Odisha Current Affairs 2026

At a glance

the top events

The most important events of this page, and how many news items each topic holds.

Top events

1. 6 Aug — India test-fired the nuclear-capable Agni-4 medium-range ballistic missile from the Integrated Test Range at Chandipur, Odisha. The Strategic Forces Command conducted the launch, and the missile has a range of about 4,000 km.
2. The Environment Ministry gave final environmental and CRZ clearance to the greenfield Shree Jagannath International Airport at Sipasarubali, Puri, which will cover 471.348 hectares.
3. Odisha extended the Antyodaya Gruha Yojana to 2029 and added 2,91,666 houses. Early-completion incentives rose to Rs 35,000 for finishing in 5 months. It replaces the Biju Pucca Ghar Yojana.
4. 13 Oct — At its 48th meeting the Odisha Cabinet cleared the Dakshyata Vikas Yojana worth Rs 450 crore (2026-27 to 2028-29) to skill about 4.20 lakh young people, with digital and overseas-job training.
5. 16 Oct — At Kalinga Stadium, Bhubaneswar, Odisha gave Rs 5.61 crore to India's gold-winning Asian Games men's and women's hockey teams, plus Rs 20 lakh each to Odisha's Amit Rohidas, Shilanand Lakra and Sunelita Toppo.
6. 18 Oct — Braj Mohan Ram, a former three-time BJP MP from Palamu, was sworn in as Governor of Odisha at Lok Bhavan, Bhubaneswar, with Chief Justice Harish Tandon giving the oath. He succeeds Hari Babu Kambhampati.
7. 23 Oct — At India Chem 2026 in Mumbai, Odisha said that in two years 56 companies have proposed about Rs 1.93 lakh crore of investment, and 27 projects worth Rs 60,825.34 crore, creating 35,351 jobs, are already grounded or inaugurated.
8. 23 Oct — Odisha moved the Supreme Court against Andhra Pradesh, which notified panchayat polls in the disputed Kotia villages. Odisha had called for a boycott, but 20 candidates still filed papers for 5 MPTC seats.
9. 24 Oct — PM Modi was scheduled to open the RBI's greenfield data centre (about Rs 169 crore, 18.55 acres, Tier IV certified) and a cybersecurity training institute near Bhubaneswar, Odisha on 25 October 2026.
10. 24 Oct — Odisha CM Mohan Charan Majhi flagged off 25 electric buses under the central PM e-Bus Sewa scheme at the National Urban Conclave 2026 in Bhubaneswar on 24 October.

News by topic

Government & States

14 one-liners

International & Agreements

1 one-liners

Economy & Banking

8 one-liners

Science, Defence & Environment

12 one-liners

Sports, Days & Culture

4 one-liners

Awards, Appointments & Books

4 one-liners

Government & States

14 one-liners

Policy · laws · schemes · states.

National

• The Ministry of Ports notified four mega ports under the Indian Ports Act, 2025: JNPT (Nhava Sheva), Paradip, Deendayal (Kandla) and Mundra. Mundra is the only private port on the list.
• Odisha set up a commission under retired Orissa High Court judge Justice Pramath Patnaik to study the share and political representation of SEBCs in panchayats and municipalities. The state has 11.25% SEBC reservation in professional courses.
• Odisha extended the Antyodaya Gruha Yojana to 2029 and added 2,91,666 houses. Early-completion incentives rose to Rs 35,000 for finishing in 5 months. It replaces the Biju Pucca Ghar Yojana.
• 3 Oct — The Ministry of Education approved five Centres of Excellence for Classical Languages: Assamese (Tezpur University), Bengali (Visva-Bharati), Marathi (Deccan College), Pali (Central University of Odisha) and Prakrit (Central University of Gujarat).
• 13 Oct — At its 48th meeting the Odisha Cabinet cleared the Dakshyata Vikas Yojana worth Rs 450 crore (2026-27 to 2028-29) to skill about 4.20 lakh young people, with digital and overseas-job training.
• 13 Oct — The Odisha Cabinet raised the state fisheries cadre from 445 to 774 posts and approved Stage-II of Astaranga Fishing Harbour, the Tustapalli in-stream storage project and a disaster recovery data centre at Kendujhar.
• 13 Oct — Chief Secretary Anu Garg reviewed nine proposals worth about Rs 10 crore for a women-safety initiative in Sambalpur, including 800 CCTV cameras at 210 sites and 40 pink e-rickshaws. They are not yet approved.
• 23 Oct — The 19th Urban Mobility India Conference is held in Bhubaneswar on 23-24 October by the Housing and Urban Affairs Ministry through the Institute of Urban Transport (India). Its theme is "Urban Accessibility and Liveability in Digital Age"; MoS Tokhan Sahu inaugurated it.
• 23 Oct — Odisha moved the Supreme Court against Andhra Pradesh, which notified panchayat polls in the disputed Kotia villages. Odisha had called for a boycott, but 20 candidates still filed papers for 5 MPTC seats.
• 23 Oct — Odisha prepared affordable housing plans for 10,000 urban households in nine urban local bodies, reviewed at the third meeting of the Odisha Liveable Habitat Mission chaired by ACS Usha Padhee.
• 24 Oct — Odisha CM Mohan Charan Majhi flagged off 25 electric buses under the central PM e-Bus Sewa scheme at the National Urban Conclave 2026 in Bhubaneswar on 24 October.

