Giving a clear-cut signal, new Chief Secretary Jugal Kishore Mohapatra invoked a three-point mantra — efficiency, honesty and impartiality to serve the State in order to make it prosperous.
Assuming office as the 40th Chief Secretary of the State on Monday, Mohapatra said that he would strive to ensure economic growth and public investment in Government infrastructure as far as holistic development is concerned. Mohapatra, who succeeded Bijay Kumar Patnaik as the Chief Secretary, would remain in office till February, 2016. Setting his priority, the new top boss in the administration indicated that he meant holistic development of tribal and remote areas of the State. Mohapatra said that he would try to expedite the process of development in tribal and backward areas to solve the Maoist problem.
“It would be my honest effort to bring the Maoists to the mainstream of society by undertaking development of the tribal and backward regions,” he asserted.
Mohapatra in his first day in office as Chief Secretary told media men that it was the prime responsibility of the administration to implement various policies and programmes of the Government. Since successful implementation of the policies and schemes of the Government rests on grassroots administration, a well-knit strategy would be put in place to make the field administrative machinery more effective, functional as well as innovative, he maintained. The main objective of the administration would be its accessibility and pro-people orientations so as to bring holistic development, he said making it clear that there is zero tolerance to corruption and irregularities.
The soft spoken top bureaucrat, Mohapatra expressed his concern over the fact that State has been lagging behind in education, health and social sector development. “We have to make systematic effort to remain at par with the national parameter in the three prime sectors, education, social security and health, to improve the standard of living,” he said.
Stating that the infrastructure development sector is the most important which needs improvement, Mohaptra said plans would be formulated to achieve at least 4 per cent public investment in the
Government infrastructure sector from the present 2.5 per cent of GDP during the next three years of 12th plan period. “The increase in public investment in infrastructure would help sustainable growth of the State,” he said. After assuming office, Mohapatra paid a courtesy call to Governor SC Jamir at the Governor House. He also called on Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik at the State Secretariat in the afternoon and expressed his gratitude for giving him an opportunity to serve the people and the State as well. As a good will gesture, his colleagues in the administration met Mohapatra in his office and congratulated him for assuming the highest administrative office. Mohapatra sought the cooperation of his colleagues to help him to function properly and effectively. The representatives belonging to employees association and cultural association in the Secretariat also wished the new Chief Secretary
success. The four senior IAS officers -I Srinivas, UN Behera, Aditya Padhi and Tara Dutt, who were elevated to the rank of Chief Secretary, also joined their new place of posting. While I Srinivas assumed office as Development Commissioner along with charge of Urban Development, UN Behera assumed office as Additional Chief Secretary Finance with additional charge of Home. Similarly, Aditya Padhi started his job as additional Chief Secretary in Chief Minister’s office and Principal Secretary of the Chief Minister. Tara Dutta also assumed office as Chief Administrator, KBK along with the additional charge of Revenue Secretary.