Dikhyaa Mohanty 
Manoj Ahuja, the chief secretary of Odisha, has ordered that government representatives have practical field experience in order to enhance project execution and expedite decision-making. According to an official press release, Ahuja stressed that exposure to ground realities improves the efficiency and speed of government decision-making in a letter to all Additional Chief Secretaries, Principal Secretaries, Commissioner-cum-Secretaries, Revenue Divisional Commissioners (RDCs), and Collectors.
The Chief Secretary highlighted that officials handling administrative tasks in offices must understand the practical challenges faced by field functionaries and citizens during scheme implementation. To align policies with on-the-ground needs, Ahuja instructed all departments to create a schedule for officials, starting from Assistant Section Officers and Section Officers, to undertake rotational field visits. This mandate applies to personnel who typically do not conduct field tours.
During these visits, officials are to shadow grassroots field workers for a full day, closely observing the execution of department-specific schemes and programs. For instance, Women and Child Development (W&CD) Department officials may spend a day at an Anganwadi Centre, tracking the activities of an Anganwadi Worker. Similarly, Health and Family Welfare Department officials should observe the work of Accredited Social Health Activists (ASHAs) under the National Rural Health Mission (NRHM). Ahuja also encouraged officials to make overnight stays at the visited locations to deepen their understanding.
Officials are expected to spend the entire day observing the implementation of department-specific plans and initiatives by following grassroots field workers. For example, authorities from the Women and Child Development (W&CD) Department could visit an Anganwadi Center for a day in order to monitor the work of an Anganwadi worker. The activity of Accredited Social Health Activists (ASHAs) under the National Rural Health Mission (NRHM) should also be observed by representatives of the Health and Family Welfare Department. In order to enhance their comprehension, Ahuja also urged officials to spend the night at the sites they visited.
