Odisha CM approves Rs 200 cr package for poor affected due to coronavirus

Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Wednesday approved a special assistance package of Rs 200 crore for the poor and extremely poor families in the State affected due to COVID-19 pandemic

Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Wednesday approved a special assistance package of Rs 200 crore for the poor and extremely poor families in the State affected due to COVID-19 pandemic. Patnaik approved the package while reviewing the COVID-19 situation and its management in the state with senior government officials and Collectors through Video Conferencing.

“Chief Minister Patnaik emphasizing upon the revival of the rural economy, approved a special assistance package of Rs 200 crore for the poor and extremely poor families in the State affected due to COVID-19 pandemic. The special package will help the development of livelihood activities of rural poor, very poor and the migrants,” said an official release.

“Members of the Women Self Help Groups can revive their family enterprises through this package. It will also benefit rural, nano and micro-enterprises; skilled and semi-skilled migrant returnees and producer and enterpriser groups engaged in the agricultural and non-agricultural sector,” it added. Emphasizing upon reviving the rural economy, Chief Minister directed to provide more credit facilities in MSME, agriculture, fisheries and animal resources. He also directed to provide subsidised loans for small business activities to be undertaken by Women Self Help Groups…Read Full Story

Bengal’s Sabarimala: Women not allowed in Kali puja pandal for 34 years

Ever since the worship of the idol began 34 years ago by priests of the Tarapith, a Shakti pith in Birbhum district, women were not allowed to enter the pandal

Latest News: The shadow of the Sabarimala temple row over the entry of women into the shrine has cast its spell on a local Kali Puja committee which does not allow females to enter its pandal amid protests by scholars.

Ever since the worship of the idol began 34 years ago by priests of the Tarapith, a Shakti pith in Birbhum district, women were not allowed to enter the pandal, members of the ‘Chetla Pradip Sangha’ puja committee in southern part of the city told reporters Saturday.

“We wish to maintain the rules which lays down that if any woman enters the pandal during puja, there will be a tragedy in our locality. We cannot break the tradition of the past 34 years,” joint secretary of the puja committee Saibal Guha said.|Sabarimala Temple

The male members of the puja committee and the locality prepare ‘prasad and bhog’ (food) for the deity besides undertaking other tasks.

“Our puja committee has women members, but they don’t enter the pandal as they know it might annoy the deity. They are with men in other tasks like bringing the idol to the pandal and join the immersion procession,” another puja committee member Saheb Das said. Indologist Nrisingha Prasad Bhaduri termed such rules as extreme manifestation of patriarchy and misogyny.

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