The Himachal Pradesh government is set to remove officials flagged for 'Doubtful Integrity' from key positions, signalling a crackdown on corruption and a commitment to ethical governance.
Key Points
- Himachal Pradesh government to remove officials listed as having 'Doubtful Integrity' (ODI) from sensitive positions.
- Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu assures the House that officials on the ODI list with extensions or re-employment will have their services terminated.
- Concerns raised about a Tehsildar allegedly caught accepting a bribe receiving an extension, prompting calls for investigation.
- Ten inquiry committees were formed in the past three years to investigate various matters, with nine reports already submitted.
- Twenty cabinet sub-committees reviewed the implementation of cabinet decisions up to December 31, 2024, with ongoing reviews for decisions made between January and June 2025.
All Himachal government officials listed in the Officers of Doubtful Integrity (ODI) will be removed from sensitive positions, Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu told the House during the Question Hour on Wednesday.
In response to a question from Satpal Singh Satti (BJP), Sukhu stated that while he could not guarantee action, he would take direct steps to remove all officials whose names appeared on the ODI list. He specified that those who had received extensions or re-employment and were also on the ODI list would be removed.
Sukhu further explained that only three officials - Vijay Kumar Rai, Tehsildar in the Revenue Department; Yudhvir Singh Thakur, Officer on Special Duty (OSD) in the Treasuries, Accounts, and Lotteries Department; and Rai Bahadur Singh in the Administrative Reforms Department - had been granted extensions despite being included on the ODI list.
He also noted that the names of two officials, Mahender Lal, Senior Superintendent in the Revenue Department, and Rai Bahadur Singh, had been removed from the ODI list.
When Satti asked for clarification regarding whether the ODI list had been shared with the High Court and if additional names had been added, Sukhu replied that he was unaware of the High Court's request for the ODI list or the total number of officials included.
Sukhu assured the House that "all officials on the ODI list will be removed from key posts, and services of employees in the ODI list who have been given extensions or re-employment will be immediately terminated."
Concerns Raised Over Alleged Corruption
Earlier, Satti raised concerns about a Tehsildar who was allegedly caught accepting a bribe yet received an extension. He mentioned that people were protesting, claiming that an influential person facilitated the Tehsildar's posting.
Satti urged the government to identify these influential figures through the Criminal Investigation Department (CID), warning that otherwise, the deputy chief minister would reveal their names.
Inquiry Committees and Cabinet Sub-Committees
In response to a question from Sudhir Sharma (BJP), the chief minister shared that over the past three years, ten inquiry committees had been formed to investigate various matters, with nine committees already submitting their reports.
Additionally, twenty cabinet sub-committees had been established to review the implementation of cabinet decisions. These committees completed their review of decisions made up to December 31, 2024, while the review of decisions made between January and June 2025 is currently underway.
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