Kendrapara:

An eight-year-old boy sustained severe burn injuries after accidentally falling into a pot of boiling rice being prepared as part of the midday meal scheme at a school in Odisha’s Kendrapara district on Thursday.

The incident took place at the government-run Ananat Narayan Upper Primary School in Bahakandia village, where victim Aahwahan Nayak resides.

A class-3 student, Aahwahan suffered burns on his back and was promptly taken to the community health centre in Marshaghai for initial treatment.

He was later shifted to Kendrapara District Hospital for further medical care, where his condition is reported to be stable.

Saroj Sahoo, inspector of Kendrapara Sadar police station, confirmed ongoing investigations into the incident.

District education officer Pradeep Kumar Nag said a show cause notice has been issued to the school’s headmaster, and a team led by the block education officer has been tasked with conducting a thorough investigation and submitting a report.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

New Delhi:

The much-anticipated pre-poll alliance and seat-sharing talks between Odisha’s ruling Biju Janata Dal (BJD) and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) have hit a roadblock, raising the prospect of both parties contesting the upcoming Lok Sabha and state assembly elections independently. The talks, which took place in Delhi, failed to resolve differences over two key constituencies – Bhubaneswar and Puri – leading to an unexpected stand-off.

Upon their return to Bhubaneswar on Friday evening, BJP state president Manmohan Samal, along with other senior leaders, hinted at the possibility of the BJP fielding candidates in all 147 assembly and 21 Lok Sabha constituencies in Odisha. Mr Samal stated that the discussions in Delhi were solely focused on preparations for the upcoming elections, with no mention of an alliance or seat-sharing arrangement.

“There was no talk on alliance and we (BJP) will go to polls alone,” Mr Samal said as quoted by news agency PTI. “We had gone to Delhi to hold discussions with the central leaders on our preparations for the upcoming Lok Sabha and assembly elections in the state. No talks on alliance or seat-sharing with any party were held during the meeting. The BJP will contest the twin polls on its own strength.”

The apparent breakdown in talks has sparked speculations, especially considering the historical context of the BJD’s departure from the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) 15 years ago. Former BJP leader and minister Sushma Swaraj had then prophesied that Naveen Patnaik, the leader of BJD, would “regret” severing ties after an 11-year understanding.

Seat Game

According to sources, the alliance talks hit hurdles primarily over seat-sharing ratios. While both parties had initially agreed on the idea of a pre-poll alliance, disagreements emerged over the distribution of seats. The BJD sought to contest over 100 seats in the 147-member Odisha Assembly, a proposition the BJP found unacceptable.

Conversely, the BJP sought 14 out of the 21 Lok Sabha seats in Odisha, a demand rejected by the BJD. The stalemate over seat distribution escalated, with both parties remaining firm on their respective stances. In the 2019 general elections, the BJD had secured 12 seats, while the BJP won eight out of the total 21.

State Unit vs Central Leadership

Odisha BJP leaders, led by Mr Samal, held a series of meetings in Delhi for three days, engaging with central leaders to discuss the alliance. However, no conclusive decision was reached.

The dynamics of the alliance talks seemed to have shifted after Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to the state on March 5. While some sections of the Odisha BJP leadership are reportedly are on board with the idea of an alliance, others, including Mr Samal, have reiterated their desire to contest the polls alone. 

Mr Samal and other party officials gathered at the residence of another BJP leader in Bhubaneswar last night for further discussions. The BJD’s VK Pandian and Pranab Prakash Das, who rushed to Delhi on Thursday evening via a chartered flight for discussions with BJP central leaders, have now returned to the state capital.

Seat Ratio In The Past

Both parties had an alliance for around 11 years between 1998 and 2009, contesting three Lok Sabha and two assembly elections together.

The seat-sharing ratio in their previous alliances was 4:3. Odisha has witnessed simultaneous polls since 2004, with a consistent voting pattern until 2014, where voters typically favoured the BJD in both assembly and Lok Sabha elections. However, the 2019 elections saw a departure from this trend, with some degree of split voting observed.

In the 2014 assembly elections, the BJD secured a dominant position with 117 out of 147 seats, while the BJP won 10 and the Congress 16. The projection for Lok Sabha seats closely mirrored the outcome, with the BJD securing 20 seats and the BJP one. In 2019, a shift in voting patterns was evident, with the BJD winning 112 assembly seats, the BJP 23, and the Congress nine.

What Went Wrong

Once considered the BJP’s most reliable ally in the NDA, the alliance collapsed in 2009 following failed seat-sharing talks. The breakdown was officially attributed to the BJD’s demand for a reduction in the BJP’s share of assembly seats from 63 to around 40, and parliamentary seats from nine to six. This demand, deemed unreasonable by the BJP leaders, led to the withdrawal of support to Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik’s government, marking the end of an 11-year political marriage. 

The withdrawal of support was termed by BJD as an “act of betrayal”.

