LOOSE MOTION: FLUSH WITH SYSTEMIC ROT
In Jajpur district, six blocks and one urban local body were worst affected by the diarrhoea outbreak. Patients initially suffered due to shortage of doctors as the hospitals in the district were being managed by only 39 per cent (pc) of the sanctioned posts. As cases spiked, understaffed hospitals in the district were overwhelmed by patients.
Full story: (https://www.newindianexpress.com/states/odisha/2025/Jun/30/cholera-outbreak-odisha-flush-with-systemic-rot)
INFLATION EATS AWAY NUTRITION FROM MDM PLATE
In November last, the Odisha government injected an additional `1 to cover the material cost of mid-day meals served to students across primary and upper primary grades. Next month, the Centre followed suit and effected a hike. In MDM, the material cost accounts for purchase of oil, vegetables, eggs, pulses, fuel (wood in a majority of schools) as well as spices.
Lord! Stuck on Grand Road
Inexplicable delay marked the Rath Yatra as none of the three chariots could even be pulled half the distance from Shree Jagannath Temple en route to Gundicha Temple and chaos reigned supreme at the annual festival of the holy Trinity. Lord Jagannath’s chariot was pulled for just about 10 metres in a ritualistic manner and halted close to Singhadwara.
JUMBO FACE-OFF: A SHARED BURDEN AND HEAVY COST FOR BOTH SIDES
As Baghadharia village in Hindol mourns the death of three of its residents in the recent elephant encounter, 70-year-old Amira Majhi stands in silence, his weathered face shadowed by worry. Once a proud farmer, Majhi now stares at his acres of land lying fallow for years owing to relentless crop depredation by wild animals, particularly elephants and boar.
HOUSES OF HORRORS
Twenty-Six. That’s how many students have died in the residential schools governed by the ST and SC Development department of Odisha government since July 2024, according to a reply placed in the Assembly on Friday (March 7). Home to the third highest tribal population in India, Odisha also has one of the largest residential schooling facilities for tribal students in the country.
JUMBO FACE-OFF: A SHARED BURDEN AND HEAVY COST FOR BOTH SIDES
As Baghadharia village in Hindol mourns the death of three of its residents in the recent elephant encounter, 70-year-old Amira Majhi stands in silence, his weathered face shadowed by worry. Once a proud farmer, Majhi now stares at his acres of land lying fallow for years owing to relentless crop depredation by wild animals, particularly elephants and boar.
January
CM Mohan Charan Majhi declares unseasonal rains as natural calamity to facilitate aid for farmers.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurates the 18th Pravasi Bharatiya Divas, says Indian diaspora across the globe are the greatest symbols of democratic values and ethos.
Four Odias, Adwaita Charan Gadanayak (Art), Dr Ashok Kumar Mahapatra (Medicine), Pratibha Satpathy (literature, Education) and Durga Charan Ranbir (Art) conferred Padma Shri.
February
Floodlight glitch stops second one-day cricket international between Indian and England for 35 minutes at Barabati stadium in Cuttack.
Bhakta Charan Das appointed president of Odisha Pradesh Congress Committee.
A Nepali girl student of KIIT University dies by suicide after being allegedly harassed by a fellow student.
Veteran actor and Odia film industry’s evergreen star Uttam Mohanty passes away.
March
For the first time in the history of Odisha Asembly, Speaker Surama Padhy suspends 12 of the 14 Congress MLAs for unruly conduct and not allowing the House to transact any business for several days.
India successfully tests vertically launched short range surface to air missile (VL-SRSAM) from Interim Test Range off Odisha coast.
One person killed and 15 other passenger suffer injuries following derailment of Bengalur-Kamakshya Superfast Express near Nirgundi in Cuttack district.
April
Odisha launches Ayushman Bharat Pradahan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB PM-JAY), the largest health assurance scheme providing a health cover of `5 lakh per family per year after a gap of seven years of its nation-wide launching by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on September 23, 2018.
