Diamond deposits found in Orissa

The country’s largest iron ore miner NMDC and the world’s premier diamond producer, De Beers, have found traces of diamond deposits in Orissa, Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka.

Surveys are also underway in these States to detect gold deposits, the government has said.

It said explorations in the three States had resulted in discovery of 41 kiberlites and 13 lamproite pipes, which are indicative of possible diamond deposits underneath.

Kimberlite and lamproite are solidified volcanic magma and work as elevators to bring diamonds with other minerals to the earth’s surface.

“So far, a total of 339 Reconnaissance Permits (RPs) have been issued covering an areas of 4,66,556 sq km, out of which aerial surveys have been conducted in 27 RPs,” an official statement by the Mines Ministry said.

It said kimberlite and Lamproites were discovered in Kalahandi, Nawarangpur, Nuapada and Bolangir districts of Orissa and in Kurnool, Prakasam and Anantapur districts in Andhra Pradesh. Explorations by CRA Exploration India Pvt. Ltd. in the State indicated discovery of several mineralised zones in Anantapur and Kurnool districts.

Orissa Govt. to build 1,00,000 houses for Urban Poor

The Orissa government will build 100,000 houses for the urban poor, state minister of planning and coordination A.U. Singhdeo said Wednesday.

'We have decided to construct 100,000 houses in urban areas. These houses would be constructed in PPP (public private partnership) mode,' Singhdeo said here.

The state government is also planning to build night shelters in cities like Bhubaneswar, Cuttack, Rourkela, Berhampur and Puri.

Orissa will also set up mini-secretariats in district headquarters so that people do not have to travel to the state government secretariat here for their work.

The government has decided to bring all offices in district headquarters under one roof for better administrative services.

Tata Steel and Sasol Synfuels for Rs 45,000 crore Project in Orissa

Tata Steel will set up a 3.6 million tonne per annum (mtpa) coal-to-liquid project in Orissa in partnership with Sasol Synfuels of South Africa.

The 50:50 joint venture will spend Rs 40,000-45,000 crore on the project, to be completed in eight years.

B Muthuraman, vice chairman, Tata Steel, and Ernst Oberholster, managing director, Sasol, met Orissa chief minister Naveen Patnaik on Tuesday to discuss the project.

“If materialised, the project would be the first of its kind in India and second in the world,” Muthuraman said after the meeting.

The location of the plant, which will require 3,000 acres of land, hasn’t been identified yet. However, coal, the primary raw material for the plant, will come from mines in the Talcher belt.

The project also envisages a beneficiation plant, a coal handling plant, and a 1600 mw power plant.

Stop talking, start acting, says Pitroda

Knowledge commission chairman Sam Pitroda on Saturday asked the Orissa government to start tightening the loose ends in higher education sector in right earnest instead of musing over problems already known.

The advisor to the prime minister on public information, infrastructure and innovation made the remarks while addressing the official task force which since October has organized 20 consultative workshops seeking solutions to problems facing the higher education sector in the state.

"Stop talking. Start acting", Pitroda said as he spoke on the maladies the education sector facing causing frustration not only among academicians but parents who in the present circumstances are desperate to give quality education to their children. "There have been enough conferences and debates on issues. It is time for remedial measures implemented as fast as possible", he advised. "There could be some failures here and there, which can be addressed subsequently. Don't wait any longer", he pointed out.

Pitroda felt streamlining the education sector would not pose much problem if there was political will' and cited the helpless condition of a highly knowledgeable, respectable and sincere' vice-chancellor of a university he visited recently in front of politicians. "The policy should be flexible and VCs should be given sufficient autonomy to run the universities", he said. Stating that parents in the present circumstances are ready to do anything to provide education to their children', the Orissa-born technology honcho said India is facing a big challenge in information infrastructure'. He said the prime minister had been keen on not only spreading education across the country but giving stress on quality education for which several measures are underway. In this connection he said he, Union minister Kapil Sibal and Planning Commission deputy chairman Montek Singh Ahluwalia had recently met and decided to meet the prime minister soon for the higher education Bill passed in the Parliament.

"Nothing much has yet been done in improving the education sector. It is heartening that education has been now in the national agenda, at least at discussion level", he added.

SOurce:Times of India, 16-Jan-2010

Orissa Govt. says no to Bt Brinjal

Orissa has opposed introduction of genetically modified (GM) crops, including Bt brinjal.

Union environment and forest minister Jairam Ramesh, who attended a public consultation here today, said he had received a letter from Orissa agriculture minister Damodar Rout that his government was opposed to GM crops, including Bt brinjal, on principle. Earlier, Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar had said no to GM crops including Bt brinjal, he said.

