Odisha Government Unveils New Plan to Enhance Employee Accountability and Efficiency

New Measures for Employee Monitoring in Odisha

Bhubaneswar: On Tuesday, the Odisha government announced a strategic initiative aimed at monitoring the punctuality, efficiency, and integrity of its employees, according to an official statement.

This decision emerged from a meeting of all secretaries led by Chief Secretary Manoj Ahuja.

The meeting addressed various issues, including consequences for tardiness, the early retirement of underperforming officials, and the need for stronger actions against corruption. It also emphasized the importance of prioritizing responses from the Chief Minister and other officials.

A 15-day action plan was established, with the chief secretary reviewing the progress of ongoing projects. Previously, all departments were instructed to ensure timely attendance.

To facilitate this, the government is exploring the implementation of Artificial Intelligence (AI) for attendance verification, starting with Lok Seva Bhawan and Kharavel Bhawan before expanding to all state offices.

The statement noted that employees failing to meet performance standards will undergo monthly evaluations, with potential for premature retirement based on their performance.

The meeting also highlighted various corruption-related issues, including transparency deficits, accountability failures, and ineffective complaint handling, among others.

Secretaries were urged to enhance vigilance in government procurement, service delivery, and human resource management as key areas susceptible to corruption.

Additionally, discussions included the rollout of the Chief Minister's Dashboard to improve monitoring and resolution processes across departments.

District Collectors are set to convene review meetings focused on critical projects, including land acquisition necessary for major infrastructure initiatives at both central and state levels.