Shah visit: Buzzing political activities await State
The elevation of Dharmendra Pradhan to the Cabinet rank has raised the morale of the BJP in Odisha as they strive hard to consolidate their position and electoral prospect in the State. Both Jual Oram and Dharmendra Pradhan will enjoy equal status and protocol when they visit Odisha, their home State. Even as Dharmendra’s bête noire reject him as a political force in Odisha because of his Rajya Sabha origin, when a choice for Odisha leadership comes up, it is Dharmendra who will score leaving behind Oram at a distance. The ensuing visit of BJP natonal president Amit Shah to Odisha will provide enough steam to wake up the State BJP from slumber. Meanwhile, in the Congress camp, there is a lull before the storm. A rejuvenated Congress under a capable leadership can damage BJP’s poll prospect as the old horse is tired but not retired. While the ruling BJD will welcome such a situation for Odisha, the BJP does not rule out such a possibility and would remain prepared to steer the situation in its favour. The coming week will be of immense interest to political observers of the State as buzzing political activities are round the corner.
Block Grant teachers, Govt truce temporary
Abolition of Block Grant system might have come as a sigh of relief for the Odisha School and College United Teachers’ and Employees’ Association which staged a 17-day-long agitation at the lower PMG, Bhubaneswar. The decision came after three meetings with Ministers, former Ministers and high level officials but the agitating teachers and employees insisted the CM to take the final call and wanted to hear from the horse’s mouth. CM Naveen Patnaik said, “My Government has decided to abolish the Block Grant system and replace it with the Grant-in-Aid (GIA) system by which teachers will benefit more”. While details of the financial implications of the Government decision will be worked out, the agitating teachers’ association has given two months to the Government to fulfill other demands. Besides demanding implementation of GIA system irrespective of their categories, the teachers demanded three per cent hike in their salary every year. Having achieved one of the major demands, the agitating teachers are believed to be satisfied on one count but they have to wait till January, 2018 for getting the benefit. Calling off the stir, therefore, seems to be a half hearted one under pressure from students who have been hit hard, especially when the exams are round the corner. The truce between the two factions is therefore temporary.
S’garh athlete Banita pride of Odisha
The success story of Banita lakra has once again put Sundargarh ahead in the sports map of India. She has added her name in the list of top notch sports persons of India. The roll call of honour includes Padmashri Dilip Tirkey, Ignes Tirkey, Prabodh Tirkey, lazrus Barla, Birendra lakra in the men section and Subhadra Pradhan, inita Toppo, lilima Minz an Dipgrace Ekka in the women category. While a large contingent of hockey stars from one district of Odisha is rare for the country to pat its back, it is now the turn for Banita to showcase her extraordinary talent in athletics. In the recently held world police games in los Angeles of America, Banita has posted her surprised achievement by winning 3 gold, 2 silver and 1 bronze medals. The 21 years old girl is now preparing for the National Athletic Meet to be held in Hyderabad. Born to a farmer’s family in Pandrapada village of Khatang Panchayat under Kutra block, Banita displayed her mettle. She even worked under the MNREGA scheme to complement her father’s meager income as driver in a private company. May not be a rags to rich story, compliments must reach to Banita from all corners of the country and the poorly paid police girl must get due recognition from her employers. Had it been Haryana or Punjab she would have by now been elevated to an officer’s rank. let us see, how and in what manner new DG Dr Rajendra Prasad Sharma treats her. Meanwhile, our salute to Banita!
Rourkela sewage plants face teething troubles
The l&T has been awarded a contract worth Rs 340.19 crore to set up four sewage treatment plants (STP) for which work has commenced this year. This project will benefit over 30,000 families in the Rourkela Municipal Corporation (RMC) area. The project was envisaged as a facilitating measure prior to the approval of the Smart City proposal. Earmarked to be completed by 2020, problems of land acquisition have posed as a big hurdle and the company is not sure whether i can meet the deadline. However, work in one out of the four STPs is progressing at a snail’s pace with alleged compromise with quality. Recently, it was brought to the notice of Rourkela ADM Monisha Banerjee, who promptly intervened and took corrective measures. Similar complaints were made by people of Uditnagar Revenue Colony and Kalinga Vihar. The Odisha Water Supply and Sewerage Board as nodal agency for the project, besides the contractor firm, will own the responsibility for anything that goes wrong in the construction work. The STP (3) for which work has already commenced on 24.75 acres of land has a capacity to treat 40 million tones of water carried through the sewerage. But the other three STPs and the sewerage pump stations are facing teething troubles due to land acquisition problem created by the Rourkela Steel Plant and the Railways.