Odisha govt cracks down on inefficient staff: Chief Secretary orders departments to identify and retire non-performers

Incompetent and unfit government employees in Odisha—whether senior officers or lower-level staff—will no longer be able to hide under the cover of bureaucracy. The Chief Secretary of the state government has written to all departments, directing them to identify such employees and submit reports to the government.

The directive clearly states that if incompetence is detected, the concerned employee will be given compulsory retirement. Departments have been given a specific format for reporting and must submit their findings by the 7th of this month. Following this tough stance by the Mohan Majhi government, underperforming officials are reportedly on edge.

The Chief Secretary has reportedly sought detailed data from all departments on the number of officers against whom disciplinary action is pending, and how many days each employee has actually worked in a month.  How often have officers conducted field visits? The number of non-performing officers for whom the process of compulsory retirement has already begun. The number of vacant posts in each department. Steps taken to improve officers’ skills. How many officers have received training through free AI classes?

As per sources, departments have been instructed to furnish this information in the prescribed format by the deadline.

"Those who can't accommodate the pace, willpower, and the working style of the government will not have any relevance. Steps will be taken accordingly by taking this into account," said Law Minister Prithviraj Harichandan.

At a Secretary-level meeting held on July 15, an important discussion took place regarding the dismissal of inefficient employees. Chief Secretary Manoj Ahuja reportedly adopted a strict stance on the matter.

Citing the General Administration Department’s circular dated September 24, 2019, the Chief Secretary clearly stated that officers found to be inefficient should be compulsorily retired from service. He also directed that details of officers facing pending disciplinary proceedings be submitted on the HRMS website, with regular reviews conducted before taking a final decision.

Earlier, at the district Collectors’ Conference on September 27, Chief Minister Mohan Majhi had also issued a stern warning on this issue. Stating that “the era of negligence is over,” the CM had called upon inefficient officers to change their mindset.

Must Read: Shovana Mohanty appointed Odisha State Commission for Women chairperson

Now, all eyes are on how many employees the State Government will take action against once the relevant information is received.

"The efficiencies of the employees are mentioned in the Annual Performance Assessment Report every year. However, the officers generally don't give negative reports on compassionate grounds as the concerned employee will be answerable and there will be a subsequent inquiry and the matter will go to the court," said former Chief Secretary Sahadev Sahoo.