Known to be one of the firsts to get the top four IT companies like Tata Consultancy Services (TCS), Infosys, Wipro and Tech Mahindra to set up centres on its turf, the Odisha Government’s mission to make the State a favoured destination for IT and IT-enabled services has been derailed.
Besides, the Government recast its existing Information and Communications Technology (ICT) policy to rope in IT and BPO (Business Process Outsourcing) firms, but it has failed to take off and the State has not drawn new investments for spawning employment opportunities for youths.
This gloomy scenario is attributed to the weak leadership of the Information Technology and Electronics Department. Notably, Rail Coordination Commissioner Manoj Mishra, an IRTS officer, was given additional charge of Information Technology and Electronics Department Secretary in 2019.
The decision was taken despite the fact that Mishra as Rail Coordination Commissioner failed to expedite the ongoing railway projects in the State, over which a blame game has ensued between the Centre and the State Government. These railway projects like the Khurda-Balangir new broad gauge rail line of 289 km estimated around Rs 3,550 crore; Sambalpur-Talcher doubling rail link of 174.11 km estimated around Rs 679.27 crore; Vizianagaram-Sambalpur (Titilagarh) 3rd line of 264.6 km estimated around Rs 2,575 crore; Budhapank-Salegaon 3rd and 4th rail line of 170 km estimated around Rs 1,173 crore; Rourkela-Jharsuguda 3rd new rail link of 101 km estimated around Rs 1,173 crore; Angul-Sukinda new line of 98.7 km estimated around Rs 638.5 crore and Talcher- Bimilagarh new rail link of 155 km estimated around Rs 810.78 crore were critical from the viewpoints of coal evacuation, passenger traffic and trade infrastructure of Odisha.
To make matters worse, it has come to light that the State Government had sanctioned Rs 400 crore for the Jeypore-Nabaranpur and Jeypore- Malkangiri railway projects’ execution and development in the financial year 2020-21.
But as Rs 383 crore could be spent, Rs 17 crore which was unspent was returned back to Finance Department by the Commerce and Transport Department.
Besides, for implementation of other railway projects, the State Government allocated Rs 20 crore in its Budget. However, as there was need for another Rs 36.96 crore, the funds were availed from other sources. But when the Commerce and Transport Department sought the Finance Department’s concurrence, the latter refused citing the stipulated time from for the funds utilisation has expired. So, Rs 36.96 crore along with the Rs 20 crore allotted in the Budget it was returned by the Commerce Department to the Finance Department.
However, presently, Mishra, who is the Odisha Computer Application Centre (OCAC) Chairman, is accused of making a mockery of the 5T and Mo Sarkar initiatives of the State Government by promoting controversial agencies like CSM, which is managing as many 40 websites of Government Departments at a huge cost to the State exchequer. It is alleged that most of these websites are not regularly updated.
Besides, there is no information about how many apps have been developed by the CSM and how much money has been paid to it over the years. It has come to light that the citizen-centric apps are not functioning properly, not people-friendly and are slow. Besides, there is no user-acceptance. A high-level probe by an independent agency can unearth the unholy nexus between the agencies and the top mandarins.
A social audit of the concerned individual agencies should also be carried out to prevent OCAC from becoming another white elephant like many other Government corporations, knowledgeable quarters opine.