In an effort to improve government operations, Odisha’s Chief Secretary, Manoj Ahuja, has instructed all departments to retire government workers who are considered inefficient Government Employees or lack integrity.
In a letter to all departmental heads, Ahuja stressed the importance of regularly reviewing staff to identify those whose performance is poor or whose behavior raises concerns.
This directive is based on Rule 71 (Clause-K) of the Odisha Service Code, which allows for the early retirement of government employees to maintain high administrative standards.
Addressing Past Non-Compliance The letter also pointed out that many departments have not followed an earlier notice (Circular No. 27037) issued by the GAPG Department on September 24, 2019, which outlined how to carry out premature retirements. This lack of compliance has allowed ineffective and untrustworthy officials to stay in their positions, negatively impacting the efficiency of the administration and the public’s interest. The Chief Secretary has expressed concern about these issues and is calling for immediate action.
Regular Performance Reviews Required To address this problem, the Chief Secretary has ordered all departments to hold regular review meetings as per the 2019 guidelines. Department heads are expected to assess their staff regularly and ensure that the rules for premature retirement are properly followed.
In February 2022, the state government had already forced five officers, including an Odisha Administrative Officer (OAS) and a Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP), to retire due to corruption and inefficiency, as part of efforts to improve accountability and reform the administration.
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