Corruption cases registered against 27 in Odisha

Corruption cases have been registered against 27 government officials and people's representatives of Odisha on the charge of demanding percentage commission (PC) from people, the assembly was informed on Tuesday.

Of the 27, 24 are government officials and three are peoples' representatives at the gram panchayat level, Panchayti Raj and Drinking Water Minister Pratrap Jena said in reply to a question of Congress member Taraprasad Bahinipati.

The minister said while highest nine persons have been booked in corruption cases in Dhenkanal district, six such incidents have taken place in Balasore district.

Jena said such cases have also been reported from the districts of Dhenkanal, Gajapati, Sundergarh, Puri, Balasore, Kandhamal, Nabarangpur, Deogarh and Angul.

The opposition BJP and Congress, however, alleged that the government does not move without payment of PC.

"There is rampant corruption in all levels of administration - from panchayat to secretariat," alleged Bahinipati outside the House.

Leader of Opposition Pradipta Kumar Naik of the BJP also raised the same allegation.