Odisha Intensifies Fiscal Oversight, Streamlines File Processing for Faster Governance

Bhubaneswar: Odisha Chief Secretary Manoj Ahuja has directed all departments to conduct monthly evaluations of their work and financial progress, aiming to reinforce accountability and ensure that spending aligns with the 2025–26 budget. The instruction came during a comprehensive review meeting with senior officials at Kharavela Bhavan on Tuesday.

The meeting reviewed the state’s financial performance for April 2025, during which the Finance Department highlighted a strong start to the fiscal year. Odisha recorded a 35% increase in total expenditure compared to the same month last year, including a notable 66% jump in programme-related spending, indicating accelerated implementation of schemes.

Emphasizing the need for efficiency in execution, Ahuja called for real-time tracking of expenditures and project delivery, especially for newly launched initiatives. He urged departments to stay focused on outcome-based performance and adhere strictly to fiscal targets set in the budget.

Ahuja also addressed administrative delays in decision-making, citing the inefficiencies of the current OSWAS file movement system, where files typically pass through five to six levels before reaching the Secretary. He proposed reducing these layers to three, a move that would significantly improve the speed of government responses and service delivery.

Development Commissioner Anu Garg informed officials that departments are currently providing feedback on this proposed reform. A final decision will be taken soon to enhance administrative responsiveness and reduce procedural delays.

The session also included a review of revenue collection trends, both from tax and non-tax sources, and examined the status of several pending policy proposals. Departments were directed to expedite the finalization of operational frameworks for newly announced schemes.

In preparation for the first anniversary of the new state government on June 12, departments discussed plans for state- and district-level celebrations, focusing on highlighting key achievements and public engagement.

The meeting was attended by senior officials including ACS Home, Forest, Environment & Climate Change Satyabrata Sahu, Revenue ACS & SRC Deoranjan Kumar Singh, ACS GA, Public Grievances, Steel & Mines Surendra Kumar, Industries and MSME ACS Hemant Sharma, and heads of all major departments.