir, said. The exports are the highest fo ...Read More >

Coimbatore (Tamil Nadu), Jul 7 (PTI) AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami launched his statewide campaign for the 2026 Assembly election from Tamil Nadu's Mettupalayam on Monday. The former chief minister justified the alliance with the BJP whose leaders too joined his roadshow in the evening, and said the combine would register a resounding win in next year's poll. Addressing a mammoth crowd at the roadshow taken from the Gandhi Statue to the bus station here, Palaniswami took a dig at Chief Minister M K Stalin saying "some people will get fever after watching this massive roadsh ...Read More >

Bhubaneswar, Oct 16 (PTI) Two chief ministers, three deputy CMs, three Union ministers, three Odia actors are among 40 people who will campaign for BJP candidate Jay Dholakia for Nuapada bypoll scheduled for November 11. The BJP on Thursday submitted a list of its star campaigners with the Election Commission (EC), which includes names of Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi, his Chhattisgarh counterpart Vishnu Deo Sai, three Union ministers -- Dharmendra Pradhan, Ashwini Vaishnaw and Jual Oram -- , among others. Seven other senior BJP leaders from Chhattisgarh will also campaign in Nuap ...Read More >

Srinagar: Before towering cranes and cutting-edge engineering transformed the Himalayan landscape, the monumental dream of connecting "Kashmir to Kanyakumari" by rail began with the plodding footsteps of humble mules. This extraordinary backstory underpins the official realization of the Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla Rail Link (USBRL), inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on June 6, 2025, a project crowned by the awe-inspiring Chenab Bridge. According to Afcons Infrastructure Limited, the company behind the Chenab Bridge, the earliest and most formidable hurdle wasn't just the design of ...Read More >
Shimla: Heavy rains lashed Himachal Pradesh on Sunday, triggering landslides and flash floods and blocking more than 100 roads, even as the weather department issued a red alert.A landslide at Chakki Mod near Parwanoo blocked the Chandigarh-Shimla highway for hours, resulting in a massive traffic jam Sunday morning. The local administration had to divert traffic through the Jangeshu link road until the landslide debris was cleared at Chakki Mod.The traffic was first restored one-way and later two-way, but the traffic jam continued on both sides of the highway throughout the day due to slow veh ...Read More >

New Delhi, Jul 15 (PTI) The Indian economy is expected to grow at 6.5 per cent in the current financial year, despite geo-political tensions and trade policy uncertainties, Economic Advisory Council to the Prime Minister (EAC-PM) Chairman S Mahendra Dev said on Tuesday. In an interview with PTI, Dev further said that domestic growth will be driven by low inflation, resulting from good monsoon and benign interest rate regime, triggered by three back-to-back rate cuts by the Reserve Bank of India. "There are significant global headwinds like the twin shocks of geo-political tensions and trade ...Read More >
Pune: The Indian Gig Workers' Front on Saturday evening suspended the ongoing strike of cabs and autorickshaws operating on applications till Tuesday, after leaving many commuters, including those arriving at the airport on Saturday morning, hassled. Keshav Kshirsagar, the president of the front, said, "We have a meeting on Tuesday with senior officials of the state transport department. If its decisions don't meet our expectations, the strike will resume." Several commuters had a harrowing experience on roads on Friday and in the early hours of Saturday. Cabs and autos were hard to come by. T ...Read More >
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee made a shocking statement on Sunday as she advised colleges not to allow girls to go outside at night after the alleged gangrape of a medical student in Durgapur. "I'm shocked to see the incident, but private medical colleges also should take care of their students, and especially girls. The girls should not be allowed to go outside (college) at night. They have to protect themselves also. There is a forest area. Police are searching all the people," Ma ...Read More >

