With the formation of a new government in Odisha, employees’ holidays suspended till June 30 | India News

BHUBANESWAR: The BJP is all set to form its first government in Odisha on Wednesday. Anticipating a flurry of activities across departments, the state administration on Tuesday suspended leave of all employees till June 30.

The General Administration and the Public Complaints Department on Tuesday asked the secretaries and heads of all departments as well as the district collectors to strictly adhere to the order. The aim of the decision is to maintain full staff numbers and facilitate the smooth implementation of the new government’s priorities and initiatives.

“As you are aware, the swearing-in ceremony of the new Council of Ministers is scheduled to take place on Wednesday and with the new government taking office, there will be a lot of work to be done at various levels of government. In this context, it is imperative that all government officials remain available at their respective headquarters to attend to any urgent tasks that may arise in the coming days,” the government order said.

The order further states that no government official shall be granted leave or permission to leave headquarters, including on holidays (except for health reasons) till June 30. The government has asked heads of all departments and tax collectors to issue instructions to their colleagues.

“As the new government settles in, we expect a busy period. We have decided to prioritise the attendance of our workforce by temporarily suspending leave approvals. This measure will ensure that everyone has their hands full in handling the increased workload and responsibilities that come with the transition of power,” a senior government official said, adding that the government intends to maintain a fully staffed and operational team to ensure smooth operations during the transition period.

Following the BJD’s electoral defeat, several retired officers who had been reinstated in many departments, including the Chief Minister’s Office, have tendered their resignations in the last few days. Former Chief Secretary Suresh Chandra Mahapatra resigned from his post as Chief Advisor to the CMO. Similarly, R Balakrishnan, a retired IAS officer, resigned from his post as Chief Advisor on Special Initiatives, while Manoj Mishra handed over his duties as Officer on Special Duty (OSD) to the CM. Sujata R Kartikeyan, IAS officer and wife of VK Pandian, recently went on a six-month leave.