How to Root Out Corruption from Odisha: Top bureaucrat's blueprint

Odisha Chief Secretary Manoj Ahuja has laid out a detailed roadmap for rooting out corruption in government offices, urging departments to adopt preventive vigilance as a core strategy.

In a directive issued on Thursday, Ahuja asked all department heads and district collectors to ensure that officials with doubtful integrity are excluded from sensitive positions. The move, he said, is part of the state’s commitment to clean, transparent, and citizen-centric governance.

Citing recent corruption cases unearthed by the vigilance department, Ahuja stressed the need for proactive and sustained efforts. “Mere punitive action is not sufficient; root causes of corruption must be systematically eliminated through administrative, legal, social, economic, and educative measures,” he wrote.

Among the measures, Ahuja asked every department to set up an Internal Vigilance Committee (IVC) to identify vulnerable areas and prepare both short- and long-term action plans.

Practical steps suggested:

• Scale up technology-driven reforms such as EoDB, WAMIS, e-tendering, e-procurement, Work Passbook, DBT for fund transfers, and online HR management systems.
• Enforce transparent HR practices like staff rotation, fair and transparent online transfers, and removal of doubtful officials from sensitive roles.
• Empower citizens by displaying service timelines under the Odisha Right to Public Service (ORTPS) Act, 2013, and monitoring compliance through dashboards.
• Use active feedback systems to track service delivery and strengthen accountability at all levels.

The chief secretary also underlined the importance of transparent HR practices, including staff rotation, fair and transparent online transfers, and strict exclusion of tainted officials from critical roles.

To empower citizens, Ahuja instructed offices to prominently display service timelines under the Odisha Right to Public Service (ORTPS) Act, 2013, ensure compliance through dashboards, and actively use feedback systems.

He further directed department heads to institutionalise a culture of zero tolerance to corruption through periodic reviews, open discussions among senior officers, and structured monitoring of feedback.

Calling for widespread dissemination of these instructions, Ahuja said that building a strong preventive vigilance framework will pave the way for a truly responsive and people-oriented government.