States & UTs

• The Odisha government launched India's first dedicated digital portal for MICE (meetings, incentives, conferences, exhibitions) tourism at the Odisha Travel Bazaar 2026 in Bhubaneswar.
• Odisha: NSTFDC, NSDC and SAIL signed an MoU for skilling ST youth at Rourkela's LBI Centre (established 2018).
• 23 Oct — The 2nd National Urban Conclave 2026 in Bhubaneswar has the theme "Urban Rising - Rethinking Urban Systems, Solutions and Delivery"; the Odisha government, HUDCO and NBCC support it and NIUA is the knowledge partner.

International & Agreements

1 one-liners

World · summits · MoUs · exercises.

Summits, Agreements & Exercises

• 21 Aug — During Petroleum Minister Hardeep Singh Puri's visit to Mauritius, Indian Oil signed a five-year fuel supply agreement with Mauritius's State Trading Corporation, and the two governments exchanged an oil and gas MoU.

Economy & Banking

8 one-liners

RBI · markets · trade · reports.

Economy & Banking

• Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi told the Assembly that Odisha's debt is projected at Rs 1.48 lakh crore by March 2027, or Rs 31,344 per person. He said loans since 2005-06 funded only capital spending.
• 9 Oct — On World Egg Day, Odisha launched a Commercial Layer Chicken Farming Scheme with subsidy up to Rs 10 crore for automated farms. The state aims for 1,000 crore eggs a year by 2036.
• 13 Oct — The Odisha Cabinet approved a Rs 1,360 crore corpus fund for fertilisers and seeds, a Rs 500 crore urban storm-water drainage programme and Rs 133.72 crore for Mahanadi Waterfront Development at Cuttack.
• 14 Oct — Chief Minister Majhi inaugurated or laid foundation stones for 46 industrial projects worth Rs 39,383 crore in 14 districts at an event in Kalinganagar, Jajpur. They are expected to create 42,512 jobs.
• 23 Oct — At India Chem 2026 in Mumbai, Odisha said that in two years 56 companies have proposed about Rs 1.93 lakh crore of investment, and 27 projects worth Rs 60,825.34 crore, creating 35,351 jobs, are already grounded or inaugurated.
• 23 Oct — The Tata Power Global Capability Centre in Khordha, Odisha, will build AI-driven digital solutions for the energy sector, using AI, machine learning, generative AI and agentic AI, and is expected to be fully working in about three months.
• 23 Oct — Odisha's Global Capability Centre Policy names regional hubs at Bhubaneswar, Cuttack, Puri, Paradip, Bargarh, Jharsuguda and Sambalpur, and aims to attract more than Rs 1,000 crore of GCC investment.
• 24 Oct — PM Modi was scheduled to open the RBI's greenfield data centre (about Rs 169 crore, 18.55 acres, Tier IV certified) and a cybersecurity training institute near Bhubaneswar, Odisha on 25 October 2026.

Science, Defence & Environment

12 one-liners

Space · tech · forces · ecology.

Science & Technology

• 9 Apr — The foundation stone of India's first advanced 3D semiconductor packaging facility was laid at Info Valley, Bhubaneswar (Odisha) on 9 April 2026. It will make about 70,000 glass panels, 5 crore assembled units and 3,000 3D-IC modules a year.
• 16 Oct — Orissa High Court Chief Justice Harish Tandon flagged off two Mobile e-Sewa Vans with internet and video-conferencing so witnesses can record testimony remotely. They also support Mobile Lok Adalats.
• 16 Oct — NIT Rourkela researchers got a patent for a technology that removes fluoride from water using zirconium-modified activated carbon from jackfruit peel, which removed 90 to 97% in lab tests.

