May 26, 2026 - IndiaVerve

OPSC declares OCS 2024 final results; 200 candidates recommended

May 26, 2026 by India Verve Desk

Bhubaneswar: The Odisha Public Service Commission (OPSC) has announced the final results of the Odisha Civil Services (OCS) Examination 2024, recommending a total of 200 candidates for appointment to various administrative posts in the state.

According to the commission, all 200 notified vacancies have been filled across different categories, including Unreserved, SEBC, Scheduled Caste, and Scheduled Tribe.

The selection process was completed after the Main Written Examination held from January 31 to February 10, 2026, followed by the Personality Test conducted from May 14 to May 20, 2026, according to reports.

A total of 78 women candidates have been recommended in the final list, exceeding the reserved quota for women.

The OPSC said the results have been published after completion of the prescribed recruitment process and evaluation stages for the OCS 2024 examination.

Bubun Sahoo has secured the first rank in the OCS Examination 2024, while Sovna Mohanty has secured the second position. Jitamitra Sahu has been placed third in the merit list.

Among the top 10 rank holders, women candidates have also made a strong presence. Apart from Sovna Mohanty, three other women – Kanak Jain, Seetal Patra, and Itishree Jena – have featured in the top 10 list.

Ex-BJD MP Debashish Samantaray joins BJP

May 26, 2026 by India Verve Desk

New Delhi: Former BJD Rajya Sabha MP Debashish Samantaray on Tuesday joined the BJP at the party’s national headquarters in New Delhi.

He joined the party in the presence of BJP National General Secretary Arun Singh, Odisha State President Manmohan Samal, and State In-Charge Vijaypal Singh Tomar, Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi said in a post X.

On the occasion, BJP National President Nitin Navin, Majhi, Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, Union Tribal Affairs Minister Jual Oram, along with MPs and MLAs from Odisha, welcomed him into the party and extended their greetings.

The party said that public trust in the BJP has been strengthening across Odisha, citing the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the party’s governance model.

Following his induction, Samantaray formally became a member of the BJP at the party’s national office.

In a courtesy interaction held after the joining ceremony, party leaders reiterated confidence that his participation would contribute to the vision of a “Developed India” under the leadership of Modi.

CAG to audit urban mobility in 101 cities; Bhubaneswar, Cuttack included

May 26, 2026 by India Verve Desk

Bhubaneswar: The Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) of India will conduct a Citizen-Centric Compliance Audit on Urban Mobility across 101 cities in the country as part of its Annual Action Plan 2026-27. Bhubaneswar and Cuttack have been included from Odisha for the exercise.

An entry conference on urban mobility was held at the 3rd Floor Conference Hall of Kharabela Bhawan in Bhubaneswar under the chairpersonship of Usha Padhee.

The meeting was attended by Principal Accountant General (Audit-I), Odisha, Subu R, Deputy Accountant General Balakrishna, and members of the audit team.

During the session, the audit team presented its framework covering audit criteria, legal and policy provisions, urban transport systems, key service areas, methodology, and timelines.

The Office of the Accountant General also sought nomination of a nodal officer from the Housing & Urban Development Department and requested cooperation from all concerned departments for the smooth conduct of the audit.

Padhee assured full support from the state administration and said all necessary assistance would be extended for the successful completion of the audit. She also urged departments and agencies to share operational challenges and concerns to enable constructive discussions and practical recommendations.

The meeting discussed timelines and modalities for the audit process.

Officials present included Director, Municipal Administration Arindam Dakua; Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation Commissioner Chanchal Rana; and senior representatives from Bhubaneswar Development Authority, CRUT, Cuttack Municipal Corporation, Cuttack Development Authority, Smart City Limited, Commerce & Transport Department, State Transport Authority, Odisha State Pollution Control Board, Home Department, and other stakeholder agencies.

Quad foreign ministers reaffirm commitment to a free and open Indo-Pacific

May 27, 2026May 26, 2026 by India Verve Desk

New Delhi: Foreign ministers of the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue (Quad) grouping on Tuesday reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening cooperation across the Indo-Pacific, with discussions focusing on maritime security, supply chain resilience, critical technologies, and counter-terrorism.

The Quad is a strategic grouping of India, the US, Japan, and Australia. It focuses on promoting a free, open, and secure Indo-Pacific region.

Speaking after the Quad Foreign Ministers’ Meeting in New Delhi, External Affairs Minister Dr. S. Jaishankar said the talks with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong, and Japanese Foreign Minister Takeshi Motegi were “substantive and productive”.

