Bhubaneswar, Oct 27: Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi on Tuesday warned government officials and employees involved in corruption of stringent action, reiterating his government’s zero-tolerance policy towards corrupt practices.
Addressing the state-level Vigilance Awareness Week-2026 programme at the Lok Seva Bhawan Convention Centre in Bhubaneswar, Majhi said 41 government employees had been dismissed from service, while pensions of 91 retired employees had been stopped in connection with corruption cases.
Over the past two-and-a-half years, Odisha Vigilance has initiated action against several senior officials, including an IAS officer, eight officers of Chief Engineer rank, two Divisional Forest Officers, Joint Commissioners of Excise and the State Transport Authority, three Deputy Directors of Mines, five Tahasildars and four Block Development Officers (BDOs).
The Chief Minister said the conviction rate in vigilance cases had increased from 50% in 2025 to 65% up to September 2026, highlighting the department’s efforts to strengthen action against corruption.
Majhi described the Vigilance Department as the eyes and ears of good governance, stressing that public funds must reach their intended beneficiaries without diversion or misuse.
He outlined a three-pronged strategy to combat corruption, comprising a zero-tolerance policy, intelligence-based action and legal proceedings against officials accused of corrupt practices.
The Chief Minister also highlighted public hearings as an effective mechanism for citizens to report corruption directly to ministers and the government.
Thanking Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the Jan Dhan-Aadhaar-Mobile (JAM) system, Majhi said technology had helped reduce the role of middlemen and curb corruption. He added that the Odisha IT Policy had been approved and a Preventive Vigilance Research Wing was being established to identify corruption-prone areas and strengthen preventive measures.
About the Author
