TV
In a bid to strengthen the effectiveness of public service delivery and ensure governance rooted in ground realities, Odisha Chief Secretary Manoj Ahuja has issued a directive to all senior government officials to regularly visit various districts and interact directly with field-level functionaries.
The move is aimed at promoting a deeper understanding of grassroots challenges and ensuring that state-level decisions are well-informed and aligned with the actual needs of the people.
According to the Chief Secretary, field visits by top officials are not merely symbolic but a crucial step towards building a more responsive and efficient administrative system.
Bridge The Gap
“Knowledge gained from the grassroots is essential for taking swift and practical decisions in governance,” Ahuja remarked, stressing that real-time exposure to ongoing projects and schemes will help bridge the gap between policy and practice.
As part of this initiative, officials have been instructed to start their visits from this month, with aspirational districts being given priority. During these visits, they are expected to closely monitor the day-to-day activities of local staff, evaluate the status and effectiveness of developmental schemes, and understand the administrative bottlenecks that may hinder implementation. Interaction with local beneficiaries and stakeholders will also be encouraged to gain a people-centric perspective.
In a further step to ensure genuine engagement, the Chief Secretary has advised officers to spend the night in the areas they visit. This will not only help them get a better sense of the local conditions but also build trust among the communities. Such immersive experiences are expected to provide valuable insights that desk-based reviews often miss.
Moreover, Ahuja has recommended that officials document their field observations and present them during regular high-level review meetings at the Secretariat. These insights will serve as critical feedback for policy refinement and better inter-departmental coordination.
The initiative reflects the Odisha government’s commitment to participatory governance and its effort to make administration more accountable, transparent, and in tune with the realities faced by citizens on the ground.
