Chief  Minister Naveen Patnaik on Monday announced renaming of the Sachivalaya (the State Secretariat) as ‘Lok Seva Bhawan and reiterated his earlier claim that the overall law and order and crime situation in the State has remained largely under control.

In reply to the discussions on the Demands for Grants of the Home and the General Administration and Pension Grievances Departments, the Chief Minister said the simultaneous elections to Parliament and the Assembly were conducted peacefully. There has been no significant communal or student unrest.

The situation relating to the Left Wing Extremism has improved substantially during the last few years. Only a few pockets in the hilly and difficult terrains and the inter-State borders along Andhra Pradesh and Chhattisgarh remain the areas of concern. During 2018, 19 hardcore CPI (Maoist) cadres were killed and in the current year seven cadres have been killed. Gurupriya Bridge and several development initiatives have given a big fillip to integrate the “Swabhiman Anchal”. 

“Protection of women, children and weaker sections of the society is among the top-most priorities of my Government. Specialised Investigation Units for dealing with crimes against women have been constituted in 29 districts in addition to Mahila and Sishu Desks and Integrated Anti-Human Trafficking Units. All rape cases involving minors and other important cases are being treated as red-flag cases for better monitoring of investigation leading to increase in conviction rate,” the Chief Minister said.

The police have been vigorously going after organised crimes and economic offences. Notorious gangsters and mafia elements have been arrested. Criminals associated with drugs, illegal stone-quarry and transport mafia are being dealt with firmly.

As many as 148 cadre Assistant Public Prosecutors and 11 cadre Public Prosecutors have been posted to improve the quality of prosecution. The Government has taken several steps to modernise the police force and promote the use of IT. The State police are already providing 18 services as part of the Citizen Portal in the CCTNS.

Regarding General Administration and Public Grievance Department, he said his Government has given utmost emphasis on welfare of the public. Financial assistance is being given to the poor and needy people from the Chief Minister’s Relief Fund (CMRF). A total of Rs 462 crore has been received in the CMRF from different sources after the Cyclone Fani.

The Government has enunciated the 5T Mantras namely, Technology, Teamwork, Transparency and Time leading to transformation to take delivery of services and governance to the next level, he said.

To enhance air connectivity within the State, State Government has initiated action for upgradation of the airstrips at Kangcilunda, Jeypore, Sativata, Utkela, Tusra and Uirasal. A provision of Rupees 100 crorc has been made for upgradation of these airstrips. The office of the Lokayukta has started functioning from March 20, 2019 to maintain transparency in administration.

During the year 2019, the State Vigilance has registered 137 criminal cases, including 26 cases for possession of disproportionate assets, 67 trap cases relating to demand and acceptance of bribe by public servants and 44 cases for misappropriation of public funds

Patnaik said his Government would take steps to pass the Police Act at the earliest.

“If our State has grown at a rate higher than the national growth rate and if the State has attracted crores of rupees investment, it is because of the peaceful law and order situation in the State,” said Patnaik. He announced that that the ‘Sachivalaya’ or Secretariat would henceforth be called as ‘Lok Seva Bhawan’.

Participating in discusses, Opposition BJP and Congress members said crimes and rapes are on the rise and the Government has failed them to check them.

Expressing unhappiness for not being allowed to comment of the Chief Minister’s reply, BJP members staged a walkout. Home Department’s Expenditure of Rs 52,90,00,03,000 and GA and PG Department’s Expenditure of Rs 394,77,57,000 passed following discussions.