The BJD-BJP pact was formed in 1998, orchestrated by senior leaders Bijay Mohapatra and the late Pramod Mahajan

New Delhi:

The ruling Biju Janata Dal (BJD) in Odisha has hinted at a potential alliance with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) ahead of the upcoming Lok Sabha elections. On Wednesday, leaders of the BJD convened for an extensive session at Naveen Niwas, the official residence of Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik. Simultaneously, counterparts from the BJP, including its state unit chief Manmohan Samal, gathered in the national capital for a parallel meeting, engaging in discussions related to electoral affairs, with a particular focus on the possibility of forging an alliance.

A potential pact between the two parties marks a significant shift in the political dynamics of the state, especially considering the BJD’s departure from the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) 15 years ago, which had prompted former BJP leader and minister Sushma Swaraj to say that Naveen Patnaik would “regret” snapping ties after an 11-year understanding. 

While no formal announcement has been made, BJD vice president and MLA Debi Prasad Mishra confirmed the discussions but stopped short of confirming the formation of an alliance. “Biju Janata Dal will prioritise the greater interests of the people of Odisha. Yes, there were discussions on the issue (alliance),” Mr Mishra told reporters after the meeting at Naveen Niwas.

A press release issued by the BJD stated, “An extensive discussion was held under the leadership of BJD president and Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik with the senior leaders of the party today regarding the strategy of the upcoming Lok Sabha and Vidhan Sabha elections.”

“It was resolved that since by 2036, Odisha will complete 100 years of its statehood, and BJD and Chief Minister Patnaik have major milestones to be achieved by this time, therefore Biju Janata Dal will do everything towards this in the greater interests of people of Odisha,” the statement added.

On the BJP side, senior leader and MP Jual Oram, after the meeting presided over by BJP president JP Nadda in Delhi, confirmed discussions on a pre-poll alliance with the BJD. However, he added that the final decision rests with the party’s central leadership. “Yes, there were discussions on the alliance among other issues. The party’s central leadership will make the final call,” Mr Oram stated.

The Numbers 

The strategic importance of Odisha, with its 21 Lok Sabha seats and 147 assembly seats, is not lost on either party. In the 2019 elections, BJD and BJP secured 12 and eight parliamentary constituencies and 112 and 23 assembly constituencies, respectively. According to sources, in the event of an alliance, the BJP would contest the majority of Lok Sabha seats, while the BJD would focus on assembly seats.

The growing speculation about the alliance gained credence from the recent public praises exchanged between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chief Minister Patnaik. Both leaders acknowledged each other’s contributions, with the BJD demonstrating support for the Modi government’s agenda in Parliament.

What Happened In 2009 

The BJD-BJP alliance saw success in two assembly elections and three Lok Sabha polls in Odisha. The partnership, forged in February 1998, enjoyed a strong foundation, with both parties successfully contesting Lok Sabha elections in 1998, 1999, and 2004, as well as assembly elections in 2000 and 2004.

Once considered the BJP’s most reliable ally in the NDA, the alliance collapsed in 2009 following failed seat-sharing talks. The breakdown was officially attributed to the BJD’s demand for a reduction in the BJP’s share of assembly seats from 63 to around 40, and parliamentary seats from nine to six. This demand, deemed unreasonable by the BJP leaders, led to the withdrawal of support to Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik’s government, marking the end of an 11-year political marriage. 

The withdrawal of support was termed by BJD as an “act of betrayal”.

The BJD-BJP pact was formed in 1998, orchestrated by senior leaders Bijay Mohapatra and the late Pramod Mahajan. 

Bhubaneswar:

With Odisha assembly elections barely six months away, Congress MLA CS Raazen Ekka was on Thursday found treating patients and prescribing medicines at a community health centre (CHC) at Rajgangpur in Sundergarh district.

Mr Ekka, a doctor by profession before getting elected to the Odisha Assembly from Rajgangpur, reached the CHC after people complained about the absence of doctors at the facility.

An MBBS degree holder and a former Indian Army doctor, Mr Ekka said, “The people of the area are denied basic health services due to absence of doctors. As I am a doctor by profession, I preferred to solve people’s problem. I was told that doctors haven’t come to the CHC for the last 3-4 days.” As the MLA was treating patients at the hospital, videos went viral in social media.

Mr Ekka said he would draw the attention of the government towards lack of doctors in several health facilities in the tribal-dominated Rajgangpur area.

Health department officials were not available for comments.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

The rugged Sunabeda plateau, 3,000 feet above sea level, along the Odisha-Chhattisgarh border, has always been difficult terrain to traverse, but for Yuvraj Chhatria, it is just a part of his journey. The 30-km ride from the top of the plateau to the plains in the Nuapada district of Odisha and the subsequent gruelling 550-km bus journey down bumpy roads to Bhubaneswar, located near the coast, would leave anyone exhausted.

