Suresh Chandra Mahapatra, Chief Secretary interacted with IAS probationers during their visit to Lok Seva Bhawan. The Director General Gopabandhu Academy of Administration (GAA) Ranjana Chopra accompanied the probationers during their visit to Lok Seva Bhawan.
During the interaction, Mr. Mahapatra advised them to learn from innovative interventions in the sectors of livelihood enhancement, development of industrial estates, product-based parks, community-based eco-tourism, empowering the women and enhancing their economic credibility through WSHG movement, auto-tuned disaster management, robust power supply network with private partnership, community-based forest management, conservation and management of urban forests, supply of piped drinking water to HHs, creation of urban facilities like stadiums, gyms, parks, in rural societies, up-gradation of Government health facilities, innovative changes in Government schools, road connectivity etc.
He also advised them to learn from the transformational changes that could be made possible through IT applications, particularly in the fields of mineral excavation and transportation, financial management, public distribution system, demarcation of forest boundaries, creation of developmental data hub through satellite imagery, health service delivery, distribution of different types of scholarships, extension of social security measures, monitoring of afforestation, paddy procurement, monitoring of crop situation in agricultural lands etc. “IT application has also transformed the file movements and quick decision making”, he said.
He further added, “We in Odisha have not commercially exploited Nature’s reserves like forest, scenic beauty and wildlife. We have intervened with techniques of preservative management and livelihood earning through Vana Sanrakshyana Samities (VSS) and local communities. It has been a successful win-win model both for the physical environment and people living in fringe areas of forests”.
Further, Suresh Chandra Mahapatra said, “Odisha’s are peace-loving. They love and honour proactive officers with integrity. They voluntarily participate in innovative works undertaken with the intent of public good under the leadership of able administrative officers”.
The IAS probationers also shared their experiences about their field visits and put their doubts for clarification.
The IAS probationers who were present includes, Dr Rina Pradhan from Odisha, Dheenah Dastageer from Kerala, Kirandeep Kaur Sahota from Punjab, P. Arvind Jajeshirke from Maharashtra, Rahm Khatri from Rajsthan and Dhiman Chakma from Tripura.