Lucknow, Apr 1 (PTI) Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Wednesday extended greetings to the people of Odisha on the state's formation day. "With the unwavering energy akin to the ocean's waves, the brilliance like the Sun of Konark, and illuminated by the boundless grace of Lord Shri Jagannath Ji Mahaprabhu, heartfelt congratulations to all Odia residents on the Foundation Day of Utkal Bhumi, 'Utkal Divas'," the chief minister said in a Hindi post on X. "By the grace of Lord Shri Jagannath Ji Mahaprabhu, under the successful guidance of the esteemed Prime Minister Narendra Modi ...Read More >

Bhubaneswar, Apr 1 (PTI) BJP MP Nishikant Dubey on Wednesday tendered an unconditional apology for his claim that former Odisha chief minister Biju Patnaik was the link between Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru and the CIA during the war against China in the 1960s. Dubey chose the 'Utkal Dibasa', Odisha's foundation day, to apologise for the comment on Patnaik, an iconic figure in the state, and wished the people on the occasion. Prime Minister Narendra Modi hailed Patnaik on the 'Utkal Dibasa', saying that his life epitomises strength, courage and an unwavering commitment to nation-building. ...Read More >

Gurugram, June 28 (PTI) A joint team of the Haryana State Enforcement Bureau and the Excise Department busted an illegally operating liquor shop in Rithoj village and arrested a salesman, police said on Saturday. The team recovered 113 boxes of illegal liquor from the premises, they said. An FIR has been registered at the Haryana State Enforcement Bureau police station in Gurugram, they added. Station House Officer (SHO) Arvind Kumar said they had received a tip-off about a liquor shop running without a valid permit or licence on Jail Road in Rithoj village. Based on the tip-off, a joint r ...Read More >

Bhubaneswar, Jul 8 (PTI) Odisha Deputy Chief Minister Kanak Vardhan Singh Deo on Tuesday launched a campaign for promotion of rooftop gardening and urban horticulture. Singh Deo flagged off a rath (vehicle) for promotion of rooftop gardening in five major cities of Odisha here at Krushi Bhavan. Also Read | Shabana Azmi and Javed Akhtar Reiterate Their Faith in Air India After AI 171 Crash As Both Travel to London To Attend Wimbledon 2025; Call It 'Best Inflight Service'. With fast growth and development in the state, the urban areas are growing across the state with construction of numerous ...Read More >

Nuapada (Odisha), Oct 16 (PTI) Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi on Thursday launched a scathing attack on the Biju Janata Dal (BJD) and Congress, questioning their alleged silence over the gang rape of an Odia medical college student in West Bengal's Durgapur. Majhi raised the issue at the BJP's 'Bijay Sankalp Samabesh', part of the election campaign for the November 11 Nuapada bypoll. "What was the role of both BJD and the Congress when a woman from the state was gang raped in West Bengal? Did they hit the streets or criticise Mamata Banerjee government? No, both the parties preferr ...Read More >
Silchar: Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Friday visited the flood-ravaged districts of Hailakandi and Sribhumi in the Barak Valley. He assured affected residents of providing timely disbursement of rehabilitation grants and swift repair of damaged infrastructure.This marks Sarma's second visit to the flood-hit region within four days, underscoring the gravity of the situation. Speaking to the media in Sribhumi after inspecting multiple relief camps, the CM said, "Flood-related problems may persist till July. I will return before Durga Puja to ensure that roads and infrastructure ar ...Read More >

Coimbatore (Tamil Nadu), Jul 7 (PTI) AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami launched his state-wide campaign for the 2026 Assembly election from Tamil Nadu's Mettupalayam on Monday. The former Chief Minister, who would tour all the 234 Assembly constituencies in the state, reiterated that the Athikadavu-Avinashi irrigation project would be further expanded and implemented to benefit all farmers. Interacting with farmers and weavers at Thekkampatti after commencing his campaign, Palaniswami said, "We reaffirm our commitment that ours will be a farmers' friendly government." Earlier, ...Read More >
New Delhi: Traffic in central Delhi will be affected on Thursday as the traffic police has issued an advisory due to the Janmashtami and Tazia processions.According to police, the traffic movement in Paharganj is likely to be affected from 1.30pm in view of the shobha yatra for Janmashtami and the Tazia procession.The Janmashtami procession will start from Mandir Shri Banke Bihari Ji in Paharganj's Sangatrasan Bazar and pass through Desh Bandhu Gupta Road, Chuna Mandi, Main Bazar, Munja Chowk and Arakashan Road. The Tazia procession will start from Ajmeri Gate and proceed through Pul Paharganj ...Read More >

