Latest news with #Odisha-based
Time of India
16 minutes ago
- Business
- Time of India
Govt returns Rs 47.07cr to over 1.27L duped chit fund investors
1 2 Bhubaneswar: The state govt has restituted Rs 47.07 crore to 1,27,137 duped chit fund investors in the last one year, chief minister Mohan Charan Majhi informed on Wednesday. In an indirect attack on the previous Naveen Patnaik govt, Majhi said only 2,79,109 victims had received refunds to the tune of Rs 119 crore during 2014-2024. "After the new govt assumed office in the state, under the direction of chief minister the process for refunding chit fund money has been simplified and decentralised to the district level. This has expedited the refund process, and in the past year, the state govt has returned Rs 47.07 crore to 1,26,137 small depositors," according to a statement from the chief minister's office (CMO). The CMO indicated that an additional 5 lakh small depositors would receive their refunds within 3 to 4 months. "For a decade from 2014 to 2024, only 2,79,109 small depositors had received a total refund of Rs 119 crore," the statement noted. Compensating chit fund victims was a crucial BJP electoral commitment last year. The BJP state president, Manmohan Samal, in Sept last year announced that the govt would reimburse defrauded chit fund victims within 18 months. About 70 lakh people in Odisha were reportedly deceived by around 450 Ponzi companies. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like O que é ar-condicionado sem dutos no Brasil? Knowledge Knower Undo Following a Supreme Court directive in May 2014, the CBI investigated 44 companies, including the Kolkata-based Saradha Group and Odisha-based Seashore and Artha Tatwa groups. These firms allegedly collected roughly Rs 4,600 crore from gullible investors in the state. Prior to the 2014 assembly and Lok Sabha elections, the then-BJD govt set up a judicial commission and created a Rs 300 crore corpus fund to compensate affected small depositors. The commission, led by Justice M M Das, identified a large number of small depositors who lost Rs 10,000 or less. The commission's interim report to the state govt recommended refund for 4,97,844 small investors while identifying over 450 companies responsible for the Ponzi fraud. Last Dec, Majhi revealed at an event here that he too was a victim of chit fund schemes, stating he couldn't recover his money due to the complicated recovery process.
Time of India
8 hours ago
- Time of India
Bail jumper in 2004 MBBS admission racket held after 20 years
New Delhi: A 63-year-old civil engineer turned fraudster who jumped bail and evaded arrest for two decades was apprehended by Delhi Police's Crime Branch. Rajesh Rajput was part of a gang that lured parents through newspaper advertisements, promising MBBS admissions under management quota in reputed medical colleges. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Rajput, a resident of Saharanpur in Uttar Pradesh, was declared a proclaimed offender in 2006 in a cheating case registered with Economic Offences Wing (EOW) of Delhi Police. "In 2004, he and his associates allegedly duped a doctor from Odisha of Rs 4 lakh on the pretext of securing an MBBS seat for his son through management quota," DCP (crime) Harsh Indora said. The Odisha-based doctor fell into the trap and paid the amount, only to realise he was conned. "A case was registered at Shalimar Bagh police station and later transferred to the EOW for investigation. Rajput was initially arrested but absconded soon after securing bail, failing to appear for court proceedings. He was subsequently declared a proclaimed offender in February 2006," DCP Indora added. Crime Branch team received a tip-off about Rajput's whereabouts. On July 1, the team conducted a pre-dawn operation to Saharanpur and managed to locate Rajput at his home. "Initially, he denied his identity, but during sustained interrogation at Crime Branch office in Delhi, he confessed. His identity was confirmed through cross-checks with police station Shalimar Bagh and the EOW," a senior police officer said.
Time of India
5 days ago
- Politics
- Time of India
Dharmendra Pradhan praises Odisha Police use of drone, AI for Rath Yatra security arrangements
Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan lauded Odisha Police's tech-driven security measures during Lord Jagannath's Rath Yatra, including drone surveillance and AI-powered CCTV cameras. He visited the Integrated Command and Control Centre, praising the use of technology to maintain order and control crowds. The initiative, featuring real-time monitoring and a WhatsApp chatbot, marks a significant advancement in safeguarding the tradition. Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads Puri, Union Education minister Dharmendra Pradhan on Friday praised Odisha Police 's use of drones and other technology for foolproof security arrangements during Lord Jagannath's Rath Yatra Pradhan and Union Culture and Tourism minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat accompanied by Odisha Higher Education minister Surjyabanshi Suraj and Puri MP Sambit Patra, visited the ' Integrated Command and Control Centre ' (ICCC) set up by Odisha Police in Puri to review security and surveillance preparedness during the Rath Yatra 2025."To maintain order during the Rath Yatra in Puri and to control the crowd, I visited the Integrated Command and Control Centre established by Odisha Police. For the first time in the Rath Yatra, this arrangement by Odisha Police, utilising drones and other technology for monitoring, is highly useful and commendable," Pradhan said in a post on also said that this is a shining example of how technology can be used to safeguard tradition. The synergy of AI, drone surveillance, and real-time command capabilities is commendable, he ministers appreciated the use of technology-driven solutions implemented by Odisha Police and developed by Odisha-based defence tech startup IG Drones, a statement issued by the company the first time in the history of Rath Yatra, Odisha Police has deployed advanced drone surveillance technology across key areas of the city-enabling real-time aerial monitoring of crowd movements, traffic flow, and potential from drones, the police have also installed 275 AI-powered CCTV cameras , a real-time WhatsApp chatbot for public assistance, and an Integrated Command and Control Centre for centralised coordination and data-driven decision-making, an official said.
