Latest news with #ManmohanSamal
Time of India
5 hours ago
- Politics
- Time of India
5L chit fund investors to get refunds in 4 months: Samal
1 2 Bhubaneswar: State govt will refund money to all eligible investors who were duped by chit fund companies, said state BJP president Manmohan Samal here on Friday. He said the BJP, in its election manifesto, promised the people of Odisha to refund money lost in chit fund scams. The govt has already refunded Rs 47 crore to 1.26 lakh chit fund depositors in a year. "A list of 5 lakh investors is ready, and they will get refunds in the next four months," he added. Samal said that due to dedicated efforts of the BJP govt, eligible beneficiaries affected by chit funds scam will get their money back. He expressed gratitude to chief minister Mohan Charan Majhi for the initiative. He said that trusting the BJD govt, people had invested their hard-earned money in various chit fund companies. "Unfortunately, the BJD govt betrayed their trust. A total of 174 chit fund companies swindled the people of Odisha. Many ministers, MPs, and MLAs from the BJD were allegedly involved in misappropriating public money under the guise of chit funds," he alleged. Samal said several BJD members and ministers were jailed in connection with the chit fund scam. "Thousands of eligible depositors, who invested in chit funds, were left in uncertainty, leading to a loss of public trust in the govt. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Gold Is Surging in 2025 — Smart Traders Are Already In IC Markets Learn More Undo Following this, the Supreme Court intervened, leading to the formation of a corpus fund and a commission, but implementation was lacking, and the investigation report was not made public due to the questionable intentions of the BJD govt," he alleged. He said the BJP govt took immediate action to refund those affected by the chit fund scam. "The BJP govt is sensitive to the plight of the affected depositors and is committed to ensuring that all eligible people get their money back," he added. Samal said a system will be put in place to ensure that depositors can get their refunds by showing minimal proof. BJD spokesperson Lenin Mohanty said Samal is suffering from selective amnesia. "Last month, he was telling that chit fund-related documents are missing. Now he is confidently telling the govt can refund money to all chit fund investors, which means the govt has all the documents. He is misleading the people," he added. Mohanty said the BJP govt recently said Rs 119 crore was refunded to 2.79 lakh chit fund investors between 2014 and 2024. "It proves the BJD govt was refunding the money of chit fund depositors. For the sake of opposing the BJD, Samal should not speak whatever he wants," he added.
The Hindu
14 hours ago
- Politics
- The Hindu
Odisha BJP likely to get new president by July 8
The Odisha BJP is likely to get a new president by July 8, according to the poll schedule announced by the party on Friday (July 4, 2025). The formal notification for the president's election will be issued on July 6, said the statement issued by Balasore MP Pratap Chandra Sarangi, the party's state election officer. The nominations will be accepted on July 7, while voting for the post of state president will be held on July 8, if required, it said. The names of the new state president and central council member will be declared on July 8 itself, it added. Editorial: Sheer negligence: On the Puri stampede The organisational election was put on hold due to the stampede during the Rath Yatra festival in Puri. Several senior leaders are in the race for the post, with incumbent Manmohan Samal looking for another term, party insiders said.
The Print
15 hours ago
- Politics
- The Print
Odisha BJP likely to get new president by July 8
The nominations will be accepted on July 7, while voting for the post of state president will be held on July 8, if required, it said. The formal notification for the president's election will be issued on July 6, said the statement issued by Balasore MP Pratap Chandra Sarangi, the party's state election officer. Bhubaneswar, Jul 4 (PTI) The Odisha BJP is likely to get a new president by July 8, according to the poll schedule announced by the party on Friday. The names of the new state president and central council member will be declared on July 8 itself, it added. The organisational election was put on hold due to the stampede during the Rath Yatra festival in Puri. Several senior leaders are in the race for the post, with incumbent Manmohan Samal looking for another term, party insiders said. PTI AAM AAM SOM This report is auto-generated from PTI news service. ThePrint holds no responsibility for its content.
