Bhubaneswar: The state government has once again asked its officers not to talk to the media without taking prior permission of the government.
It has issued a circular to this effect asking all secretaries, RDCs, department heads and District Collectors to ensure that the message goes down the line.
General Administration (GA) secretary Sanjeev Chopra has issued the letter to all government officers. Earlier, in June 2017, the GA department had issued a similar circular to the officers.
“It has come to the notice of the government that despite specific regulatory provisions in the Odisha Government Servants’ Conduct Rules, 1959 and instructions there under, some government servants on occasions have been making statements in print, electronic & social media without adherence to the Rule in place, which is a violation of the code of conduct for government servants,” Chopra said in his letter.
According to the Rules, the government servants cannot indulge in any kind of communication or publication to the effect that bears criticism to the government and compromises the relation between the State & Central government or any foreign state for that matter, unless specifically authorised.
He instructed all the government servants to comply with the instructions in this regard and also maintain due restraint in writing, releasing contents, statements to print & electronic media, participate in the public meetings, discussions on themes and issues when they intact with media in their official capacity.
“The deviation of the Conduct Rules by government servants may be reviewed from time to time followed by appropriate disciplinary action to deter deliberate misconduct,” he warned.
The government has reminded the babus about the code of conduct floated for them as a few senior bureaucrats have been publishing articles and issuing comments in the media contravening the provisions of the government. Sometimes, the officials are giving bytes to the televisions only to build their image.
