A high-level secretaries’ meeting was held on Thursday under the chairpersonship of Odisha Chief Secretary Anu Garg at the Conference Hall of Kharavela Bhawan. The meeting focused on the implementation of key government programmes, budget expenditure, revenue mobilisation, and monitoring of major projects across departments.
The meeting was attended by Development Commissioner-cum-Additional Chief Secretary Deoranjan Kumar Singh, Additional Chief Secretaries Surendra Kumar and Hemant Sharma, Chief Minister’s Principal Secretary Saswat Mishra, Additional Chief Secretaries of various departments, and Principal Secretaries and Commissioners-cum-Secretaries from all departments.
At the outset, the Chief Secretary underscored the importance of regular district field visits by Secretaries. She directed that during these visits, special attention must be given to reviewing the progress of ongoing drinking water projects. Secretaries were asked to identify causes of delays and recommend corrective measures, emphasizing that drinking water is a basic necessity and timely completion of piped water supply projects would significantly benefit rural communities across Odisha.
The meeting reviewed the status of implementation of 15 priority programmes directed by the Chief Minister. Departments presented updates on measures taken to ensure timely execution and achievement of intended outcomes.
The state’s financial position for the 2025–26 financial year was also reviewed. Department-wise expenditure up to December 2025 was assessed against approved budget allocations. Detailed reviews covered agriculture and allied sectors, revenue, social sector, and other key departments.
Officials noted that overall departmental expenditure had increased by 10 per cent compared to the previous year, while programme expenditure rose by 15 per cent. Revenue collection from various sources recorded a growth of 7.82 per cent year-on-year. Departments were instructed to take necessary steps to meet their targeted revenue goals.
Secretaries were advised to prepare new proposals for the upcoming budget and to conduct special reviews on the utilisation of central assistance funds to ensure optimal use.
The Law Department informed the meeting that several outdated laws are still in force in the state. The Chief Secretary directed Secretaries to review such laws within their respective departments and propose repeal or withdrawal where they are no longer relevant.
It was announced that monthly virtual review meetings with District Collectors on developmental works and project implementation will be held on the 16th of every month. However, due to pre-scheduled government programmes, the January meeting will be held on January 22. Additionally, meetings of the State-Level Single Window Clearance Authority and reviews of MoU-signed projects will take place on the third Tuesday of every month.
Concluding the meeting, the Chief Secretary directed all departmental heads to ensure timely completion of works, strict adherence to budget approvals, and regular monitoring of expenditure to achieve targeted developmental outcomes.
