At IndiaVerve, we go beyond the noise to bring you meaningful stories of change, resilience and progress—from India to the world stage. Our mission is to bring readers credible, wide-ranging coverage across politics, business, sports, culture, society and more.
At IndiaVerve, we go beyond the noise to bring you meaningful stories of change, resilience and progress—from India to the world stage. Our mission is to bring readers credible, wide-ranging coverage across politics, business, sports, culture, society and more.

CM Majhi announces Rs 5 lakh ex-gratia for families of tourists killed in MP accident

Bhubaneswar: Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi has expressed deep grief over the death of eight Odia tourists in a road accident in Madhya Pradesh’s Agar Malwa district and announced an ex-gratia payment of Rs 5 lakh to the next of kin of each of the deceased person.

Majhi announced the assistance after returning from Delhi, where he had attended SEMICON 2026,. Speaking to media, he said the state government was in contact with the Madhya Pradesh government and local authorities to facilitate the return of the mortal remains to Odisha.

The eight tourists died after the car carrying them plunged into a rain-swollen drain near the Bagulamukhi Temple in Nalkheda town of Agar Malwa district early Saturday. The accident occurred after the vehicle entered the drain, which was filled with overflowing rainwater.

According to the earlier official account, the deceased included three children, two women and three men. Nalkheda police personnel carried out rescue operations and recovered the bodies, which were sent for post-mortem examination. A case has also been registered in connection with the accident.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi condoled the deaths and announced an ex-gratia payment of Rs 2 lakh from the Prime Minister’s National Relief Fund for the next of kin of each deceased person. An assistance of Rs 50,000 was also announced for those injured in the accident.

Following the accident, Majhi had directed Odisha government officials to coordinate with their Madhya Pradesh counterparts and the local administration to expedite necessary procedures and ensure that the mortal remains were brought back to the state with dignity.

Odisha Chief Secretary Anu Garg also expressed condolences and spoke with the Madhya Pradesh Chief Secretary and the state’s Odia Language, Literature and Culture Secretary regarding the incident. She directed officials to maintain continuous coordination with the Madhya Pradesh authorities and monitor the rescue and follow-up arrangements.

Speaker Surama Padhy calls for accessible, inclusive democratic institutions

Bhubaneswar: Odisha Assembly Speaker Surama Padhy has called for greater accessibility and inclusion of persons with disabilities in democratic institutions, saying equality for every citizen must remain an unchanging principle of democracy.

Addressing a Commonwealth Parliamentary Association session on ‘Accessible Parliament: Inclusion of Persons with Disabilities’ in Cape Town, South Africa, Padhy said persons with disabilities have made significant contributions to Indian culture and civilisation, citing the example of sage Ashtavakra, and noted that several persons with disabilities have represented people through India’s democratic institutions and contributed to the country’s progress.

She said more than 90 lakh persons with disabilities were registered as voters in the 2024 general elections and noted that the ongoing digitisation of Parliament and legislative assemblies could further strengthen their representation and participation.

Padhy also referred to the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016, saying it has created opportunities for equality, accessibility and participation for persons with disabilities.

Highlighting initiatives in Odisha, the Speaker said the Banishree Scholarship and Bhim Bhoi Bhinnakshyam Samarthya Abhiyan are important state government measures to support students with disabilities in education.

She said Odisha also provides assistance through assistive devices, skill development, rehabilitation, special education, social security, sports and livelihood opportunities for persons with disabilities.

Padhy emphasised that while technology and institutions continue to evolve, democratic systems must ensure equal participation and accessibility for all citizens.

Jharkhand Assembly Speaker Rabindra Nath Mahato, Rajya Sabha MP C. Sadanandan Master and Maharashtra Legislative Council Chairman Professor Ram Shinde also participated in the discussion.

Padhy is attending the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association programme in Cape Town along with Odisha Assembly Deputy Speaker Bhawani Shankar Bhoi and Assembly Secretary Satyabrata Rout

8 Odisha devotees killed in Madhya Pradesh car accident

Bhubaneswar: Eight Odisha devotees died in Madhya Pradesh’s Agar Malwa district after the car in which they were travelling plunged into a rain-swollen drain early Saturday, police said.

The incident was reported near the Bagulamukhi Temple in Nalkheda town, about 30 km from the district headquarters.

According to reports, the vehicle went into the drain, which had been filled with overflowing rainwater. Among those who died were three children, two women and three men.

Police personnel from Nalkheda began a rescue operation following the accident and recovered the bodies from the drain. The deceased were then sent for post-mortem examination.

Police have registered a case in connection with the incident. Further details are awaited.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed condolences over the loss of lives in the accident and announced an ex-gratia payment from the Prime Minister’s National Relief Fund (PMNRF).

