The Mohan Majhi government of Odisha has instructed department secretaries to visit at least one Gram Panchayat to evaluate the reach of welfare schemes and infrastructure development. Officers must also spend a night at the sub-divisional level and have a meal (on a paid basis) at ST/SC hostels, mid-day meal (MDM) programs, Aahar Kendras, or orphanages to assess food quality and living conditions.
In a letter, Development Commissioner Anu Garg urged officers to interact with students, patients in health centers, Anganwadi beneficiaries, and tribal girls in hostels to gather feedback. The directive comes amid concerns over MDM quality, as nutritionists push for an increase in per-child spending from the government’s recent hike of ₹5.90 (primary) and ₹8.82 (upper primary) to ₹20 per child as per PM-POSHAN guidelines.
Officials must also review DMF and Odisha Mineral Bearing Area Development Corporation fund utilization in key districts and submit reports to the Chief Secretary. However, the Congress criticized the initiative, questioning its effectiveness and calling for greater accountability and transparency in governance improvements.