Jaishankar said the four countries exchanged views on the evolving global situation with particular emphasis on developments in the Indo-Pacific region. He noted that cooperation among the Quad nations in the maritime domain had steadily expanded to include surveillance, domain awareness, logistics networks, undersea cables, training, capacity building, and humanitarian assistance and disaster relief activities.

The minister said the Quad members also discussed the importance of ensuring safe and unimpeded maritime commerce while reaffirming adherence to international law.

According to Jaishankar, the meeting also focused on economic resilience and the need to strengthen supply chains, expand trusted technologies, and enhance production capacities. Deliberations covered issues related to energy, fertiliser availability, and access to critical minerals and resources.

The Quad nations also underlined the need for greater cooperation in areas such as business, healthcare, and digital initiatives to support regional growth and innovation, according to an External Affairs Ministry statement.

On terrorism, Jaishankar said there must be zero tolerance towards terrorist activities and asserted that countries facing terrorist attacks have the right to defend themselves.

Earlier, in his opening remarks, Jaishankar said the Indo-Pacific remained central to the Quad’s agenda amid growing global concerns over supply chain disruptions, connectivity bottlenecks, manufacturing concentration, and infrastructure gaps.

He said Quad officials had made progress in areas including maritime security, economic resilience, critical technologies, and humanitarian assistance efforts over the past several months.

Jaishankar added that the Quad nations, as maritime democracies and market economies, shared a responsibility to ensure that the Indo-Pacific continued to remain a key driver of global growth and stability.

Odisha to launch special voter list revision drive from May 30

May 26, 2026 by IndiaVerve Staff

Bhubaneswar: The Odisha government will begin a Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls across the state from May 30, with election authorities directing district administrations to ensure a transparent, error-free and inclusive voter list revision process.

A state-level preparatory meeting chaired by Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) R S Gopalan was held virtually on Tuesday to review arrangements for the voter list revision programme. Nodal officers, Deputy Collectors (Election) and District Information & Public Relations Officers (DIPROs) from all districts participated in the meeting.

During the review, the Chief Electoral Officer instructed officials to make the upcoming Special Intensive Revision exercise more efficient and citizen-friendly, with particular emphasis on new voter registration, correction of errors and transfer of voter details.

Gopalan stressed that no eligible voter should be left out during the revision process and called on district administrations to simplify procedures to encourage greater public participation.

As part of the exercise, Booth Level Officers (BLOs) will conduct door-to-door surveys to verify voter information. Officials have been directed to adopt special strategies to ensure the process remains transparent, accessible and free from misinformation.

The Election Department also expressed concern over possible misinformation linked to the SIR exercise on social media platforms. District authorities have been instructed to monitor online platforms closely and immediately counter any misleading claims or rumours regarding voter list revision.

Officials said any misinformation detected online would be promptly verified and clarified by the administration to prevent confusion among voters.

To make the process easier for rural residents, all enumeration forms related to voter registration and revision will be made available in Odia language, enabling people to understand and complete the process more conveniently.

Authorities will also launch awareness campaigns to inform citizens about the door-to-door verification drive and encourage them to provide accurate details to election officials.

The toll-free Election Helpline number 1950 will be widely publicised to assist citizens with voter-related queries. Through the helpline, residents can access information related to electoral rolls and even schedule a call with their local Booth Level Officer.

Deputy CEO Dr Laxmiprasad Sahu advised district media and social media cells to intensify public awareness efforts through local media and digital platforms to ensure wider dissemination of information about the voter revision programme.

The meeting also stressed stronger coordination between district administrations and election authorities, while officials decided to accelerate online application systems and further activate Booth Level Officers for smooth implementation of the revision drive.

Six killed after entering septic tank at construction site in Kalahandi

May 26, 2026 by India Verve Desk

Bhubaneswar: At least six people lost their lives, and another person fell ill after reportedly inhaling toxic gases inside an under-construction septic tank in Kalahandi district on Tuesday.

The incident took place at Kariakhunta village under the jurisdiction of Madanpur-Rampur police station, according to reports.

Preliminary information suggested that the victims had entered the newly built toilet tank during construction work to remove centring materials. Sources said some workers allegedly became unconscious after entering the confined chamber, suspected to be due to suffocation and lack of oxygen inside the tank.

In an attempt to save them, several others reportedly climbed into the tank one after another, but they too collapsed inside the enclosed space.