In a letter to Odisha chief minister Mohan Charan Majhi on the occasion of the state's foundation day, Modi described Biju Patnaik as a towering figure whose life continues to inspire generations. "This is the soil that nurtured the great Biju Patnaik, whose life epitomises strength, courage and an unwavering commitment to nation-building. Biju Babu's multifaceted persona inspires us all," the Prime Minister wrote. The remarks come amid a controversy sparked by Dubey, whose comments alleging li ...Read More >

Bhubaneswar, Jul 3 (PTI) Ruling BJP MLA Santosh Khatua on Thursday courted controversy after allegedly making 'derogatory' remarks against a prominent woman BJD leader, prompting a strong backlash and a demand for an apology from Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi and the saffron party. BJD's senior general secretary and spokesperson Lekhashree Samantasinghar has also drawn the attention of Prime Minister Narendra Modi by tagging a letter in her X post. Khatua, a lawmaker from Nilgiri assembly constituency in Balasore district, in a statement to certain television channels allegedly made "der ...Read More >

Bhubaneswar, Sep 26 (PTI) The Odisha government on Friday launched a unified WhatsApp chatbot that will make 120 services accessible like obtaining birth and income certificates to the people across the state. People can also apply for driving and fertilizer licenses, and access incentives such as the National Family Benefits Scheme using the chatbot named 'Ama Sathi' (my companion) which was launched by Chief Secretary Manoj Ahuja, according to an official statement. Available in Odia and English, the "one-stop digital assistant" is accessible via a single WhatsApp number 9437292000 and com ...Read More >

Bhubaneswar, Oct 17 (PTI) BJD's Nuapada candidate Snehangini Chhuria on Friday dismissed Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi's claim that she is an "outsider", saying she belongs to western Odisha and has strong family roots in the district. Reacting to Majhi's remarks at a public meeting in Nuapada on Thursday, Chhuria said, "I feel pity over the CM's comments. How come I am an outsider? My mother was born under Komna block in Nuapada district, and I was born in Padampur, just 57 km away. Nuapada is my mother's birthplace, and I have relatives across the district." Majhi had called Chhu ...Read More >

Bhubaneswar, Apr 1 (PTI) Opposition BJD on Wednesday protested the "abrupt" end of the Budget session of the Odisha assembly last midnight and suspected a "conspiracy" by the BJP to undermine the legacy of former chief minister Biju Patnaik. Addressing a press conference here, deputy leader of the Opposition, Prasanna Acharya, BJD senior vice president Debi Prasad Mishra, and vice president Atanu S Nayak said the state's BJP government was "double-faced", and not "double-engine". Acharya alleged that the state BJP government abruptly ended the assembly session last midnight despite submissio ...Read More >

Bhubaneswar, Dec 15 (PTI) With a three-fold hike in the salary and allowances of Odisha MLAs triggering a political row, and Leader of Opposition Naveen Patnaik announcing that he would forgo the enhanced benefits, all eyes are now on Governor Hari Babu Kambhampati, whose assent is required for the Bills passed by the assembly. On the last day of the winter session on December 9, the Assembly passed four bills unanimously, though the lone CPI(M) member remained absent from the House. The Left party has opposed the increase in legislators' salaries and allowances. The Odisha unit of CPI(M), ...Read More >

