Odisha Chief Minister and Biju Janata Dal chief Naveen Patnaik believes in walking the talk. As promised, he and his ministers have submitted their property details that have been put in the public domain. Other elected representatives of the party are expected to follow suit.
Addressing BJD’s state executive council meeting over two weeks ago, Patnaik had announced that property lists of ministers, party MLAs, MPs, chairpersons of panchayat samitis, zilla parishad presidents and sarpanches will be placed in the public domain to ensure transparency.
These details are now available for public scrutiny and will also be forwarded to the Lokayukta, the state’s anti-corruption ombudsman. Government officials, right from the entry level to the rank of chief secretary, have also been asked to make their property details public. Odisha has become the first state in the country to take such a step, setting a new benchmark in the fight against corruption.
Opposition parties have described the move as a publicity stunt aimed at garnering votes, but they scarcely realize the magnitude of the impact that such gestures make on the public’s mind. Even if one chooses to call the exercise symbolic, there is no denying its salutary impact on the the younger generation. The step, as a former chief secretary of the state rightly pointed out, will convince people that the Chief Minister practices what he preaches.
Patnaik has been particularly severe in dealing with cases of corruption in his fifth term as the Chief Minister of the state. There have been vigilance raids against the high and mighty found indulging in corruption and some venal government officials have also been given compulsory retirement. Last month, a sitting MLA and former minister was arrested in a corruption case. His arrest followed similar action against a senior forest official who was considered close to him and had faced vigilance raids in connection with a disproportionate assets case.
In his latest avatar, the five-time Chief Minister has been laying particular emphasis on transparency, which is a key feature of his 5T governance model. His Mo Sarkar initiative has been immensely successful in eliminating corruption and increasing the efficiency of officials while bringing the administration closer to the people. Patnaik has been personally monitoring the programme and his private secretary VK Pandian, who also happens to be the state’s first 5T secretary, ensures that it is implemented in a flawless manner.
The results have been most encouraging and the government has brought almost all its department within the ambit of Mo Sarkar in a phased manner. With transparency ensured and the long-time Chief Minister showing zero tolerance for corruption, the quality of governance was bound to improve. No wonder Patnaik remains immune to anti-incumbency and his popularity continues to grow.
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