Defence & Security

• 31 Dec — India test-fired two Pralay missiles one after the other from a single launcher at Dr APJ Abdul Kalam Island off the Odisha coast. Pralay is India's first indigenous surface-to-surface, quasi-ballistic missile, with a range of 150–500 km.
• 6 Aug — India test-fired the nuclear-capable Agni-4 medium-range ballistic missile from the Integrated Test Range at Chandipur, Odisha. The Strategic Forces Command conducted the launch, and the missile has a range of about 4,000 km.
• 7 Oct — The Indian Coast Guard held the 12th National Maritime Search and Rescue Exercise (SAREX-2026) off Paradip, Odisha. Observers from 30 countries watched a simulated mass rescue.
• 14 Oct — DRDO tested its Quantum Key Distribution (QKD) platform on the live network of the Proof and Experimental Establishment at Chandipur, Odisha, to secure trial data from weapon tests.

Environment & Ecology

• The Environment Ministry gave final environmental and CRZ clearance to the greenfield Shree Jagannath International Airport at Sipasarubali, Puri, which will cover 471.348 hectares.
• Five infant orangutans found in Balasore district in September are being cared for at Nandankanan Zoological Park, Bhubaneswar. Indonesian experts are expected in November 2026 to assess them and trace their origin.
• An international research centre for Olive Ridley turtles is planned at Berhampur University, Ganjam. Operation Olivia, started in the early 1980s, protects nesting turtles on the Odisha coast.
• The Jeypore ground gecko, endemic to the Eastern Ghats of Odisha and Andhra Pradesh, was rediscovered in 2010 after 130 years, but a proposed bauxite mine threatens its habitat.
• 24 Oct — A low-pressure area over the Bay of Bengal is expected to cross the south Odisha-north Andhra Pradesh coast by 28 October 2026, and forecasters expect it to become a cyclone to be named Arnab.

Sports, Days & Culture

4 one-liners

Results · important days · heritage.

Sports

• The first National Indoor Athletics Championship was held over two days at Kalinga Stadium, Bhubaneswar, by the Athletics Federation of India (founded 1946); Bhubaneswar will also host the 2028 World Indoor Athletics.
• 3 Oct — Odisha announced Rs 11 lakh for each player and Rs 5.5 lakh for each support staff member of India's Asian Games gold-winning women's hockey team. Odisha has sponsored the national hockey teams since 2018 and will do so until 2036.
• 16 Oct — At Kalinga Stadium, Bhubaneswar, Odisha gave Rs 5.61 crore to India's gold-winning Asian Games men's and women's hockey teams, plus Rs 20 lakh each to Odisha's Amit Rohidas, Shilanand Lakra and Sunelita Toppo.
• 24 Oct — Odisha's Jayanti Behera won silver in the women's 400 m T47 at the Asian Para Games in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan, in 1:00.65. Odisha's Payal Nag also took silver in women's para compound doubles.

Awards, Appointments & Books

4 one-liners

Honours · new posts · books · obituaries.

Awards & Honours

Appointments

Books & Reports

• 29 Apr — MoSPI released the 27th edition of "Women and Men in India 2025" in Bhubaneswar on 29 April 2026. The sex ratio at birth improved from 904 (2017-19) to 917 (2021-23).

Quick quiz

test yourself

Practice questions on this period. Tap an option to check your answer.

Fill in the blank: one-liner flashcards

India test-fired the nuclear-capable _____ medium-range ballistic missile from the Integrated Test Range at Chandipur, Odisha. The Strategic Forces Command conducted the launch, and the missile has a range of about 4,000 km.

Agni-4

The Environment Ministry gave final _____ to the greenfield Shree Jagannath International Airport at Sipasarubali, Puri, which will cover 471.348 hectares.

environmental and CRZ clearance

Odisha extended the _____ to 2029 and added 2,91,666 houses. Early-completion incentives rose to Rs 35,000 for finishing in 5 months. It replaces the Biju Pucca Ghar Yojana.

Antyodaya Gruha Yojana

At its 48th meeting the Odisha Cabinet cleared the _____ worth Rs 450 crore (2026-27 to 2028-29) to skill about 4.20 lakh young people, with digital and overseas-job training.

Dakshyata Vikas Yojana

At _____, Bhubaneswar, Odisha gave Rs 5.61 crore to India's gold-winning Asian Games men's and women's hockey teams, plus Rs 20 lakh each to Odisha's Amit Rohidas, Shilanand Lakra and Sunelita Toppo.

Kalinga Stadium

_____, a former three-time BJP MP from Palamu, was sworn in as Governor of Odisha at Lok Bhavan, Bhubaneswar, with Chief Justice Harish Tandon giving the oath. He succeeds Hari Babu Kambhampati.

Braj Mohan Ram

At India Chem 2026 in Mumbai, Odisha said that in two years _____ have proposed about Rs 1.93 lakh crore of investment, and 27 projects worth Rs 60,825.34 crore, creating 35,351 jobs, are already grounded or inaugurated.

56 companies

Odisha moved the _____ against Andhra Pradesh, which notified panchayat polls in the disputed Kotia villages. Odisha had called for a boycott, but 20 candidates still filed papers for 5 MPTC seats.

