In a move aimed at promoting transparency and preventing the misuse of public funds during the upcoming festival season, the Odisha Finance Department has issued a strict directive enforcing a “No Gift Policy” across all state government offices.
The circular, released today, mandates that no government employee shall bring, accept, or distribute gifts in official premises, aligning with longstanding central government guidelines.
The policy is based directly on an Office Memorandum issued by the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) under the Government of India on September 19, 2020. This central directive, which was reiterated in recent months amid rising concerns over fiscal austerity, explicitly prohibits any expenditure on gifts from public funds.
Odisha’s adoption of these measures underscores the state’s commitment to ethical governance, especially as Diwali approaches—a time traditionally marked by exchanges of sweets, dry fruits, and other tokens of goodwill.
Principal Secretary to the Finance Department, Sanjay Kumar Mishra, IAS, addressed the circular to Additional Chief Secretaries, Principal Secretaries, and Secretaries across all departments. “The State Government has decided to adopt the aforesaid Office Memorandum on No Gifting Policy,” the document states, emphasising that no public resources should be used for gifting purposes.
