Bhubaneswar: Odisha government has greenlit business class air travel for both Cabinet and State Ministers for official journeys, marking a shift in the state’s approach to facilitating efficient and comfortable travel for its top officials. A notification issued by the Parliamentary Affairs Department outlined that ministers could now travel in Executive, Business, or Club class, with approval from the Finance Department.
“The state government is pleased to allow Ministers, both Cabinet and State, to travel by air in Executive/Business/Club class for official purposes,” stated the notification.
The decision follows a previous policy update in September when the state extended air travel permissions to Group-A officers (Level-12 and above) within Odisha. Prior to this, these senior officials were limited to rail or road transportation for official in-state travel. As intra-state air connectivity has expanded, the government has broadened travel options to include air travel for Group-A officers on state business, streamlining transportation for officials as they navigate their duties across Odisha.
The Odisha Council of Ministers currently includes the Chief Minister, two Deputy Chief Ministers, eight Cabinet Ministers, and five Ministers of State with independent charge, all of whom will benefit from this policy update. The change is expected to enhance the accessibility and speed of official travel, allowing state ministers to reach various regions within Odisha with greater ease, potentially improving governance efficiency and response times in areas requiring ministerial attention.