Supreme Court

PM Modi was scheduled to open the _____ (about Rs 169 crore, 18.55 acres, Tier IV certified) and a cybersecurity training institute near Bhubaneswar, Odisha on 25 October 2026.

RBI's greenfield data centre

Odisha CM Mohan Charan Majhi flagged off _____ under the central PM e-Bus Sewa scheme at the National Urban Conclave 2026 in Bhubaneswar on 24 October.

25 electric buses

MCQs

1. The RBI's new greenfield data centre inaugurated near Bhubaneswar is certified to which tier?

   1. Tier I
   2. Tier II
   3. Tier III
   4. Tier IV
   Show answer

   Answer: Tier IV — The facility is Tier IV certified and sits with a cybersecurity training institute.

2. Odisha CM Mohan Charan Majhi flagged off 25 electric buses under which central scheme in October 2026?

   1. FAME India
   2. PM e-Drive
   3. PM e-Bus Sewa
   4. Smart Cities Mission
   Show answer

   Answer: PM e-Bus Sewa — The buses were flagged off under the PM e-Bus Sewa scheme at the National Urban Conclave 2026 in Bhubaneswar.

3. Who was sworn in as the new Governor of Odisha on 18 October 2026?

   1. Hari Babu Kambhampati
   2. Om Prakash Mathur
   3. Braj Mohan Ram
   4. Dhal Singh Bisen
   Show answer

   Answer: Braj Mohan Ram — Braj Mohan Ram, a former MP from Palamu, took oath at Lok Bhavan, Bhubaneswar, succeeding Hari Babu Kambhampati.

4. The greenfield Shree Jagannath International Airport, which got final environmental clearance, is at which site?

   1. Konark
   2. Sipasarubali, Puri
   3. Chilika, Khordha
   4. Gopalpur, Ganjam
   Show answer

   Answer: Sipasarubali, Puri — The airport at Sipasarubali in Puri district will cover 471.348 hectares.

5. Odisha is the official sponsor of India's national hockey teams until which year?

   1. 2028
   2. 2032
   3. 2036
   4. 2040
   Show answer

   Answer: 2036 — Odisha, the first state to sponsor the national teams in 2018, will continue as official sponsor until 2036.

6. At India Chem 2026 in Mumbai, Odisha signed its largest MoU, worth Rs 36,763.51 crore, with which company?

   1. NLC India Ltd
   2. Tata Power
   3. POSCO India
   4. JSW
   Show answer

   Answer: NLC India Ltd — The MoU with NLC India Ltd was in the chemicals and energy sectors.

7. NIT Rourkela researchers patented a fluoride-removal technology made from which waste material?

   1. Rice husk
   2. Coconut shell
   3. Jackfruit peel
   4. Sugarcane bagasse
   Show answer

   Answer: Jackfruit peel — Zirconium-modified activated carbon from jackfruit peel removed 90 to 97% of fluoride in lab tests.

8. In which Odisha district is the Tata Power Global Capability Centre being set up?

   1. Cuttack
   2. Puri
   3. Khordha
   4. Sambalpur
   Show answer

   Answer: Khordha — The centre in Khordha district is the first approved under Odisha's Global Capability Centre Policy, with Rs 54.31 crore investment.

9. Odisha moved the Supreme Court against Andhra Pradesh over panchayat polls in which disputed area?

   1. Kotia
   2. Malkangiri
   3. Rayagada
   4. Srikakulam
   Show answer

   Answer: Kotia — Odisha challenged Andhra Pradesh's poll notice for the disputed Kotia villages.

10. A research centre on Olive Ridley turtles is planned at which Odisha university?

    1. Utkal University
    2. Sambalpur University
    3. Fakir Mohan University
    4. Berhampur University
    Show answer

    Answer: Berhampur University — The centre is planned at Berhampur University, Ganjam, with the Odisha Forest Department and the Zoological Survey of India.

11. Odisha gave a special reward of Rs 20 lakh each to which of these hockey players from Sundargarh?

    1. Harmanpreet Singh
    2. Amit Rohidas
    3. Mandeep Singh
    4. Hardik Singh
    Show answer

    Answer: Amit Rohidas — Amit Rohidas, Shilanand Lakra and Sunelita Toppo received Rs 20 lakh each along with the general rewards.

12. Where will the 19th Pravasi Bharatiya Diwas convention be held in January 2027?

    1. Bhubaneswar
    2. Varanasi
    3. Indore
    4. Kolkata
    Show answer

    Answer: Kolkata — The 19th PBD convention is planned in Kolkata, West Bengal, on 7 to 9 January 2027; the 18th was in Bhubaneswar.