Odisha CM Focuses on Recruitment Reforms to Strengthen Public Services

Bhubaneswar: Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi on Monday called for an accelerated recruitment process to fill government vacancies, emphasizing the importance of a strong workforce for improving public services. The meeting, held at Lok Seva Bhawan, was attended by chairpersons of various recruitment commissions and senior government officials.

Highlighting the state’s ambitious target of recruiting 1.5 lakh personnel over the next five years, the Chief Minister directed departments to prioritize filling 65,000 posts within two years. With 1,10,557 vacancies across departments, he urged timely submission of recruitment proposals to the commissions by March 31, 2025.

The Chief Minister stressed the need for a fair, transparent, and swift recruitment system, particularly for sectors such as health, housing, education, and agriculture, which directly impact public welfare. To address the backlog in reserved categories, he announced a special recruitment drive for Scheduled Tribes and Scheduled Castes within a specified timeframe.

As part of streamlining efforts, the Chief Minister removed the requirement for Empowered Committee approval for filling Group-B posts and proposed reconstituting the committee to include a representative from the Social Security and Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities Department.

To improve accessibility for candidates in remote regions, he proposed the establishment of a new Odisha Public Service Commission (OPSC) examination center in Jeypore, which will serve aspirants from the undivided Koraput district.

The meeting saw participation from key officials, including OPSC Chairman Arun Sarangi, Odisha Staff Selection Commission Chairman Abhay, Odisha Subordinate Staff Selection Commission Chairman Lalit Das, Chief Secretary Manoj Ahuja, and Additional Chief Secretaries Nikunj Bihari Dhal and Surendra Kumar.