In a post on X, he said: “The mishap in Agar Malwa, Madhya Pradesh, is extremely painful. I extend my condolences to those who have lost their loved ones. An ex-gratia of Rs. 2 lakh from PMNRF would be given to the next of kin of each deceased. The injured would be given Rs. 50,000.”

Separately, Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi expressed deep sadness over the loss of the Odia tourists and conveyed his condolences to the bereaved families.

In a post on X, he said: “I have directed officials to coordinate with the Madhya Pradesh Government and local administration to expedite all necessary procedures and ensure that the mortal remains are brought back to Odisha with due dignity. The State Government stands firmly with the bereaved families in this hour of grief.”

Also, Odisha Chief Secretary Anu Garg expressed condolences over the deaths and said she had spoken with the chief secretary of Madhya Pradesh and the secretary of the Odia Language, Literature and Culture Department, the Odisha government.

Officials concerned have been directed to maintain continuous coordination with the Madhya Pradesh government and local administration and to expedite the rescue operations and all necessary follow-up measures, Garg further said.

PM Modi distributes over 51,000 appointment letters at 20th Rozgar Mela

New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi distributed more than 51,000 appointment letters to newly appointed youth in various government organisations at the 20th Rozgar Mela through video conferencing on Saturday.

Addressing the newly appointed candidates, Modi said the occasion brought immense joy to thousands of families and represented a tribute to the hard work of the candidates and the sacrifices made by their parents.

He wished the appointees success as they began a new phase of their lives, according to an official statement.

Welcoming the recruits to the government of India, the PM highlighted their role in the country’s journey towards becoming a developed nation by 2047.

He said young officials would have an important responsibility in strengthening the campaigns for a developed and self-reliant India through their administrative decisions.

Modi also highlighted the growing global expectations from Indian innovators, entrepreneurs and young people. Referring to the recently concluded BRICS Summit, he said the government was working to expand international cooperation beyond traditional government-to-government engagement.

He cited initiatives such as BRICS CONNECT and the BRICS MSME Cooperation Portal as efforts to directly connect entrepreneurs, farmers, women and youth with global partnerships. He stressed that everyone should become an active participant in these partnerships.

Highlighting the government’s economic diplomacy, Modi said Free Trade Agreements with approximately 40 countries were creating new career opportunities.

According to him, these agreements were opening new markets and partnerships for domestic entrepreneurs while expanding career possibilities for young people.

Modi also underlined the government’s focus on future-ready skills through initiatives including the National Education Policy, Skill India Mission, Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana and promotion of apprenticeships.

He highlighted the PM-SETU scheme, under which one thousand government ITIs are being modernised with an investment of ₹60,000 crore and direct participation from industry. He said the objective was to ensure that the education and skills of young people kept pace with the changing needs of the economy.

Modi also pointed to the growth of India’s startup ecosystem, describing the country as the world’s third-largest startup hub. He noted that nearly half of recognised startups now come from tier-two and tier-three cities and said young people from villages, towns and smaller cities were increasingly developing ideas, building companies and creating employment opportunities.

On private-sector employment, the Prime Minister highlighted the Pradhan Mantri Viksit Bharat Rojgar Yojana, a Rs 1 lakh crore initiative aimed at bringing two crore young people into the formal workforce for the first time. He said the scheme provides incentives of up to Rs 15,000 for first-time employees and also offers financial incentives to employers creating new jobs.

Linking employment generation with economic growth, Modi said new opportunities for youth emerge when the economy expands, investments increase, and new industries grow. He highlighted India’s 7.8% growth rate and a 12% increase in investments during the first quarter, while noting that rating agencies were upgrading the country’s economic outlook despite global uncertainties.

The PM also attributed the growth to the reforms undertaken in recent years and urged the newly appointed officials to continue the process of administrative transformation. He stressed the need to simplify tax compliance, improve ease of doing business, advance reforms in education and skilling, and open new sectors to innovation.

Calling for continuous reform, Modi urged the new officials to ensure that every administrative decision helps remove hurdles, encourages ideas and supports innovation-driven investment that creates employment.

He also asked the recruits to use their authority with empathy and work to remove the difficulties that young people may face while dealing with government systems.

He urged them to ensure that other youth do not have to go through the difficulties they themselves may have experienced before joining government service.

Emphasising lifelong learning, the Prime Minister asked the recruits to continuously upgrade their skills and learn new technologies through the Mission Karmayogi framework. He highlighted the Karmayogi Prarambh module for new entrants and said 1.7 crore employees were already on the iGOT platform.