New Indian Express
12-06-2025
- Politics
- New Indian Express
New track, mixed signals: 365 days of Majhi government
Yet, not so much can be said about his government. A major poll weapon of BJP in 2024 elections was dismantling the power structure under BJD where bureaucracy reigned supreme. A year on, little has changed in practice. Despite the tall proclamations, the levers of power continue to remain largely in the hands of the very bureaucrats who served key roles in the previous regime. Immediately after coming to power, the BJP leaders and ministers had announced to purge the bureaucrats that pulled the strings in the BJD government. They levelled charges against several officers and promised investigation and action against them. So far, there has not been any visible progress on that front. Many of the very bureaucrats have even gained central deputation and moved on. On the ground too, the impact is being felt. Governance delivery has almost remained stuck all-round and all across the state. No major development project has shown progress. Files are not moving, works stalled for long periods as the administration is still to adapt and abide by the new power structure. So much so that the CM himself has recently been forced to acknowledge the issue and instruct officials to buckle up. The party leadership, though, differs. 'The major achievement of our government is restoring the democratic values which were missing in the BJD government. While the BJD government was run by a handful of bureaucrats making the ministers redundant, our ministers enjoy full freedom to take decisions and express their views without any restriction,' state BJP chief Manmohan Samal said. Managing power The functioning of the government, particularly the council of ministers has so far reflected the teething troubles of a team still finding its feet. Coordination gaps have surfaced, with some ministers issuing contradictory statements or speaking out of turn, leading to confusion over policy matters. Ministers are often seen grappling with issues and the lack of administrative experience is evident in delayed decision-making and mixed messaging. They seem to be still coming to terms with the responsibility of handling their departments and the expectations of a public that voted for transformation. Double-engine, double horsepower Double was promised and double-engine seems to be delivered. With the party winning a historic mandate in the state, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has thrown his weight behind the Majhi government. Since the formation of government in Odisha, he has made six visits to the state, with the seventh due on June 20 to celebrate the first anniversary of the first BJP government of Odisha. Modi not only unveiled the Pravasi Bharatiya Divas, held for the first time in Odisha, in January, he also threw his strength behind Majhi government's investment prowess with his presence at the Utkarsh Odisha Conclave. While most Union Ministers have kept making frequent stops in Bhubaneswar, key events of the Centre are being hosted in the state one after the other.
Time of India
21-05-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
BJD, BJP clash over backward class reservation in Odisha
1 2 Bhubaneswar: The battle over the backward class quota intensified in Odisha on Wednesday as the opposition BJD demanded a 27% reservation, matching the central govt's OBC quota. The BJD's demonstration near Raj Bhawan drew immediate criticism from the BJP, which accused the regional party of political posturing after remaining inactive on the issue during its long tenure in power. The face-off comes in the wake of the state govt's recent implementation of an 11.25% quota for socially and educationally backward classes (SEBCs) in general undergraduate and postgraduate courses from this academic year. This development occurred a day after state BJP president Manmohan Samal announced that a similar quota would soon be extended to medical and technical courses. In a memorandum addressed to Governor Hari Babu Kambhampati, the BJD demanded the implementation of a minimum of 27% reservation for SEBC/other backward class (OBC) students across all educational institutions in Odisha, including higher education, technical education (engineering and medical colleges), and vocational institutions. The BJD also sought to increase the existing reservation percentages for ST and SC communities in technical and professional courses to 38.75% to align with their actual demographic representation, as is already followed in general higher education. The quota for SCs and STs in medical and technical education currently totals 20%, including 12% for STs and 8% for SCs, while it is 38.75% in general courses. BJD MLA Arun Sahoo said the recent govt decision regarding the 11.25% reservation for SEBC students in higher educational institutions is inadequate and lacks comprehensive implementation. "While the Central govt and several other states have already implemented a 27% reservation for OBCs across educational institutions, Odisha must follow suit to uphold the principles of equity, social justice, and constitutional responsibility," he said. Countering the BJD, higher education minister Suraj Suryabanshi said the BJD remained anti-backward classes and anti-SCs and STs throughout its long 24 years of being in power. "It did nothing. However, when the BJP govt has made a good start, the BJD has started preaching. The regional party has no such moral rights," he said. Suraj pointed out that when the Orissa high court in Dec 2021 ruled that there couldn't be a quota for backward classes in panchayat elections in the absence of empirical data of their population, the BJD govt happily ended the quota instead of taking steps to collect their data and implement the reservation. In a similar situation, the BJP govt in Madhya Pradesh, then led by Shivraj Singh Chouhan, met the pre-requisites of collecting population data by postponing the panchayat elections, he said.
