Dismissing the adverse remark of the home ministry that the Maoist activities in Odisha was on the rise due to inaction of the Odisha government, the state government on Monday gave details of the steps taken to combat the Maoist menace in the state.

The Odisha High Court on Monday turned down state governments plea to lift a stay on going ahead with concessionaire agreement for the 10 MTPA Chudamani sea port in Bhadrak district and ordered that the matter shall be listed for final hearing after summer vacation.

Yet to take a decision on his possible resignation as the MLA of Laxmipur as decided in the Maoists praja court, Jhina Hikaka on Monday said he had left it to chief minister Naveen Patnaik.

Chief secretary Bijay Kumar Patnaik and home secretary Upendra Nath Behera met PL Punia, chairman of National Commission for Scheduled Castes, in New Delhi on Monday and apprised him of the steps taken by the Odisha government in the Pipili gang rape, Kamakhyanagar and Lathore arson cases.

The World Bank authorities have expressed displeasure over the inordinate delay in handover of the roadside land required for widening of the 106-KM long Cuttack-Chandballi State Highway in state, official sources said.

The 13th Finance Commission has recommended an estimated Rs 9,658.76 crore for Odisha for the 2012-13 financial year as State specific grant.

Weeks after the abduction and unharmed release of two Italians and a BJD MLA in the state, armed Maoists on Tuesday kidnapped and killed a police officer in a forest area in Nuapada district bordering Chhattisgarh, on Tuesday.

The Centre on Tuesday asked the Odisha government to send a report on the abduction and killing of a police officer in the state by Maoists.

Seeking re-introduction of the flight between Bhubaneswar and Varanasi, the Odisha government on Monday asked the Centre to improve rail and air connectivity to facilitate travel of both national and international Buddhist tourists to the state.

AICC General Secretary in-charge of Odisha Jagdish Tytler on Monday ruled out change in the partys state leadership even as a section of MLAs have demanded a change due to a series of defeats for the party.