Despite the physical demands of this journey, Mr. Chhatria, a member of the Chuktia Bhunjia tribe, one of the particularly vulnerable tribal groups (PVTGs), has a smile on his face. He has brought with him a fresh harvest of strawberries, and the fruit is selling out. He counts his cash in hand – at ₹37,500 for 1.5 quintals, this is the highest single-day profit he has ever made. He hopes to witness another bumper sale over the next two days at the Adivasi Mela 2023.

The strawberry harvest has triggered a celebration in the houses of 10 farmers who live in one of the 56 villages in the tropical deciduous forest of the Sunabeda Wildlife Sanctuary. The farmers, who from April to October plant paddy, were initiated into strawberry cultivation in November 2022.

“I had never heard about strawberries before. The government officers persuaded us to take up this new kind of farming, and we went for it. The government supplied saplings and gave us financial assistance to dig a borewell,” says Mr. Chhatria, adding that each family has been given 10 acres, and 20,000 saplings planted on each acre. The horticulture department was roped in for mulching and drip irrigation. Farmers took loans from women’s self-help groups (SHGs) to fund the labour component. Mr. Chhatria took a loan of ₹2 lakh.

He and his father have grown the fruit on 2.5 acres of land, earning ₹4.2 lakh to date. They hope it will touch ₹9 lakh by March end. This is an unexpected return from any crop in the region that sends a very high percentage of migrant labours to other States.

Tribe’s triumph

Most people in Sunabeda are from the Chuktia Bhunjia tribe, one of 13 PVTGs found in Odisha. They were given the requisite training by the Nuapada district administration and the Chuktia Bhunjia Development Agency (CBDA), established in 1994-95 by the State government to work for the development of the tribe, especially in livelihood programmes.

“A CBDA team had gone to Mahabaleshwar in Maharashtra, which accounts for 80% of India’s strawberry production. We found that the altitude and climate there are similar to that of Sunabeda. In fact, the soil quality of Sunabeda is better,” says CBDA Special Officer Himansu Mohapatra, who was a part of the group. He adds that the saplings provided were from Mahabaleshwar. In winter, the maximum daytime temperature of Sunabeda remains at around 25 degree Celsius and at night it drops to 10 degree Celsius, making it just right for strawberry cultivation.

“Fruits have been harvested and marketed within 40 days. It is heartening that the strawberry plants have continuous fruiting. There are 10 to 15 fruits in different stages and shapes on one plant,” says Mr. Mohapatra.

Farmers Kaliram Suanr and his wife, Gangabai, are able to pick more than 45 kg of strawberries daily. Women work the land and tend to the plants, and are involved from irrigation to harvest. “In mid-December 2022, when the first strawberry turned red, we were delighted. We first offered it to our deity Maa Sunadei,” says Ms. Suanr, who starts her day at 5 a.m. picking strawberries, before she gets into housework after 10 a.m. Mr. Suanr then takes the harvest to market.

Marketing strategy

This is not the first time strawberry farming has been experimented with in Odisha. The practice had a fair bit of success when it was introduced in 2021 in the Kotia gram panchayat in the southern Koraput district, a part of the Eastern Ghats, situated at a similar altitude to Sunabeda, and with a similar climate. The area, the jurisdiction of which is claimed by both the Odisha and Andhra Pradesh governments, has seen a huge inflow of government funds over the last four years. Now, the cultivation has spread to 20 acres with seven women’s SHGs involved.

“Farmers have started to develop strawberry saplings. The initial investment in land development had been made. The profit is likely to swell next season,” said Kashi Prasad Nayak, district programme coordinator with the Integrated Tribal Development Agency, Koraput.

In Daringbadi of Kandhamal district, again at a similar altitude, a farmer was persuaded to take up strawberry farming. Kailash Dandapat, who works with Jagruti, a not-for-profit organisation in the environment, food, and farming space, says, “The exotic fruit was introduced in Daringbadi in two acres of land in the winter of 2022. As the place attracts tourists from all over the State and outside during this time, the strawberries found their customers easily. From the two acres, the cultivator has already earned a net profit of ₹1 lakh,” he says.

The euphoria is tinged with doubt though. Mr. Dandapat predicts that strawberries will get wider acceptance among tribal farmers, but is worried about the lack of robust marketing linkages, which could puncture ballooning hopes in the long run.

This is echoed by the farmers. “As a PVTG, our exposure to the outer world is limited compared to other communities. We jumped into growing strawberries after being motivated by government officials. But after its harvest, we find it difficult to market,” says Biju Jhankar, a farmer in Sanbaheli village of Sunabeda, admitting that returns on the crop were higher than any other farm product they have sold so far. Tribals also tap honey from the forest to sell in the market.

The CBDA special officer said the government was making an effort to build market linkages with big grocery store chains operating in the State. The government is also expecting massive expansion of strawberry farming in districts such as Gajapati, Malkangiri, Rayagada, and Kalahandi, where there are similar weather conditions.