Greetings On Ram Navami
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday greeted the nation on Ram Navami, saying Lord Ram’s life of sacrifice, penance and self-restraint continues to inspire strength and determination. In a post on X, he prayed for well-being and a developed, self-reliant India.

Barabati To Host T20I
The second match of the three-match T20 series between India and Sri Lanka will be played at Barabati Stadium in Cuttack on December 24 at 7 pm. The series begins in Rajkot, while the final match is scheduled in Pune on December 27.

Rukuna Rath Yatra
The Rukuna Rath Yatra of Lord Lingaraj was held in Bhubaneswar on March 26 for Ashokastami. Pahandi began at 10:45 am, chariot pulling began at 2:30 pm after Agyanmala. Deities Rukmini and Vasudev were seated; return festival is on March 30.

Fake LPG Racket Busted
Cuttack Police busted a fake LPG gas racket. Acting on reliable information, police raided the residence of Dhruv Charan Behera, a gas delivery employee, and discovered that he had been filling empty LPG cylinders with water, sealing them, and selling them to unsuspecting customers.

New Excise Policy Announced
The Odisha government unveiled a three-year excise policy effective from April 2026 to March 2029. Key provisions include a 0.5% de addiction cess, higher license fees (10% along with annual rise of 10-20%), and revised excise duties on IMFL and country liquor. The Cess revenue will fund de addiction centres statewide.

No Salary Hike for MLAs!
The Assembly Secretary issued a notice to withdraw the bill proposing a hike in legislators’ salaries. Earlier, the Odisha Assembly had approved a sharp hike in legislators’ salaries, raising monthly pay from ₹1.11 lakh to ₹3.45 lakh, among the highest in India.

Groundwater Levels Declining
CM Mohan Charan Majhi, in a written reply, highlighted the alarming decline in groundwater levels across the state. Records show a 0.53% mbgl reduction over the past five years. To counter this, the government has planned construction of 33 dams, 27 barrages, and 89 intra‑river reservoir projects, along with recharge wells and check dams to restore groundwater.

Spelling Correction
Odisha announced plans to correct the English spelling of Aska town to ‘Asika’, aligning with its original Odia pronunciation. The government is considering formal approval of this change to ensure consistency in official records.

Crackdown on Traffic Violations
Odisha Transport Minister Bibhuti Bhusan Jena informed the Assembly that in the past two years, 65,649 reckless drivers have lost their driving licenses. The crackdown on traffic violations has been intensified as the Govt has also collected a staggering ₹216.71 crore in fines.

15 Dead in Bus Tragedy
At least 14 people were burnt alive, and 15 others were injured as a private travel bus caught fire after colliding with a tipper truck in Andhra Pradesh’s Markapuram district. Prime Minister Narendra Modi condoled the loss of lives and announced an ex-gratia of Rs 2 lakhs for the grieving families.