June 10, 2026 - IndiaVerve

Sahayog programme links vulnerable urban families with welfare schemes across Odisha

June 10, 2026 by India Verve Desk

BHUBANESWAR: The Odisha government’s Sahayog programme has helped connect thousands of economically weaker and marginalized urban households with a range of welfare schemes, officials said during a state-level workshop held in Bhubaneswar on Wednesday.

The Housing and Urban Development Department, in partnership with Tata Steel Foundation, organised a one-day workshop for frontline workers associated with the programme at the Odisha Urban Academy. An FAQ booklet designed to address common queries raised during the Sahayog survey process was also released on the occasion.

Addressing the gathering, Additional Chief Secretary of the Department, Usha Padhee, said the initiative goes beyond facilitating access to government benefits and plays a key role in improving the quality of life of vulnerable communities living in urban areas.

She lauded the efforts of Swachha Sathis, Self-Help Group members, and representatives of Slum Dwellers’ Associations, stating that their grassroots engagement has been instrumental in expanding the programme’s reach and effectiveness.

Participants from various urban local bodies across the state shared their experiences regarding the implementation of the programme and highlighted its impact on beneficiaries.

They also offered suggestions aimed at strengthening service delivery and improving outreach among underserved communities.

Officials said the workshop provided a platform for frontline workers to exchange ideas and discuss challenges faced while connecting eligible families with government schemes.

Speaking at the event, Tata Steel Foundation CEO Sourav Roy, Additional Secretary of the Housing and Urban Development Department Shatrughna Kar, and Sahayog Nodal Officer Sourindra Rautray outlined the programme’s objectives, achievements, and plans.

During the interaction, Padhee encouraged field-level workers to continue their community outreach efforts and urged departmental officials to take their feedback into account while shaping future interventions.

The workshop was attended by representatives from urban local bodies across Odisha, along with officials and staff associated with the Sahayog programme.

Odisha Police steps up preparations for Debasnana Purnima in Puri

June 10, 2026 by India Verve Desk

BHUBANESWAR: Odisha Police has intensified preparations for Debasnana Purnima, scheduled to be observed on June 29, with elaborate security and crowd-management measures planned in Puri ahead of the annual religious event that draws lakhs of devotees.

A high-level review meeting was held at the State Police Headquarters in Cuttack under the chairmanship of DGP Yogesh Bahadur Khurania to assess arrangements for the festival and the upcoming Rath Yatra.

During the meeting, the DGP reviewed security, traffic, and crowd-control plans for Puri and directed senior officers to ensure smooth conduct of the rituals associated with Snana Yatra and Rath Yatra through coordinated efforts at all levels.

ADGP (Modernisation) Soumendra Kumar Priyadarshi presented a detailed plan outlining the operational strategy for managing the festival.

To maintain law and order during Debasnana Purnima, Odisha Police will deploy 72 platoons of force across key locations in and around the Shree Jagannath Temple.

The deployment will include six SPs and Commandants, 17 Additional SPs, 42 DSPs, 94 Inspectors, 352 SI/ASIs, 53 Havildars, and 428 Constables.

Special barricading arrangements have been made near the Snana Mandap to facilitate the orderly movement of devotees and ensure the smooth darshan of the deities. Police said the measures are aimed at managing large crowds expected during the festival.

Security surveillance will be strengthened through the installation of advanced CCTV cameras inside the temple premises, around the shrine, and along designated barricade routes.

Dedicated crack teams will remain on standby to respond to emergencies, while an Anti-Snatching Squad will be deployed to prevent theft, pickpocketing, and chain-snatching incidents.

A Striking Force will also remain ready for rapid deployment in case of any unforeseen situation. Police authorities have been directed to coordinate closely with various departments of the district administration to ensure the successful conduct of the festival.

The review meeting was attended by several senior police officials, including Intelligence Director R.P. Koche.

Cabinet hails Narendra Modi as longest-serving elected prime minister

June 10, 2026 by India Verve Desk

NEW DELHI: The Union Cabinet on Wednesday adopted a resolution congratulating Prime Minister Narendra Modi on becoming the longest-serving elected PM in India’s history, describing the achievement as a landmark moment in the country’s democratic journey.

