The property details of BJD ministers, MLAs, MPs, chairpersons of panchayat samitis, zilla parishad presidents and sarpanches would be available in the public domain, said chief minister Naveen Patnaik, adding it will help the state fight the corruption menace.
While addressing BJD’s state executive council on Monday, CM Patnaik said that public representatives, all government employees, including the chief secretary, will have to submit property lists to Lokayukta.
“Corruption is the biggest enemy of development and the Odisha government is focused on transparency. The state has already launched a fight against poverty, diseases, regional disparity, inequality and natural disasters. Fight against corruption will help us in our fight against all ills of society. May it be inequality, poverty or injustice. Odisha will be the first state to initiate such a step to check corruption,” he said.
The CM underscored that Odisha’s on-going fight against corruption has brought laurels for the state from across the country. “Odisha is one of the few states which has done a remarkable job by setting up special courts for the trial of corruption cases or confiscation of property belonging to corrupt persons/officials. Over the last year, action has been taken against 91 corrupt officials in the state,” CM Patnaik said.
Reacting to the announcement, BJP leader Lekhashree Samantsinghar said the CM’s proposal on submission of property details to Lokayukta was a publicity stunt. “The BJD does not have the intent to fight corruption,” she alleged.
{{/usCountry}}Reacting to the announcement, BJP leader Lekhashree Samantsinghar said the CM’s proposal on submission of property details to Lokayukta was a publicity stunt. “The BJD does not have the intent to fight corruption,” she alleged.
{{/usCountry}}Patnaik’s announcement comes in the wake of arrest of additional principal chief conservator of forests, Abhay Kant Pathak, who amassed disproportionate assets worth ₹9.35 crore, which was 435 % of his total income.
In 2011, CM Patnaik had announced that all the ministers in his cabinet will have to submit their movable and immovable property returns by August every year. However, the submission has been irregular over the years.