Even as Opposition members rapped the State Government in the State Assembly on Thursday for the increase in number of crimes in the State and for not appointing a lokayukta to check corruption, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik said his Government is all committed to providing safe and secure environment to all citizens and ensure inclusive growth of the people by providing transparent pro-people governance.
Giving a reply after a marathon discussion on the Demands for Grants relating to his Home and General Administration and Public Grievances Departments, the Chief Minister reiterated that the law and order situation in the State has by and large remained peaceful and the overall crime situation is well under control. No major leftwing Extremism (Maoist) activity has been noticed in the affected districts, he said.
The State’s intelligence-based operations have yielded significant results in 2018 with neutralisation of five hardcore Maoist cadres and 12 arrests, he said.
To strengthen the capacity of police, permission has already been given for filling up 3,944 vacancies in various ranks and 444 posts in different ranks created during the year 2017. In a major development, 192 Assistant Public Prosecutors have been recruited to strengthen the State Prosecution Service, Patnaik said.
“In the recent highly condemnable rape incidents, the police have taken timely action in arresting the accused in the shortest possible time and I assure the House that my Government will spare no efforts in ensuring that they are tried expeditiously. Safety and security of women, children and other vulnerable groups remains the top priority of my Government,” he said.
Regarding General Administration and Public Grievances, the Chief Minister said provision has been made for on-line delivery of public services also through mobile phones during 2018-19. The OPSC, the OSSC and OSSSC have been asked to conduct recruitment examinations on a regular basis. Odisha Civil Service Examination is being conducted regularly from 2015 onwards, he said.
To enhance air connectivity within the State, Rs 100 crore has been allocated for upgradation of air strips at various places. A special provision of Rs 50 crore has been made for development of Master Plan Roads in Bhubaneswar during 2018-19.
The Vigilance, between 2017 and till March 31, 2018, has registered 603 criminal cases and has also initiated 765 enquiries against the public servants. As many 279 persons have been arrested and 44 public servants were dismissed from Government service. A State Vigilance Academy would be set up at Bhubaneswar for upgrading the professional knowledge and skills of the Vigilance Officers, he said.
Earlier participating in discussion, leader of Opposition Narasingha Mishra (Congress) alleged that the State Government has misled the Supreme Court and the State Assembly by providing contradictory information regarding the lokayukt issue.
“In an affidavit filed in the Supreme Court in 2015, the State Government had mentioned that a notification was issued for enforcement of the lokayukta Act and rules thereof framed. However, no lokayukta has been appointed since 2013,” said Mishra.
lamenting that while rapes and other crimes are on the rise, Mishra said police are not acting properly in most of cases. He too slammed the State Government for not refunding chit fund money to investors and showing undue favours to mining leaseholders for which the State exchequer is losing crores of rupees.
Similarly, Rabi Nayak and Pradeep Purohit of BJP and Debendra Sharma and Tara Prasad Bahinipati of Congress pointed to various failures of the two departments.
Ruling members like Samir Ranjan Dash, Pramila Mallick, Priyadarshi Mishra, Ranandra Pratpa Swain, and Dr Rajashree Mallick supported the grants.
BJP members staged a walkout during the Chief Minister’s reply.
Expenditure of Rs 5284,86,93,000 relating to the Home Department and Expenditure of Rs 389,88,10,000 relating to the General Administration and Public Grievance Department were passed following the Chief Minister’s reply.