Elected MLAs can now hold office of profit in Odisha

The elected MLAs in Odisha can now hold offices of profit without losing their membership in the State Legislative Assembly.
A proposal for amendment of the Odisha Officers of Profit (removal of disqualification), Act, 1961 was passed at the cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik.
The MLAs can now become heads of state and district planning boards, as well as the Western Odisha Development Council (WODC), Chief Secretary A P Padhi said today.
Though earlier only ministers could hold such a position, an amendment in the Act could also accomodate the MLAs. An ordinance to this effect will be notified soon, Padhi said.

As per the existing act, if an MLA is chosen as a chairperson of the statutary body and if it is proposed to provide any remuneration other than compensatory allowance, automeaically Article 91 of the Constitution comes to play for his disqualification as a member of the assembly and in effect the process to the decision making for development will retard, Padhi said.
"Therefore, it is felt necessary and considered expedient to amend the Odisha Office of Profit (Removal of Disqualification) Act, 1961 suitably to remove such difficulty," the chief secretary said.

In another approval, the Cabinet passed a proposal to take over seven police high schools by the state government at a cost of Rs 10.32 lakhs annually in Balasore, Angul, Baripada, Keonjhar, Cuttack, Puri and Rourkela.

Proposed amendment in Transport department clerical staff appointment rules has also received the cabinet approval.
The cabinet has also approved the proposal to appoint supervisors of Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) through the staff selection commission by giving a nod to Odisha Child and Women Welfare rule amendment.