2 days ago
Odisha Spends Rs 3.31 Crore On CM Quarters
The Odisha government spent more than Rs 3.31 crore on two official homes used by Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi.
The work included repairs, renovations and construction.
One home received about Rs 2.32 crore in work, while the other received about Rs 98.57 lakh.
The spending happened during 2024-25 and 2025-26.
An activist asked to see the official approvals for this work.
The government refused to provide those details.
It said the Chief Minister has Z+ security and that building details could create safety risks.
The activist said the government had not clearly explained why the information was covered by the RTI exemption.
The Odisha government spent over Rs 3.31 crore on two official quarters of Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi in Bhubaneswar.
Rs 2,32,52,855 was spent at Quarter VIIDS-1 in Unit-V, and Rs 98,56,883 at Quarter B-1 in Unit-II.
The spending covered repair, renovation and construction works during 2024-25 and 2025-26.
The government declined to disclose administrative and technical approvals, citing Majhi’s Z+ security protection.
RTI activist Pradip Kumar Pradhan challenged the exemption, saying the authorities had not adequately justified withholding the information.
- Who
- The Odisha government, Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi and RTI activist Pradip Kumar Pradhan.
- What
- The government spent over Rs 3.31 crore on two official quarters and withheld related administrative and technical approvals.
- Where
- Two government quarters in Bhubaneswar: VIIDS-1 in Unit-V and B-1 in Unit-II.
- When
- During 2024-25 and 2025-26.
- Why
- The government cited the Chief Minister’s Z+ security protection and potential risks to the security of the premises and public safety.
Government’s Security Rationale
Activist’s Transparency Challenge
Disclosure of approvals
Government’s Security Rationale
The government said administrative and technical approvals could contain engineering, architectural and structural details whose disclosure could affect the security of the protected premises and public safety.
Activist’s Transparency Challenge
Pradip Kumar Pradhan said the authorities had not adequately explained how the requested information qualified for exemption under Section 8(1)(a) of the RTI Act.
Nature of the information
Government’s Security Rationale
The department treated information related to the Chief Minister’s residence as protected because it forms part of the overall security architecture.
Activist’s Transparency Challenge
Pradhan questioned how approvals for repairs and renovations could be withheld on security grounds and said doing so undermined the spirit of transparency law.
Key facts
- Total spending
- Over Rs 3.31 crore
- Quarter VIIDS-1
- Rs 2,32,52,855 spent in Unit-V
- Quarter B-1
- Rs 98,56,883 spent in Unit-II
- Work covered
- Repair, renovation and construction
- Spending period
- 2024-25 and 2025-26
- Government’s reason for withholding approvals
- Security concerns related to the Chief Minister’s Z+ protection
- RTI applicant
- Pradip Kumar Pradhan
Sources
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