9 more Odisha officials given compulsory retirement for corruption, inefficiency

Several bureaucrats, accused of either corruption or ineptitude, have been shown the door by the Odisha government.

Continuing its drive against corrupt and inept state officials, the Odisha government on Friday ordered compulsory retirement of nine officers from mines, forest, health and labour departments, according to a state government release.

Odisha chief minister Naveen Patnaik had announced the drive in September 2019 (ANI)

While seven officials have been terminated for corruption cases, the remaining two have been dismissed for their inefficient functioning. The state has so far taken action against 113 officials over graft charges and inefficiency.

Deputy director of mines, Madan Mohan Biswal, who was arrested for his alleged involvement in the multi-crore mining scam in 2009, has been handed out compulsory retirement while mining officer Ramesh Chandra Mahalik was asked to retire over similar charges said the release.

Joint labour commissioner Sarat Choudhary and divisional labour commissioner Namita Dash have been handed out compulsory retirement on grounds of gross inefficiency, it stated.

Assistant conservator of forest, Laxman Pradhan, range officer Bharat Kumar Ghadei, Bolangir, Muribahal range officer Prashant Nayak and Rayagada district labour officer, Pradip Bhoi have been given compulsory retirement over corruption charges against them.

In September 2019, the Naveen Patnaik government had issued a circular saying service records of state government employees, aged 50 years or more, will be reviewed and a premature retirement order will be handed out to those found lacking in integrity.

Since then dozens of government employees have been handed out premature retirement. In December last year, the government recommended the name of Abhay Pathak, senior officer of the Indian Forest Service for compulsory retirement after disproportionate assets worth ₹9.35 crore, the highest ever in Odisha, was found in his possession.

All the departments have been asked to get a committee to review performance and service record of group A, B, C and D employees every 3 months, to identify staff that needs to be retired prematurely.

Employees, who complete 30 years of qualifying service or attain 50 or 55 years of age, would come under the purview of the drive.