Police and local authorities reached the spot after the incident and initiated an investigation into the circumstances surrounding the deaths.

Meanwhile, Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi expressed deep grief over the tragic accident.

In a post on X, he also conveyed condolences to the bereaved families.

The chief minister announced financial assistance of Rs 4 lakh each from the Chief Minister’s Relief Fund for the next of kin of the deceased.

Adani Green commissions 3.37 GWh BESS at Khavda in major clean energy milestone

May 26, 2026 by India Verve Desk

New Delhi: Adani Green Energy Limited has commissioned a cumulative 3.37 Gigawatt-hour (GWh) Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) at Khavda in Gujarat, marking the world’s largest single-location battery storage deployment outside China and one of the fastest executed globally.

In a press release, the company said the deployment includes an additional 1.37 GWh capacity commissioned in March 2026, taking its total operational BESS capacity at the Khavda site to 3.37 GWh.

The project was completed within 10 months of the start of on-site construction.

The commissioning is expected to strengthen grid reliability, improve peak-hour electricity supply, and support the delivery of renewable power at scale around the clock. AGEL plans to add more than 10 GWh of battery storage capacity in FY27 and scale it up to 50 GWh over the next five years.

According to the company, the 3.37 GWh BESS can store enough clean energy to power nearly one million homes for an entire day. It can also support peak electricity demand comparable to that of cities such as Indore and Chandigarh, or to the entire state of Goa. The storage system is also capable of powering over 12 million LED bulbs continuously for 10 hours.

Executive Director Sagar Adani said large-scale energy storage would play a crucial role in the next phase of India’s clean energy transition. He stated that as renewable energy capacity expands rapidly, storage infrastructure becomes essential for ensuring a reliable and continuous clean power supply.

He further said the commissioning of the 3.37 GWh BESS at Khavda strengthens the foundation for resilient, flexible, and dispatchable energy systems, adding that the company’s investments in battery storage reflect its long-term commitment to building future-ready clean energy infrastructure at a global scale.

The BESS project integrates advanced energy management systems with lithium-ion battery technologies to improve efficiency, reliability, and grid responsiveness. The facility has been strategically located at Khavda, Gujarat, where AGEL is developing a 30 GW renewable energy project by 2029, of which 9.9 GW is already operational.

The company said utility-scale battery storage is becoming critical infrastructure globally as renewable energy adoption increases. Since renewable energy generation can vary depending on time, climate, season and location, battery storage systems help by storing excess power and supplying it during periods of high demand.

India-Canada CEPA talks advance as Piyush Goyal meets Canadian PM Mark Carney

May 26, 2026 by India Verve Desk

New Delhi: India and Canada have stepped up engagement on a proposed Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) during Union Minister of Commerce & Industry Piyush Goyal’s visit to Ottawa.

Goyal called on the Prime Minister of Canada Mark Carney, and conveyed greetings from Prime Minister Narendra Modi. In a series of posts on X, Goyal noted that he “fondly recalled his recent visit to India,” adding that it had “imparted fresh momentum and renewed confidence to the India-Canada partnership.”

He further stated that both sides held forward-looking discussions on strengthening bilateral cooperation and expressed optimism about the “early conclusion of the CEPA,” which is expected to “unlock new avenues of growth and prosperity for both nations.”

In response, Carney said that Canada is negotiating a free trade agreement with India, calling it a “game changer for Canadian workers and businesses.” He said he and Goyal will review ongoing progress and explore opportunities in energy, agri-food, technology, and education.

Separately, Goyal also held a meeting with Canada’s Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food Heath MacDonald. According to his post on X, the discussions focused on strengthening cooperation in agriculture with emphasis on food security, sustainability, agri-tech, and food processing. He said the aim is to boost the incomes of Indian farmers and producers through deeper collaboration.

In another engagement, Goyal held bilateral discussions with Canada’s Minister of International Trade Maninder Sidhu in Ottawa on advancing CEPA negotiations. He stated that both sides provided “clear guidance” to teams to work toward a balanced, commercially meaningful, and ambitious agreement that delivers tangible benefits to businesses and citizens in both countries.

Sidhu, in his post, said that he and Carney welcomed Goyal as Canada hosted India’s largest-ever business delegation sent to any country. He added that both sides are advancing work toward a CEPA trade agreement and strengthening economic ties aimed at doubling Canada–India trade to USD 70 billion by 2030.

The ongoing discussions highlight renewed momentum in India–Canada economic relations, with CEPA emerging as the central framework for future trade expansion between the two countries.