Bhubaneswar: In a bid to check corruption and inefficiency across departments, the Odisha government on Friday ordered compulsory retirement of eight more officers, including three from the Odisha Administrative Services (OAS).
According to a statement issued by the Chief Minister’s Office, the officers were given compulsory retirement “on the grounds of corruption and dereliction of duty”.
The state government has so far asked 130 officials to go on compulsory retirement citing their involvement in corrupt practices.
The officers issued premature retirement by the state government include three OAS officers, one government engineer, two child development officers, Deputy Excise Superintendent, and a Block office Cashier.
A senior official from the CMO said, “Former Tehsildar of Nimapara, Ramachandra Jena, who was recently arrested by the Vigilance over DA case has been ordered compulsory retirement. Similarly, Gaurang Charan Mohanty, former Deputy Collector of Jagatsinghpur, OAS, was charged with seven cases of corruption. Another OAS officer, Alphonse Bilung harmed the government by granting undeserved favours in terms of land conversion and revenue collection.”
“Bidhan Chandra Sahu, a former superintending engineer of the Baitarani Division of the Kendujhar Irrigation Department, has been charged with corruption. Meena Patra, CDPO of the Integrated Child Development Scheme at Bishwanathpur in Kalahandi’s Lanjigarh Block, was caught red-handed by the Anti-Corruption Department. Another, Puspanjali Rath, CDPO of the Integrated Child Development Scheme of Kalahandi Thuamul Rampur Block 4, was arrested by the Anti-Corruption Department while accepting a bribe demanding Rs 1 lakh for the employment of an activist,” the official said.
“Prabhakar, who works as a cashier in Tihidi block of Bhadrak district, took a bribe of Rs 20 lakh from various stakeholders. Ajit Kumar Mohapatra, former Deputy Abkari Superintendent of Deogarh, who works under the Odisha Abkari Service, was arrested by the Anti-Corruption Department on September 24, 2021, while taking a bribe of Rs 1.5 lakh,” the official added.
