NHRC Concludes Two-Day Odisha Visit, Reviews 121 Cases and Holds Talks on Strengthening Human Rights Framework

Bhubaneswar: The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) wrapped up its two-day visit to Odisha on Sunday, following a series of hearings and high-level consultations aimed at addressing human rights concerns across various sectors in the state. The sessions, held at the State Guest House in Bhubaneswar, were presided over by NHRC Chairperson Justice V. Ramasubramanian, alongside Members Justice (Dr.) Bidyut Ranjan Sarangi, Vijaya Bharati Sayani, and Priyanka Kanungo.

During the visit, the Commission reviewed 121 cases of alleged human rights violations across two benches. Senior NHRC officials including Secretary-General Bharat Lal and Registrar (Law) Yoginder Singh participated in the proceedings.

In the latter part of the day, the NHRC delegation engaged in detailed discussions with top officials of the Odisha government to assess the state’s efforts in safeguarding human rights and to propose policy-level recommendations. The deliberations covered a broad spectrum of issues such as urban housing, drinking water access, healthcare delivery, education, social welfare, women and child protection, forest conservation, tribal rights, pollution control, and rehabilitation of displaced communities.

Chief Secretary Manoj Ahuja, while addressing the NHRC team, reaffirmed the state government’s commitment to human rights and transparency in governance. He highlighted the administration’s focus on grievance redressal, noting that the Chief Minister himself is directly monitoring citizen complaints. Ahuja also pointed to the implementation of a new online grievance system, aligning with Odisha’s goal of becoming a developed state by 2037, contributing to India’s development vision for 2047.

He further informed the Commission that several welfare schemes initiated by the state were guided by previous NHRC recommendations, and assured that the government would continue to act promptly on the Commission’s latest observations.

The meeting was attended by senior government functionaries, including Development Commissioner Anu Garg, Additional Chief Secretaries Satyabrata Sahu and Deoranjan Kumar Singh, DGP Y.B. Khurania, DGP (Fire Services and Civil Defence) Sudhanshu Sarangi, and heads of key departments.

The NHRC acknowledged the Odisha government’s proactive approach in addressing human rights challenges and noted a decline in complaints, attributing it to the improved accessibility of redressal mechanisms such as email, helplines, and digital platforms. The Commission also appreciated the upcoming welfare initiatives and ongoing efforts to enhance institutional accountability and transparency in public service delivery.