Odisha CM’s proposed review of Minsters’ performance draws flak from Opposition

Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik’s scheduled individual performance review of Ministers for the month of May has drawn flak from Opposition leaders, who have termed the proposed exercise as a publicity stunt.

Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik’s scheduled individual performance review of Ministers for the month of May has drawn flak from Opposition leaders, who have termed the proposed exercise as a publicity stunt.

The Opposition leaders alleged that neither were the Ministers shown the door for ‘poor’ performance nor were they asked to bring changes in the way the respective departments functioned, following reviews in the past.

In a letter to all Ministers, Mr. Patnaik said, “We had come up with a manifesto promising the all-round development of the State prior to the 2019 elections. Voters have given uninterrupted massive mandate on the basis of affirmative actions and far-sighted programmes, and we have assumed the State’s governance for the fifth term.”

“In the first meeting of the Council of Ministers held on May 29, 2019, we have passed a resolution to implement all the proposals placed in the manifesto. The government is soon going to complete four years. I will review the performance of the departments in the presence of departmental Secretaries from May 22,” the Odisha CM mentioned. He will review the performance of 26 departments over a period of 10 days from May 22.

Ministers have been directed to come up with the achievements accomplished under 5T programme, in their respective departments. The 5T programme is based on elements like teamwork, technology, transparency, transformation and time limit which are the basis on which the performance of government officials and projects are judged.

The achievements will be presented in the meeting of the Council of Ministers that is to be convened coinciding with the completion of the fourth year of Naveen Patnaik government’s fifth term.

Bijay Patnaik, former Chief Secretary and Congress leader said, “Performance of individual departments has been reviewed in the past. But, they were not critically evaluated. The government has never made public the outcome of such review meetings. These review meetings are carried out for the sake of formality.”