Khordha Officials Take Integrity Pledge During Vigilance Awareness Week ;CM , Mohan Charan Majhi leads statewide initiative to promote transparency, accountability and ethical conduct in public administration

Dillip Kumar Pattnaik

KHORDHA, OCTOBER 27: In a renewed push for transparent and accountable governance, Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi on Tuesday administered an integrity pledge to government officers and employees across the state as part of Vigilance Awareness Week, urging public servants to uphold honesty, impartiality and ethical standards in the discharge of their official duties.

The pledge-taking ceremony was held at Lok Seva Bhavan, the state secretariat, with officers and employees from various government departments participating simultaneously through the Odisha State Wide Area Network (OSWAN) platform.
The initiative aimed at reinforcing the government’s commitment to combating corruption and fostering a culture of integrity in public administration. It highlighted the need for transparency in official transactions, accountability in decision-making and fairness in the delivery of public services.

As part of the statewide observance, the Khordha district administration organised a similar ceremony at the District Collector’s office, where officers and employees from various departments reaffirmed their commitment to maintaining integrity and professionalism in public service.
The programme was jointly presided over by Additional District Magistrate (General) Pratap Chandra Beura and Additional District Magistrate (Revenue) Safalya Mandita Pradhan.

Addressing the broader concerns underlying the observance, the programme emphasised the importance of ensuring that administrative decisions remain free from favouritism, undue influence and irregularities. Government personnel were reminded of their responsibility to discharge their duties with sincerity, impartiality and a firm commitment to public welfare.
Among those present at the Khordha ceremony were Additional Superintendent of Police Anadi Charan Sethi; Additional District Education Officers Dr Pragya Paramita Jena and Rashmibala Swain; Deputy Collectors Arttatrana Soumya Sagarika Swain and Sara Mallik; and Assistant Collectors Bhubaneswari Kanhar and Ipsita Sahu. Several other officers and employees of the district administration also participated in the programme.
Vigilance Awareness Week is observed to raise awareness about the harmful consequences of corruption and the importance of ethical conduct in public institutions. The observance seeks to encourage vigilance, strengthen institutional accountability and promote transparency in the functioning of government departments.
Corruption remains a major challenge to effective public administration, affecting service delivery and undermining citizens’ confidence in government institutions. Ensuring clean governance requires not only effective vigilance and enforcement mechanisms but also a sustained commitment by public servants to ethical conduct and responsible decision-making.
The need for integrity assumes particular significance in the implementation of government schemes and welfare programmes, where transparency and accountability are essential to ensure that benefits reach eligible beneficiaries without discrimination or undue interference.
The pledge-taking ceremony in Khordha formed part of the broader statewide effort to strengthen ethical values in public service and reinforce the principle that government institutions must function in the larger interests of citizens.
The observance reiterated the importance of collective responsibility among public servants and administrative institutions in preventing corruption, protecting public interest and building a responsive, transparent and citizen-centric system of governance.