Biju Patnaik Sports Award renamed as Odisha Rajya Krida Samman
Bhubaneswar, Jul 20: The newly elected BJP government has renamed the Biju Patnaik Sports Award as ‘Odisha Rajya Krida Samman’.
Odisha Sports and Youth Services Department on Friday issued guidelines for the ‘Rajya Krida Samman’ which will be awarded in eight categories annually, subject to availability of suitable candidates. The cash rewards remain unchanged.
According to the guidelines, the lifetime achievement award for promoting sports will carry a cash prize of Rs 3 lakh, while Rs 2 lakh will be awarded for outstanding performance in sports, and Rs 1 lakh for excellence in coaching.
Similarly, a cash award of Rs 1 lakh will be given in each of the following categories - best contribution to sports promotion, excellence in sports journalism, para-sports person of the year, upcoming athlete of the year (junior category), and sports technical official/support staff of the year.
The award recipient must be a resident of Odisha and free of any criminal convictions. It will be conferred only once per lifetime per category and can be awarded posthumously to the next of kin.
The Sports and Youth Services Department secretary will constitute a five-member scrutiny committee comprising senior officials and coaches of the department with sports director or the seniormost officer of the department as head of the panel.
The awards will be presented in a special ceremony on National Sports Day (August 29) every year.
The BJP government plans to rename several popular schemes from the previous BJD administration, including the LAaccMI (Location Accessible Multi-modal Initiative) rural bus service, Mo Bus city service, and Aahaar (Rs 5 per meal scheme).
Objecting to BJP's move, the BJD appealed to the government to refrain from taking such a decision "which will hurt the people of Odisha".
Speaking to reporters, senior BJD MLA Arun Sahoo said Biju Patnaik was not an individual but an institution. "He was a national asset and was honoured by three different countries. By removing his name from a sports award, what does the state government wants to prove?" he asked.
On the other hand, state BJP spokesperson Dillip Mallick said the state government took the step after thoroughly examining it. "Not only Biju Patnaik but many legendary leaders and sports personalities have contributed for the development of Odisha," he said.
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Child rape-murder: Hundreds protest on Mumbai-Bengaluru highway in Pune; traffic hit
Pune (PTI): Hundreds of people blocked the Mumbai-Bengaluru highway in Pune to protest the rape and murder of a four-year-old girl, leading to traffic disruption on the busy route for about four hours.
The girl's family members and other demonstrators placed the body on the road in the Navale Bridge area on Saturday evening and demanded stringent punishment for the 65-year-old man arrested in the case.
Several videos surfaced showing a huge traffic jam on the highway.
Later, the victim's last rites were performed at the Vaikunt crematorium here shortly after midnight amid tight police security.
The accused man, who works as a labourer and has a criminal record, allegedly lured the girl with the promise of food on Friday in the Bhor tehsil of Pune district. He then took her to a cattle enclosure where he allegedly sexually assaulted her and later killed her by hitting her with a stone, according to the police.
He was arrested based on CCTV footage from a private residence, which captured him with the child.
A case was registered against him under the relevant provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act and he has been remanded in police custody till May 7.
Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Sunetra Pawar on Saturday met the family of the victim, assuring them of strict action against the accused and a fast-track trial.
Describing the incident as "shocking" and a "blot on humanity", Pawar said the government stands firmly with the victim's family and will ensure justice.
She also spoke to Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and sought a fast-track court trial so that the accused receives the harshest punishment.
Deputy CM Eknath Shinde directed Pune rural police to gather concrete evidence to build a watertight case and conduct the trial in a fast-track court.
Efforts should be made to ensure the accused gets the death penalty, a statement quoted Shinde as saying.
