The Odisha government will install AI-enabled cameras in offices to monitor employee attendance and performance, with non-performers facing a possibility of voluntary retirement.
The decision was taken at a high-level meeting chaired by chief secretary Manoj Ahuja at the Lok Seva Bhavan on Tuesday.
“In the first phase, the cameras will be set up at Kharavela Bhavan. Later, they will be extended to district-level offices,” Ahuja said, adding that the system would ensure punctuality and improve efficiency.
The secretary-level meeting decided that employee performance will be regularly evaluated. “If, despite warnings, there is no improvement, early retirement will be considered,” a senior official said. Officials have also been instructed to conduct regular field visits.
The chief secretary reiterated the government’s “zero tolerance” policy towards corruption, warning that all graft complaints would be addressed “with an iron hand” and dealt with swiftly. Over recent months, the vigilance wing has intensified operations, arresting several senior officials on corruption charges and seizing assets disproportionate to their known sources of income.
The meeting also decided that the CM Dashboard will be operational from October to track the movement of each file and address issues in real time. The dashboard will allow the state to monitor departmental performance and ensure quicker decision-making.
Ahuja raised concerns over large sums of unspent funds in various departments, causing project delays. He urged officials to increase expenditure levels and ensure accountability. “Accountability needs to be fixed,” officials quoted him as saying.
District collectors have been directed to review centrally sponsored schemes on the 7th of every month and report progress to the state government. The forest and environment and revenue departments will hold their review meetings on the 12th of each month.
The measures come as part of a broader push to enhance governance, curb absenteeism, and speed up project implementation.