Odisha ex-minister Jagannath Rout passes away

Senior Congress leader and former Odisha minister Jagannath Rout died at a private hospital here on Friday following a cardiac arrest. He was 78.

He was undergoing treatment for age-related illness, sources said.

Rout was elected MLA from Dhamnagar constituency in Bhadrak district in 1980, 1985 and 1995 on a Congress ticket.

He served as Industry Minister from 1989-90, Health and Family Welfare Minister from 1995-98 and Urban Development Minister from 1998-99.

Pradesh Congress Committee president Niranjan Patnaik condoled Rout's death.IANS