---
title: "Zero-Tolerance for Corruption: 42 Dismissed, 91 Pensions Stopped as Odisha Governance Steps Out of ‘Ivory Tower’, Says CM Majhi"
url: https://mediathepower.com/?p=1424
date: 2026-10-28
modified: 2026-10-28
lang: en
author: "Rajiv Singh"
description: "BHUBANESWAR: In a decisive crackdown on administrative malpractice, Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi announced on Tuesday that the state government has dismissed 42 employees and suspended the pensions of 91..."
categories:
  - "State"
tags:
  - "#JAMTrifecta"
  - "#mediathepower"
  - "#OdishaCM"
  - "#OdishaVigilance"
  - "#ZeroTolerance"
  - "• #VigilanceAwarenessWeek"
image: https://mediathepower.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/mohan-1-1024x501.jpg
word_count: 350
---

# Zero-Tolerance for Corruption: 42 Dismissed, 91 Pensions Stopped as Odisha Governance Steps Out of ‘Ivory Tower’, Says CM Majhi

**BHUBANESWAR:** In a decisive crackdown on administrative malpractice, Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi announced on Tuesday that the state government has **dismissed 42 employees and suspended the pensions of 91 retired officials** following their convictions in corruption cases.

Asserting that his administration maintains a strict "zero-tolerance" approach to graft, the Chief Minister declared that governance in Odisha has officially moved away from the "ivory tower" to actively engage with citizens and address their grievances at the grassroots level.

Chief Minister Majhi made these statements while addressing the state-level Vigilance Awareness Week 2026 at the Lok Seva Bhawan.

High-Profile Crackdown and Soaring Conviction Rates

Highlighting the scale of anti-corruption operations over the last two-and-a-half years, Majhi revealed that state Vigilance has systematically targeted high-ranking officials. The list of penalized individuals includes:

- **One IAS officer**

- **Eight Chief Engineer-rank officers**

- **Three Deputy Directors of Mines**

- **Five Tehsildars**

- **Four Block Development Officers (BDOs)**

- Several Forest and Excise department officials

The Chief Minister also shared that Odisha's Vigilance department has achieved a milestone in its legal battles. The agency's **conviction rate soared to a record 65 per cent by September 2026**, up from 50 per cent in 2025. This surge establishes Odisha Vigilance as one of the leading anti-corruption bodies in the country.

Technology and Transparency as Shields

The administration is heavily banking on technology and direct public engagement to eliminate systemic leakages. The Chief Minister credited the central government's JAM (Jan Dhan-Aadhaar-Mobile) framework for securing welfare delivery systems.

Moving forward, the state is expanding its digital defense against graft. “The government has approved the Odisha IT Policy to promote the use of modern technology in anti-corruption efforts," Majhi said. "A preventive Vigilance research wing has also been set up to identify corruption-prone areas and officials to improve transparency.”

Majhi concluded by pointing to the government's public grievance redressal programme as a vital tool. By allowing everyday citizens to bring their complaints directly to ministers and the Chief Minister, the state aims to choke corruption at the grassroots level, ensuring intelligence-based action and strict legal proceedings continue regardless of an official's rank or tenure.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iWAOFyO_aRI

---