Modi further emphasised that public trust is the foundation of government and that the daily work of officials directly affects citizens, including through services such as elderly pensions, student scholarships and farmer subsidies.

He said the behaviour, sensitivity, efficiency and honesty of government employees would shape citizens’ experience with the government. Concluding his address, the PM urged the new officials to follow the principle of ‘Nagrik Devo Bhava’, or the citizen is divine, and treat public service as national service.

He said the success of the newly appointed officials would be greater when their work makes the lives of citizens easier.

India maintain unbeaten start at Chess Olympiad

New Delhi: India’s Open and women’s teams maintained their unbeaten records at the 46th FIDE Chess Olympiad after securing convincing victories in Round 3 on Friday.

The defending champion Open team registered a 3-1 win against Italy, with D Gukesh and Nihal Sarin providing the decisive victories. Gukesh defeated Sabino Brunello with the black pieces, while Nihal Sarin got the better of Francesco Sonis, according to reports.

India’s top two boards produced draws, as R Praggnanandhaa shared the point with Lorenzo Lodici and Arjun Erigaisi drew against Luca Moroni Jr. The results on the lower boards proved decisive as India secured another team victory.

The women’s team delivered an even bigger winning margin, defeating Greece 3.5-0.5. Koneru Humpy defeated Stavroula Tsolakidou, while Vantika Agrawal registered a victory over Ekaterini Pavlidou.

Savitha Shri B also scored a full point for India after overcoming Antonia Hristodoulaki. Divya Deshmukh contributed a draw against Anastasia Avramidou, completing India’s 3.5-0.5 scoreline.

Both Indian teams have now remained unbeaten through their first three rounds. The Open team had previously defeated Thailand and Indonesia, while the women’s team began the tournament with wins over the Dominican Republic and Finland.

With both squads continuing their strong starts, India has carried its winning momentum into the third round of the Olympiad.

Odisha targets semiconductor investments at SEMICON India 2026

Bhubaneswar: Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi led high-level industry engagements at SEMICON India 2026 in New Delhi as the state stepped up efforts to attract investments, forge global partnerships, and build a future-ready semiconductor ecosystem.

During the engagements, the state received investment proposals worth Rs 23,600 crore, with the potential to create 6,100 jobs.

A key focus was the proposed development of Odisha Silicon Valley across 870 acres at Naraj near Cuttack. The integrated technology hub is planned to bring together semiconductor, electronics and IT projects.

During the event, Odisha also signed a Letter of Intent with QuadQuantum for setting up a facility to manufacture silicon carbide substrate wafers.

The state held industry engagements with Lam Research, Applied Materials, SiCSem, 3D Glass Solutions, Cyient, Linde and HORIBA India. Delegations from Japan, Sweden and Taiwan also participated in the engagements.

The Odisha Pavilion at SEMICON India 2026 showcased the state’s growing semiconductor capabilities through RIR Power, SiCSem, 3DGS and ARF Design, along with academic semiconductor projects.

The participation at SEMICON India 2026 highlighted Odisha’s efforts to strengthen its position in India’s emerging semiconductor ecosystem by attracting investments and developing an integrated technology base for semiconductor, electronics, and IT projects.

Odisha law minister discusses Mahaprasad, darshan arrangements at Srimandir

Bhubaneswar: Odisha Law Minister Prithviraj Harichandan held separate discussions with representatives of the Suar Nijog and the Sri Mandir Pravesh Abhiyan Mancha on issues concerning Mahaprasad preparation and the darshan system at Srimandir in Puri.

During the discussion with officials of the Suar Nijog, emphasis was placed on establishing a permanent arrangement for the supply of wood required for preparing Mahaprasad. Discussions also focused on creating new forests on government and Srimandir land to meet future firewood requirements and address shortages.

The meeting also discussed measures to ensure convenient availability of Mahaprasad for local people, display of the fixed price list of Mahaprasad, and better organisation of Ananda Bazar.

The discussion stressed the need to take necessary steps to make Ananda Bazar more organised and convenient for devotees while preserving the traditional system of Srimandir and the sanctity of Mahaprasad.

Separately, a delegation from Sri Mandir Pravesh Abhiyan Mancha met Harichandan at his office chamber in Lok Seva Bhawan and discussed arrangements for a smooth and well-regulated darshan system for residents of Puri.

Harichandan assured the delegation that necessary steps would be taken soon to enable the people of Puri to have darshan of Shree Jiu conveniently and in an orderly manner.

Former Puri MLA Jayanta Kumar Sarangi, delegation members and senior citizens Biswanath Behera and Manoj Kumar Rath, eminent journalist Madhusudan Mishra and other senior representatives were present at the meeting.