“We had sought views of seven states and so far received replies from two (Bihar and Orissa),” said Ramesh, adding that Bengal was also opposed to Bt brinjal.

Bihar, Orissa and Bengal produce 60 per cent of brinjal, he said, and views of these states were important. But so were those of consumers and stakeholders across the country.

Ramesh met agitators outside the meeting venue opposing introduction of Bt brinjal. “I have taken note of their protest,” he said.

Orissa offers to uproot all issues hurting Mittal, Posco projs

Worried over losing big projects to other states, Orissa government today offered to resolve all issues hurting the proposed Rs one-lakh crore investment by two global steel giants — Posco and ArcelorMittal.

The state government's assertion comes a day after Karnataka rolled-out red carpets for both companies and ArcelorMittal's CEO and NRI L N Mittal committing to about Rs 30,000-crore project in the state.

There will be opposition for political purposes. In a democracy it happens. But Orissa government is making all efforts to give land. Be it Posco or ArcelorMittal discussions are on. Government is trying to overcome these problems. Things are no doubt getting delayed but we are making all efforts," Orissa Finance Minister P C Ghadai said here.

Mittal had yesterday expressed dissatisfaction with the progress made in the Orissa project. Reacting to his comments, Orissa Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik had yesterday said the Rs 50,000-crore project is moving satisfactorily.

Both ArcelorMittal's and Posco's projects in the state have been delayed by over 4 years due to problems in acquiring land and other regulatory bottlenecks.

Posco's Rs 54,000-crore steel project--once billed as the largest foreign direct investment in the country--has also been facing delays. Both the companies plan to set up 12 Million Tonnes Per Annum steel plant in the mineral rich state on over 4,000 acres of land.

Dalai Lama to inaugurate South Asia's biggest monastery in Orissa

Described as South Asia's biggest monastery, a new Buddhist place of worship, is set to be unveiled by the Dalai Lama at Chandragiri in Orissa's Gajapati district on January 12.

The spiritual leader, who is arriving in Orissa tomorrow on a four-day visit to the state, would consecrate and inaugurate the monastery, built at a cost of Rs8 crore, religious chief of Tibetan settlement at Chandragiri, Gyetrul Jigme Rinpoche told reporters here.

About 4,000 guests from across the world are likely to witness the opening of the monastery, spread over an area of 10 acres and constructed in Atanpuri style of architecture of Nalanda, he said.

The rituals and consecration ceremony at the monastery with 70-feet high five-storey edifice would continue for four days during the Dalai Lama's ninth visit to Orissa, which has carved a niche for itself in Buddhism map, he said.

The monastery, named after Acharya Padmasambhav who was born in Orissa and believed to have spread Buddhism to Tibet in 7th century, is an architectural marvel and a dream project of the Tibetan people in exile settled in Orissa, Rinpoche said adding architects from Tibet, Nepal and Bhutan, besides local masons took over six years to build it.

With a 21-feet high Buddha idol, the monastery would act as a link between Orissa's history and that of Buddhism. During 7th and 10th centuries, Orissa was considered cradle of Vijryana Buddhism or Tantrik Buddhism, known as Tantrayana, he said. Preparation was on in full swing for inauguration of the monastery by the Dalai Lama, who had last visited the Tibetan settlement in 2003. The Nobel laureate is also scheduled to open a Stupa of enlightenment.

Besides inaugurating the monastery, the Dalai Lama would address students at the Central school and the Tibetan people and also witness cultural programmes to be staged by the local people at Chandragiri.

Recognised as a tourism site, the monastery is already thronged by tourists, Rinpoche said adding domestic and international tourism was beginning to flourish with the 'Rigon Thupten Mindorling Monastery' becoming a vital and positive economic force for surrounding communities.

By providing employment to locals and Tibetans, the monastery would play a major role in economic development of the region besides becoming a source of income for several non-government societies, he said.

Apart from performing rituals at Chandragiri, the Dalai Lama is expected to deliver a public address here on January 14, sources said.

Source-DNA

Dalai Lama begins four day Orissa visit

Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama arrived in Orissa on Monday to inaugurate a newly-constructed Buddhist monastery in Gajapati district.

The Tibetan spiritual leader arrived at Biju Patnaik airport in state capital Bhubaneswar in the morning and after a brief stay proceeded to Chandragiri in Gajapati district in a helicopter.

During his stay in the Tibetan settlement, the Dalai Lama will inaugurate a five-storey monastery named Padma Sambhav Mahavira.

He will also attend several religious discourses.