In a first, Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi holds hearing of public grievances outside the state capital. The first regional Jana Sunani was held at Samabalpur.
Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi starts distribution of new ration cards to six lakh beneficiaries at a state-level function organised at Puri.
May
The newly-inaugurated Jagannath temple at Digha in West Bengal sparks a massive controversy over naming the shrine as Jagannath Dham.
Three persons killed and two others suffer critical injuries after a concrete slab falls on them during construction of a bridge near Khannagar in Cuttack.
The Shree Jagannath International Airport in Puri accorded in-principle approval by the Ministry of Civil Aviation.
Odisha cabinet approves proposal to provide 11.25 per cent reservation in state’s higher secondary and higher education institutions to SEBC students.
June
Six patients of Saheed Laxman Nayak Medical College and Hospital in Koraput perished in a span of hours prompting the state government to order an inquiry following allegations of medical negligence.
2021-batch IAS officer Dhiman Chakma caught red-handed by Vigilance while allegedly accepting a bribe of `10 lakh from a businessman.
Odisha government increases the ex gratia for death due to wild animal attack to `10 lakh from the existing `6 lakh.
Three devotees, including two women killed and six others suffer injuries when a stampede-like situation breaks out in front of Gundicha Temple in Puri.
July
Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi announces Municipal Corporation tag for Puri municipality.
A 20-year-old girl student of Integrated BEd from Fakir Mohan (FM) Autonomous College, Balasore sets herself afire on campus alleging harassment by her department head.
Odisha hosts state’s first textile summit ‘Odisha
Tex - 2025’, drawing investment proposals worth `7,808 crore.
August
Film Pushkara bags best Odia film at 71st National Film Awards.
Odisha government announces 835 Godabarish Mishra Model Primary Schools across the state in the first phase.
Bollywood actress Madhuri Dixit appointed as the brand ambassador of Odisha Handloom for a year to enhance its global appeal and market reach.
Odisha government bans use of ‘Harijan’ in official communications, directs use of ‘scheduled caste’ instead.
September
Senior BJD leader and sitting Nuapada MLA Rajendra Dholakia passes away. His son Jay Dholakia later contested the Assembly seat on a BJP ticket and emerged winner in November.
New City Development Plan for capital Bhubaneswar with an outlay of `8,176 crore okayed by the state cabinet for creation of a modern and inclusive urban hub within Bhubaneswar Development Plan Area (BDPA).
Aswini Kumar Panda, a state civil service exam topper serving as tehsildar of Bamra, arrested by Vigilance on charges of taking a bribe of `15,000.
October
Police arrest two prominent BJD leaders - former Berhampur MLA Bikram Panda and ex-mayor Siba Shankar Dash - along with 10 others in connection with the murder of BJP leader Pitabasa Panda in Berhampur on October 6.
Odisha government hands over police sub-inspector recruitment scam probe to the CBI given the inter-state links of the case. The fraud was earlier being probed by Crime Branch of Odisha Police.
Odisha signs nine MoUs worth `50,000 crore in maritime sector, including construction of new ports at India Maritime Week-2025 in Mumbai .
November
BJP’s Jay Dholakia wins the Nuapada Assembly by-poll by 83,748 votes, defeats Congress candidate Ghasiram Majhi and Snehangini Chhuria of BJD .
State cabinet approves creation of Odisha Uniformed Services Staff Selection Committee for appointments to police and other uniformed services.
Odisha Assembly makes history as President Droupadi Murmu becomes first head of the nation to address the House session.
December
Central committee member of CPI (Maoist) Ganesh Uike killed in forest of Rambha in fire exchange on Ganjam-Kandhamal border.
1991-batch IAS officer Anu Garg appointed chief secretary, will be the first woman to hold top post.
Odisha government announces that green stickers displaying compliances will become mandatory for all vehicles across the state from February 2026.