1,969 more Covid patients recover in Odisha; 9,49,350 cured so far

by Argus News

NEWS HIGHLIGHTS

Out of 1,969 fresh recoveries in the State, the highest numbers of 446 recoveries were reported from Khordha district, followed by 312 from Cuttack and 161 from Balasore.

Bhubaneswar, Jul 27: As many as 1,969 Covid patients have recovered and are being discharged from different hospitals in Odisha on Tuesday, informed the State Health and Family Welfare Department.

Out of 1,969 fresh recoveries in the State, the highest numbers of 446 recoveries were reported from Khordha district, followed by 312 from Cuttack, 161 from Balasore, 123 from Jajpur, 113 from Jagatsinghpur, 94 from Kendrapara, 78 from Nayagarh, 75 from Bhadrak, 75 from Mayurbhanj, 63 from Puri, 61 from Angul, 36 from Sundargarh, 34 from Dhenkanal, 32 from Sambalpur, 29 from Rayagada, 25 from Malkangiri, 17 from Kandhamal, 14 from Bargarh, 13 from Keonjhar, 10 from Gajapati, 10 from Koraput, 9 from Ganjam, 7 from Boudh, 7 from Nabarangpur, 6 from Sonepur, 5 from Jharsuguda, 5 from Kalahandi, 5 from Nuapada, 3 from Deogarh and 1 from Balangir district.

Besides, 100 recoveries were reported from the State Pool.

“The total recovered cases of Odisha now stand at 9,49,350,” said the Health Department.

Railway Minister Approves Extension Of Sambalpur-Banaras Express Up To Vizag Via Titlagarh, Rayagada

by Hemanta Pande

Bhubaneswar, Sept 25: Continuing his record of keeping promises, Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw has once again proven his commitment to enhancing rail services in the Southern and Western districts of Odisha.
The people of Rayagada, Balangir, Bargarh, and other areas have long held grievances about inadequate train connectivity. However, the tide is turning in their favor as promises are being fulfilled.

Connecting the South Odisha People to Banaras:
One of the most significant developments in this endeavor is the provision of train services for the people of South Odisha to Banaras. The demand for this connection was vocalized during Vaishnaw’s visit to these regions including his Jan-ashirvaad Yatra, and he assured the people that their needs would be met. The importance of this connection cannot be understated, as it allows residents to undertake important journeys, such as performing rituals in Allahabad and Varanasi, with ease.

Extending from Sambalpur-Visakhapatnam
This rail link has the potential to become the lifeline of the people in Western and Southern Odisha, serving multiple purposes.

First and foremost, it meets the demand for easier access to quality healthcare services, as many residents from these areas often travel to renowned hospitals. Furthermore, with Visakhapatnam evolving into a thriving educational hub, students from this region can now conveniently access various educational institutions in the city. This move holds promise for fostering new business and trade partnerships, thereby contributing to economic growth.

Revolutionizing Connectivity
The extended train service between Sambalpur and Visakhapatnam represents a significant leap in connectivity. It opens doors to a multitude of opportunities, linking two vital regions. Extension of the Varanasi-Sambalpur-Varanasi 18312/11 Bi-weekly Express has been approved. This extension would benefit the Southern and Western districts of Odisha but also the North Andhra Region and interior districts of Chhattisgarh.

This initiative has a ripple effect on intermediate connectivity, facilitating easier travel to crucial junctions like Pt. Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Junction, Hatia, Ranchi, Rourkela, Jharsuguda, and Sambalpur. The entire region is set to experience a surge in economic activity and connectivity like never before.

Vaishnaw’s unwavering commitment to addressing the longstanding grievances of Southern and Western Odisha districts is bearing fruit. The improved rail connectivity promises a brighter future, not only for the residents of these regions but also for the economic landscape of the areas it touches. The wheels of progress are indeed turning, ushering in a new era of opportunity and development.

Read: Odisha Gets Its 2nd Vande Bharat Express Train: Timing And Stoppages-All You Need To Know

Women Cricketers Bag Gold In 1st bid; Rifle Shooters Set World Record As India Rise To 6th In Table

by Pabitra Mohan Senapaty

Hangzhou, Sep 25: The Indian women's cricket bagged a gold medal in its first appearance in the Asian Games while the Men's 10m Air Rifle Team set a new world record in bagging the yellow metal as India climbed up to the sixth position in the medals table with 11 medals on an eventful day on Monday.

The women's cricket team defeated Sri Lanka in the final to win the gold medal in their first attempt. Smriti Mandhana and Jemimah Rodrigues stitched a crucial 73-run partnership, followed by young fast-bowling all-rounder Titas Sadhu bowling a deadly spell of 3-6 in four overs to help India beat Sri Lanka by 19 runs.

The troika of World Champion Rundrankksh Patil, Divyansh Panwar and Aishwary Pratap Singh Tomar shot brilliantly to set a new world record of 1893.7 on their way to victory in the Men's 10m Air Rifle Team competition.

With the women cricketers and the men's 10m Air Rifle Team taking centre stage, India claimed six medals -- two gold and four bronze medals on Monday. Of the four bronze medals, two each came in shooting and rowing.

The shooters won a bronze each in the men's 25m Rapid Fire Pistol Team and Aishwary Pratap Singh Tomar in the 10m Air Rifle Individual event, who had to overcome his teammate Rundankkash Patil in a shoot-off to finish third. In the Men's 25m Rapid Fire Pistol Individual event, India's Vijayveer Sidhu finished fourth and out of the medal bracket.

The rowers won bronze medals in the Men's Quadruples and the Men's Coxless Four on Monday and concluded their campaign in Hangzhou with five medals in all -- two silver and three bronze medals. In terms of numbers, it was an improvement on their performance in the 2018 Asian Games in Indonesia when they got three medals. However, the Indian rowers failed to get any gold in Hangzhou, which they had managed to do in Jakarta, five years back.

However, there were a few setbacks too, not bigger than the shocking defeat suffered by the men's doubles pair of Rohan Bopanna and Yuki Bhambri, which crashed out in the second round. Playing their first match after getting a bye in the first round, the experienced pair of Bopanna, ranked 7th in the world, and Bhambri, who has a doubles ranking of 65, lost to Sergey Fomin and Khumoyun Sultanov 6-2, 3-6, (6-10) on Centre Court at the Hangzhou Olympic Sports Centre Tennis Stadium here.

Bopanna later came out and won the mixed doubles opener in partnership with Rutuja Bhosale. Rutuja advances in singles and women's doubles too while the country's top women's singles player Ankita Raina handed Sabrina Olimjova of Uzbekistan a double bagle, winning 6-0, 6-0 in less than an hour on Monday while, Rutuja won her match in straight sets, having to overcome her opponent in a tiebreak in the first set.