According to the resolution, Modi has completed 4,399 consecutive days as an elected Prime Minister, surpassing the previous record of 4,398 continuous days held by Jawaharlal Nehru between 1952 and 1964.

The Cabinet said the milestone reflected public trust, democratic participation, and sustained support for leadership guided by the principle of “Nation First”. It extended its congratulations and best wishes to the PM, noting that the achievement comes as the NDA government completes 12 years in office under his leadership.

The resolution also highlighted that Modi is approaching 25 years of uninterrupted service as head of government, including his tenure as Chief Minister of Gujarat and PM, according to an official statement.

Recalling Modi’s pledge to serve as the country’s “Pradhan Sevak” after assuming office in 2014, the Cabinet credited his government with placing welfare and inclusive development at the centre of governance.

It cited the expansion of housing, electricity, drinking water, direct benefit transfers, free foodgrain distribution, and healthcare coverage among major initiatives undertaken during the period.

The Cabinet further stated that government policies had contributed to lifting more than 25 crore people out of poverty and strengthening confidence among citizens.

Highlighting initiatives aimed at young people, the resolution pointed to the growth of India’s startup ecosystem, advances in science and technology, and achievements such as the Chandrayaan mission. It also underscored measures focused on women’s empowerment, including the women’s reservation legislation and programmes designed to improve economic participation.

The document noted support extended to farmers through schemes such as PM-Kisan and the expansion of Kisan Credit Cards to other rural sectors, while also citing growth in agricultural exports.

The Cabinet further referred to several major policy decisions and legislative measures undertaken during the government’s tenure, including the abrogation of Article 370, the implementation of the Goods and Services Tax, One Rank One Pension, the Citizenship Amendment Act, the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, and labour law reforms.

On national security, the resolution highlighted actions against terrorism, cross-border military operations, Operation Sindoor, and steps relating to the Indus Waters Treaty. It also referred to progress in tackling Left Wing Extremism, peace initiatives in the North-East, and efforts to address border-related issues.

The Cabinet credited programmes such as Make in India and Aatmanirbhar Bharat with boosting domestic manufacturing and strengthening India’s capabilities in sectors ranging from defence to emerging technologies. It also highlighted India’s international engagement through its G20 Presidency, International Yoga Day, the International Solar Alliance, and Mission LiFE.

Concluding the resolution, the Cabinet expressed gratitude for Modi’s contribution to governance, social welfare, economic development, and national security. It also reaffirmed support for his vision of a developed India by 2047 and wished him good health and a long life.

Odisha Police assigns 15 senior IPS officers to monitor 17 districts

June 10, 2026 by India Verve Desk

BHUBANESWAR: Odisha Police has deputed 15 senior IPS officers to oversee policing and law-and-order management across 17 districts, aimed at strengthening field-level supervision and improving coordination within the force.

According to an official order, officers holding ranks ranging from Inspector General of Police (IGP) to Director General of Police (DGP) have been assigned specific districts to monitor administrative and policing activities.

DGP, CID-CB, Vinaytosh Mishra has been entrusted with Balasore and Bhadrak districts, while ADGP Sanjeeb Panda will oversee Koraput and Rayagada. ADGP (Law and Order) Sanjay Kumar has been assigned to the Sambalpur district.

Other officers deputed for district oversight include ADGP S.K. Priyadarshi for Jagatsinghpur, ADGP Arun Bothra for Angul, ADGP Rajesh Kumar for Nayagarh, and ADGP Prateek Mohanty for Jajpur.

ADGP Yatindra Koyal has been allotted Kalahandi, while ADGP S. Shyni will supervise policing in Bolangir. IGP (Personnel) S. Praveen Kumar has been assigned to the Kandhamal district.

Among the IGP-rank officers, Satish Kumar Gajbhiye will oversee Dhenkanal, Deepak Kumar has been assigned Malkangiri, Anup Kumar Sahoo will monitor Puri, Awinash Kumar has been allotted Mayurbhanj, and Sarthak Sarangi will oversee Kendrapada.

The deployment is expected to enhance monitoring of law-and-order issues, review policing initiatives, and facilitate closer coordination between district police units and the state headquarters.

