Bhubaneswar, Jan 2: With Odisha a decade away from its centenary celebrations, Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi has asked the State bureaucracy to work on a 15-point agenda aimed at making governance more dynamic and people-centric, as the government pursues an ambitious target of transforming Odisha into a $500 billion economy.
Chairing a meeting on Thursday to mark the assumption of charge by Anu Garg as the State’s first woman Chief Secretary, the Chief Minister said the government aims to place Odisha among the top five developed states in the country by 2036.
“The government has set a goal of building a prosperous Odisha with a $500 billion economy by 2036 and positioning the State among the top five economies in India. To achieve this, Odisha must move towards a mixed economy,” Mr. Majhi said in a statement.
Highlighting the State’s heavy dependence on mineral resources such as iron ore, bauxite and coal, the Chief Minister stressed the need to diversify into knowledge-driven industries and the services sector. He directed all district collectors to fast-track approvals and ensure time-bound implementation of development projects.
The Chief Minister also instructed departments to fill all vacant government posts within the next two years. “Efficient and well-trained officers should be deployed effectively, while corrupt, incompetent and irresponsible officials must be identified.
Action, including compulsory retirement, should be taken against them,” he said. Reiterating the government’s commitment to promoting the Odia language, Mr. Majhi directed that all official work, including notices, notifications and correspondence, be published exclusively in Odia.
He warned that explanations would be sought from officers who fail to comply with the directive, from the Secretariat to the block level.
The Chief Minister also emphasised the need for a robust public grievance redressal mechanism. To address people’s problems directly, officers at all levels have been instructed to undertake regular field visits and submit reports, which will be considered during performance evaluations.
Mr. Majhi said the government plans to develop the Nabakrushna Choudhury Centre for Development Studies into a centre of excellence.
He added that an exhaustive, phase-wise roadmap has been prepared to achieve the State’s long-term development goals and place Odisha among the top five states in the country by 2036.
Odisha was the first State in India to be formed on a linguistic basis on April 1, 1936, and will mark 100 years of its formation in 2036.
