Bhubaneswar: A state-level secretarial meeting was held today at the conference hall of Kharavel Bhavan under the chairmanship of Chief Secretary Smt. Anu Garg. The meeting was attended by Development Commissioner and Additional Chief Secretary Shri Deo Ranjan Kumar Singh, along with Additional Chief Secretaries Shri Surendra Kumar Shri Hemant Sharma and Dr.Arabinda Kumar Padhee.
Other participants included the Principal Secretary to the Chief Minister, Shri Saswat Mishra, Principal Secretaries, Shri Vishal Dev, Shrimati Usha Pahdee, Shri Sanjeeb Kumar Mishra, Shri Sanjay Kumar Singh and other Secretaries
The Chief Secretary reviewed several critical administrative priorities and provided necessary directives to the attending secretaries. A primary focus was placed on the monthly field visits of secretaries to various districts. Smt. Garg emphasized that during these visits, officials must specifically monitor the progress of ongoing drinking water projects. If projects are facing delays, secretaries are instructed to identify the underlying causes and provide immediate solutions to ensure timely completion for the benefit of rural residents.
The forum also evaluated the implementation of the 15-point agenda directed by the Chief Minister. Furthermore, a detailed review of the state’s financial performance for the year 2025-26 was conducted. The analysis revealed that overall departmental expenditure has increased by 10 percent compared to the previous year, with program-specific spending rising by 15 percent. Revenue collection across various sources has also shown a growth of 7.82 percent over the previous fiscal period.
In line with budgetary goals, the Chief Secretary instructed departments to achieve their revenue collection targets and complete works according to the approved schedule. Instructions were also issued to review the utilization of central grant funds and to prepare innovative proposals for the upcoming budget. Additionally, the Law Department presented a proposal for secretaries to review and recommend the withdrawal of obsolete laws that are no longer necessary in the current administrative context.
Regarding ongoing coordination, it was noted that virtual meetings with District Collectors to discuss developmental projects will typically occur on the 16th of every month. However, due to scheduled government engagements, the meeting for January will be held on January 22. It was also highlighted that the State Level Single Window Clearance Authority and meetings regarding the progress of signed MoUs will be held on the third Tuesday of every month