Bhubaneswar: Highlighting the policy of zero tolerance towards corruption, Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi on Tuesday issued a strong warning of stringent action to corrupt government officials and employees.
Speaking at the state-level Vigilance Awareness Week-2026 programme in Bhubaneswar, Majhi said 41 government employees had been dismissed from service and the pensions of 91 retired employees stopped for their involvement in corruption cases.
Over the past two-and-a-half years, Odisha Vigilance has taken action against an IAS officer, eight officers of Chief Engineer rank, two Divisional Forest Officers, Joint Commissioners of Excise and State Transport Authority, three Deputy Directors of Mines, five Tehsildars and four Block Development Officers (BDOs), besides several other government officials, he said.
The conviction rate in vigilance cases rose from 50 per cent in 2025 to 65 per cent till September this year, reflecting the department’s efforts to tackle corruption, Majhi said.
Emphasising the government’s outreach to citizens, the Chief Minister said governance was no longer confined to the corridors of power, as the government was reaching out to people and listening to their grievances.
The public hearing programme has emerged as an important mechanism to check corruption at the grassroots level, with people directly bringing instances of corruption to the notice of ministers and the Chief Minister, he said, adding that action was being taken on such complaints.
Describing the Vigilance Department as the eyes and ears of good governance, Majhi said governance meant not merely framing policies and schemes but ensuring that public funds reached their intended beneficiaries without diversion or corruption.
The state government has adopted a three-pronged strategy to combat corruption, comprising a zero-tolerance policy, intelligence-based action, and legal proceedings and punishment against officials arrested in corruption cases, irrespective of their tenure, he said.
Thanking Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the JAM (Jan Dhan-Aadhaar-Mobile) system, Majhi said technology had helped eliminate middlemen and curb corruption at the grassroots level, benefiting the poor.
To strengthen preventive measures, the state government has approved the Odisha IT Policy to facilitate the use of modern technology in corruption control. A Preventive Vigilance Research Wing is also being constituted within Odisha Vigilance to identify corruption-prone areas and those involved in corrupt practices, he said.
Regarding the theme of this year’s Vigilance Awareness Week, ‘Integrity to Prosperity’, Majhi called upon government employees to uphold ethical conduct, transparency and dedication in public service.
Chief Secretary Anu Garg said integrity is essential to ensure that the benefits of government schemes, funded by taxpayers’ hard-earned money, reached the last beneficiary. The state government was leveraging technology and skills to deliver public services transparently, she added.
Vigilance Director Yashwant Kumar Jethwa said the department had been taking sustained action against corruption in line with the Chief Minister’s zero-tolerance policy.
On the occasion, the Chief Minister presented awards recognising outstanding performance in vigilance work. Koraput Division was adjudged the Best Vigilance Division for 2025, while the Anugola Unit was named the Best Unit.
Malkangiri Vigilance DSP Sadananda Pani was selected as the Best Investigating Officer, Baibhabamala Swain of the Bhubaneswar Division as the Best Woman Investigating Officer, and Salil Kumar Pradhan of the Bhubaneswar Vigilance Special Judge Court as the Best Public Prosecutor.
Majhi also administered the integrity pledge against corruption to officials and other participants at the programme.