Government Action / Poor Progress In Rural Schemes: Cuttack Admin Takes Action, Withheld Salaries

Cuttack, Oct 23: In a decisive move, Cuttack District Collector Dattatraya Bhausaheb Shinde has issued stern directives to block-level officials following unsatisfactory progress in flagship schemes like MGNREGS and Rural Housing.

In an official letter (No. 5326 dated 16/10/2025), the Collector instructed the Block Development Officer (BDO) of Salepur to withheld the salaries of Assistant Engineers (AE), Junior Engineers (JE), PEOs, and ADEOs until visible improvement is made in the execution of these schemes.

The directive states that salaries will remain withheld until satisfactory progress is achieved.

The action was taken following a review meeting chaired by the Collector on October 22, 2025 (Letter No. 4899), where poor performance was noted in Salepur, Mahanga, Nischintakoili, Athagarh, Narasinghpur, Banki, and Tangi-Choudwar blocks under MGNREGS, Rural Housing (RH), and BGBO schemes.

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As a result, the Collector ordered the suspension of salaries for Accountants and Computer DEOs in these seven blocks for the months of October, November, and December. The suspension will remain in effect until further instructions are issued by the District Collector.

The move underscores the administration’s push for accountability and timely implementation of rural development programs.