Local Governance: Odisha Govt Merges DRDAs With Zilla Parishads

Bhubaneswar: In order to strengthen local governance under panchayati raj institutions (PRIs), the Odisha government has abolished present structure of the district rural development agencies (DRDA) and merged those with respective Zilla Parishads (ZPs).

According to a resolution issued by the Panchayati Raj and Drinking Water department on Friday, all the existing officers and employees holding posts in the DRDAs on regular basis will be the employees of the ZPs and all the existing posts in DRDAs, excluding the posts specifically decided to be abolished, will be deemed to have been created for the ZPs with effect from the date of merger.

The sanctioned strength of 30 ZPs will be 1,115, including 150 programme managers, 30 each executive officers, additional executive officer (administration), additional executive officer (technical) and additional executive officer (finance).

Total 150 posts of assistant PDs will be abolished and 150 posts of programme managers created. Those holding the post of regular programme officer in DRDAs will be absorbed in the posts of programme manager in ZPs.

Principal Secretary of PR & DW department will be the appellate authority in respect of the programme managers and senior programme managers of the ZPs, the department stated.

It further said the detailed guidelines regarding administrative structure and function of ZP office after merger will be issued in due course. Till then, the work distribution among the employees of will be decided by respective collectore-cum-CEO of the ZPs.

The funds under DRDAs will be managed by the ZPs ad per the following:

• The balance fund as well as banks accounts of DRDAs will be under control of ZPs
• The fund to be transferred will continue to remain lodged in the same bank account and to be administered in the same manner until further decision
• The process of expenditure of the funds will be made in accordance with fund management guidelines issued by the state government time to time
• The accounts of the DRDAs will be maintained separately from the accounts of other funds of the ZPs

The merger aims at strengthening the PRIs and enabling the ZPs to plan and implement the schemes for poverty-alleviation, overall economic development and social justice.