The districts covered under the exercise include Balasore, Bhadrak, Koraput, Rayagada, Jagatsinghpur, Angul, Sambalpur, Nayagarh, Jajpur, Kalahandi, Bolangir, Kandhamal, Dhenkanal, Malkangiri, Puri, Mayurbhanj, and Kendrapada.

Reliance, Meta partner to build 168 MW data centre in Jamnagar

June 10, 2026 by India Verve Desk

NEW DELHI: Reliance Industries Ltd (RIL) and Meta have joined hands to develop a large-scale data centre in Gujarat, a move that could strengthen India’s ambitions of becoming a global hub for Artificial Intelligence (AI) infrastructure.

Under the partnership announced on Wednesday, Reliance will build a 168 MW data centre in Jamnagar for Meta, with the project expected to be completed within two years.

The facility will be Meta’s first built-to-suit data centre capacity in India and will support the technology giant’s global infrastructure and AI computing requirements, Reliance said in a press release.

The project comes at a time when India is seeking to attract investments in digital infrastructure and position itself as a key destination for AI-driven growth. The facility is expected to benefit from Gujarat’s strategic advantages, including access to renewable energy, water resources, submarine cable connectivity, and Jio’s fibre network.

Reliance will be responsible for the entire lifecycle of the project, including design, construction, utility management, renewable power supply, connectivity, and operational services. The company said the arrangement highlights its ability to provide integrated solutions for hyperscale data centre operations.

According to the companies, the Jamnagar facility will run on renewable energy and use desalinated seawater for cooling, aligning with sustainability goals while supporting energy-intensive AI workloads.

Reliance Chairman and Managing Director Mukesh Ambani said the partnership reflects India’s growing readiness to play a leading role in the global AI ecosystem. He added that the project would help establish Jamnagar as a major destination for large-scale AI computing infrastructure.

Meta founder and CEO Mark Zuckerberg said the company was pleased to partner with Reliance on its first AI-enabled data centre project in India, adding that the facility would support Meta’s global infrastructure expansion while reinforcing its long-term commitment to the Indian market.

India’s Arjun-Hariharan reach Australian Open badminton quarter-finals

June 10, 2026 by India Verve Desk

NEW DELHI: India continued to make its presence felt at the Australian Badminton Open 2026 in Sydney, with MR Arjun and Hariharan Amsakarunan leading the doubles charge into the quarter-finals on Tuesday.

The Indian duo, building on their Indonesia Open Super 1000 quarter-final run last week, produced a controlled performance to defeat Americans Arden Quan Lee and Stanley Xing 21-13, 21-13 in their opening-round clash at Olympic Boulevard.

In contrast, India’s second men’s doubles pair, Achutaditya Rao Doddavarapu and Arjun Reddy Pochana, could not progress further, according to reports. The pair went down 21-15, 21-15 against the home combination of Kanki Igawa and Ooi Ye Hern, ending India’s depth challenge in the category.

With that result, Arjun and Amsakarunan remain the sole Indian representatives in men’s doubles at the event.

India’s top-ranked pair, Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty, are absent from the tournament. Satwik is currently recovering from a shoulder injury sustained in Indonesia. The duo is expected to return later in the season with a focus on defending their Asian Games title at Aichi-Nagoya 2026.

In men’s singles, Saneeth Dayanand emerged as one of India’s brighter stories of the day. Making his Super 500 main-draw breakthrough, the world No. 67 impressed in qualifying with back-to-back wins.

He first overcame Australia’s Karono 21-17, 21-15 before outplaying Malaysia’s Ming Hong Lim 21-9, 21-16 to secure his place in the main draw.

Dayanand now faces China’s Hu Zhe An in the round of 32.

Elsewhere, Manraj Singh came close but fell short of joining him. After a strong opening win over Australia’s Ephraim Stephen Sam 21-6, 21-15, he was stopped by Malaysia’s Eogene Ewe 21-11, 21-18 in the final qualifying round.

In women’s singles, PV Sindhu, ranked 11th in the world, is set to begin her campaign on Wednesday against Peru’s Ines Lucia Castillo Salazar. Malvika Bansod will also open her campaign on the same day.