Cyclonic storm ‘Hamoon’ has intensified into a severe cyclone, but no major impact is expected in Odisha, as it crosses the state’s coast from a distance of about 200 km, the Met Department said.

“It is likely to intensify further into a very severe cyclonic storm in a few hours as the system moves in the Bay of Bengal at a speed of 21 kmph,” the IMD had said earlier in a bulletin.

Thereafter, it is likely to weaken gradually while moving northeastwards and cross Bangladesh coast between Khepupara and Chittagong around Tuesday evening as a cyclonic storm with wind speed of 65-75 kmph gusting to 85 kmph, the weather office said.

‘Hamoon’ lay centered at 5:30 am at about 230 km east-southeast of Paradip (Odisha), 240 km south-southeast of Digha (West Bengal), 280 km south-southwest of Khepupara (Bangladesh) and 410 km southwest of Chittagong (Bangladesh), it said.

“The cyclone, which passes in the sea, will remain about 200 km from Odisha coast and therefore, no major impact is expected in the state other than light to moderate rainfall in the coastal areas,” a Met Department official said.
 

A day after his request for a voluntary retirement came through, VK Pandian, former private secretary to Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, has been given a cabinet minister rank in the state government.

An order issued by Odisha’s General Administration and Public Grievance department said the IAS officer has been appointed as chairman of the state government’s 5T (Transformation Initiatives) and Nabin Odisha scheme. The order mentions that he will hold a cabinet minister rank.

Earlier, sources from the ruling BJD had said Mr Pandian may join the party and is likely to be given a bigger role ahead of next year’s Assembly polls, news agency PTI reported.

A 2000-batch IAS officer of Odisha cadre, Mr Pandian started his career as the sub-collector of Dharmagarh in Kalahandi in 2002. He was appointed the collector of Mayurbhanj in 2005, and then in 2007, he was made the collector of Ganjam. It was during his posting in Ganjam that he became a trusted officer of the Chief Minister. Mr Pandian joined the Chief Minister’s Office in 2011, and was later promoted as his Mr Patnaik’s private secretary.

Mr Pandian’s rise as the most trusted aide of the BJD chief has drawn fire from the the party’s rivals, who have accused him of misusing a bureacrat’s position.

Soon after his request for voluntary retirement came through, Congress MP Saptagiri Ulaka said he would not be surprised if Mr Pandian took charge as chief minister of Odisha before the next polls.

“…such is the power structure in Odisha, no one has clue what’s happening but everyone knows who’s controlling. VRS approved in 3 days during holidays – Super Fast,” he said in a post on X.

Senior Congress MLA SS Saluja said Mr Pandian should have quit public service earlier. “We do not know whether he will join politics or return back to his own state. However, if he joins the BJD, then it will be helpful for the opposition, the Congress is particular,” Mr Saluja told news agency PTI.

BJP chief whip Mohan Majhi said, “Now, he will be able to do politics openly instead of with the mask of a bureaucrat on. He will not be accepted by the people of Odisha.”

The Uttar Pradesh government has made amendments to the financial aid rules of the Project Alankar with an aim to benefit and improve the condition of government-aided secondary Sanskrit schools in the state.

As per the previous mandate, the school management was required to bear the cost of renovation of old buildings for up to 50 per cent. The remaining cost was to be borne by the state government. The government has now reduced the financial cost to be borne by the government to just 5 per cent. In addition, it has also allocated a budget of Rs 100 crore for the renovation projects.  

Following this the Directorate of Education in Prayagraj, Uttar Pradesh has received proposals from various schools who wish to take advantage of the scheme and renovate their schools. The government has received proposals for a total of around Rs 22 crore to enhance and develop their school buildings. The proposals have been received from government-aided Sanskrit schools in districts such as Basti, Muzaffarnagar, Sonbhadra, Ambedkarnagar, Gonda, Gorakhpur, Balrampur, and Maharajganj.

The move was introduced to address the lack of adequate provision and funds in the budget that is resulting in the government schools’ building turning dilapidated.

In the 2022-23 academic year, the state government has made a provision of Rs 100 crore under for reconstruction, expansion, electrification etc of dilapidated buildings of government schools of the state. A major portion of the fund remained unused as not many schools approached the Uttar Pradesh government for renovation.