Lucknow, Apr 1 (PTI) Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Wednesday extended greetings to the people of Odisha on the state's formation day. "With the unwavering energy akin to the ocean's waves, the brilliance like the Sun of Konark, and illuminated by the boundless grace of Lord Shri Jagannath Ji Mahaprabhu, heartfelt congratulations to all Odia residents on the Foundation Day of Utkal Bhumi, 'Utkal Divas'," the chief minister said in a Hindi post on X. ...Read More >
New Delhi, Jan 31 (PTI) Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched a scathing attack on the Congress on Friday, accusing its "shahi parivar" of insulting President Droupadi Murmu, who hails from a tribal background, and demanding an apology. In a direct response to Congress leaders' purported remarks on Murmu over her address to a joint sitting of both Houses of Parliament on Friday, Modi, at a rally at Dwarka, said, "These Congress people think they are the masters of the country. The arrogance of the Congress's royal family has once again been exposed." "Today, our president, Droupadi Murmuji, a ...Read More >

Mumbai, July 19 (SocialNews.XYZ) Amid the ongoing verbal spat between Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray and BJP MP Nishikant Dubey over the Hindi language debate in Maharashtra, Union Minister and Republican Party of India (Athawale) president Ramdas Athawale on Saturday has called for restraint, urging all parties to maintain peace and avoid statements that could disrupt Mumbai's communal harmony. Responding to the exchange of inflammatory remarks, Athawale said, "Such statements against each other can spoil the atmosphere of Mumbai. We should maintain peace. It's not righ ...Read More >

Bhubaneswar: Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi has appealed to the people of Odisha to wear traditional handloom clothes during the ongoing 'Odia Pakhya' celebration to promote the state's rich cultural heritage and support local weavers. In a post shared on X, CM Majhi highlighted the beauty and significance of Odia handloom attire, describing it as "Handwoven in the loom of tradition" and a symbol of "dignified pride in traditional adornment." He emphasized that traditional Odia fabrics are not just clothing but an inseparable part of the state's glorious history and identity, crafted with ...Read More >

The campus will also have an auditorium with a capacity of 300 seats, a space where light and sound shows will be hosted daily, and a large open-air stage where cultural performances will be showcased, he said. Stressing that a large number of tourists, especially the youth, visiting Puri are not aware of the Jagannath culture, Majhi said little has been done in this regard for the last seven decades. "For the promotion and preservation of Jagannath culture and literature, the government has no ...Read More >

Jaipur, July 19 (SocialNews.XYZ) In a significant breakthrough, Rajasthan Police's CID Crime Branch has busted a major coal adulteration racket in Sirohi, exposing a scam worth crores of rupees. The gang was found mixing fake coal dust into high-quality petcoke imported from the US, causing massive financial losses to the cement and steel industries. Additional Director General of Police (Crime) Dinesh M.N. revealed that the racket involved a well-organised network operating from a rented, defunct factory behind Tulsi Hotel on the Pindwara-Abu Road National Highway 27. Coal mafias, primaril ...Read More >

Hyderabad (Telangana), June 28 (SocialNews.XYZ) Two-time World Champion Nikhat Zareen opened her campaign in the 48-51kg category with a clinical 4:1 win over Uttar Pradesh's Rashi Sharma in the Elite Women's Boxing Tournament at the Saroornagar Indoor Stadium here on Saturday. In another bout, Haryana's Anjali got the better of World Championships bronze medallist Manisha Moun in the 57-60 kg category. Organised by the Telangana Boxing Federation under the aegis of the Boxing Federation of India and the Sports Authority of Telangana, the tournament will feature boxers from 15 units, includi ...Read More >

Mumbai, Jul 11 (PTI) Italian fashion major Prada on Friday expressed its intention to launch a Kolhapuri-inspired collection in partnership with local artisans, an industry grouping has said. Maharashtra Chamber of Commerce, Industries and Agriculture, which held a virtual meeting with senior Prada officials earlier in the day, said a technical expert team from the Italian fashion brand will be visiting India next week to identify local supply chain partners for Kolhapuri chappal. "Prada expressed intent to launch a limited-edition Made-in-India Kolhapuri-inspired collection in partnership w ...Read More >