Time of India
5 days ago
- General
- Time of India
Puri Rath Yatra 2025: What caused the delay in chariot pulling rituals?
The 2025 Rath Yatra in Puri faced an unexpected delay. This happened during the chariot-pulling. Lord Balabhadra's chariot faced maneuvering issues. A large crowd also disrupted the procession. Officials cited the turnout as a challenge. They plan to improve crowd management for future events. Rath Yatra is a major Hindu festival in Puri, Odisha. Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads About Rath Yatra: The 2025 Rath Yatra in Puri, one of India's most revered religious events, experienced an unexpected delay during the chariot-pulling rituals, prompting concern and curiosity among devotees and per a report of Odisha-based OTV, the main cause of the disruption was a challenge in maneuvering Lord Balabhadra's Taladhwaja chariot at a key turning point on the Grand Road (Bada Danda). The massive, manually pulled wooden chariot took longer than usual to realign, temporarily bringing the sacred procession to a to the delay was the overwhelming crowd. A surge of devotees, far surpassing official estimates, entered cordoned-off areas despite strict security measures. This not only disrupted the flow of the chariots but also hampered coordination between the sevayats (temple servitors) and police Puri district administration and Shree Jagannath Temple Administration (SJTA) acknowledged the situation, citing the unexpected turnout as a major logistical challenge. According to a report by OTV, officials assured that lessons learned from the delay will be used to improve crowd management during the upcoming Bahuda Yatra and future Yatra, also known as the Chariot Festival, is an annual Hindu celebration in Puri, Odisha, marking Lord Jagannath 's journey to Gundicha Temple with his siblings, Balabhadra and Subhadra. Held in the month of Ashadh (June–July), it is the oldest and largest Hindu chariot procession in India, drawing millions of devotees from across the globe.
Hans India
7 days ago
- Business
- Hans India
Tirupati to get twin 5-star hotels, a dairy plant
Tirupati: The State government is betting big on tourism and industrial development in the Tirupati region, clearing a fresh set of land allotments that aim to bring in private investment, generate employment, and reshape the local economy. At its meeting on Tuesday, the State Cabinet approved two major 5-star hotel proposals and a large-scale dairy unit together with an investment outlay of Rs 343 crore, which are expected to play a distinct role in the district's economic roadmap. One of the headline decisions involved allotting 12.7 acres of land in SV Puram village of Vadamalapeta mandal to Bengal Ultimate Resorts LLP, an Odisha-based company. The firm plans to set up a 5-star resorts close to Tirupati, tapping into the steady stream of pilgrims and tourists visiting the temple town. The land, which falls under survey numbers 428-2 and 428-3, will be handed over free of cost to the Andhra Pradesh Tourism Authority, which will monitor the project and oversee the release of incentives. The lease period is set at 66 years, with a 33-year extension option. The Rs 150.52 crore investment project is expected to provide direct employment to 350 people. To make the project viable and attractive to investors, the government has cleared a comprehensive incentive package that includes full reimbursement of net SGST for 10 years or until the total fixed capital investment is recovered. Stamp duty and electricity duty will also be reimbursed for five years. Officials said the Revenue Department has been instructed to complete the land alienation process quickly to avoid project delays. In another proposal, the Cabinet ratified a decision by the State Investment Promotion Board (SIPB) to support Pavani Hotels, Guntur in setting up another 5-star property in Tirupati. With an investment of Rs 80.46 crore, the project is expected to provide direct employment to 300 people and create around 600 indirect jobs. Similar incentives have been approved for this project as well. The Cabinet didn't stop at tourism. In a significant move for the dairy sector, it approved the allotment of 22.8 acres at the MPSEZ in Naidupet to Sangam Milk Producer Company Limited. The company plans to invest Rs 112 crore to establish a milk and cultured products manufacturing unit, expected to employ around 400 people. The land will be allotted at a concessional rate of Rs 50 lakh per acre. It is worth noting that the district's vision document outlines a major push to promote tourism by leveraging its strengths in spiritual tourism. To support this, the district administration has been exploring various strategies to encourage longer visitor stays, allowing tourists to experience the region's diverse attractions more fully. While the city already offers a range of accommodations, from budget options to 3-star hotels, the current focus is on expanding capacity in the 4-star and 5-star categories, with several projects already in the pipeline.
