Suparjya swain 
Bhubaneswar: The Odisha government has appointed retired IAS officer Manoj Kumar Parida as the new Chief Information Commissioner (CIC) of the Odisha Right to Information (RTI) Commission. Parida, a 1986-batch officer of the AGMUT cadre, succeeds Jalada Kumar Tripathy, a retired 1985-batch IPS officer and former top official in Tamil Nadu.
Parida brings a wealth of administrative experience to his new role. Prior to this appointment, he served as the Insurance Ombudsman in Bhubaneswar since July 2022. His distinguished career includes positions such as Chief Secretary of Puducherry and Adviser to the Chandigarh Administrator, reflecting his adeptness in governance and public administration.
In addition to Parida’s appointment, the Odisha government has named three other officials to the State Information Commission:
-
Pranabindu Acharya: A retired IPS officer, Acharya has been appointed as an Information Commissioner.
-
Kalpana Pattnaik: An advocate of the Orissa High Court, Pattnaik brings her legal expertise to the commission.
-
Pabitra Mandal: A retired IAS officer, Mandal’s administrative experience is expected to contribute significantly to the commission’s functions.
These appointments aim to enhance the commission’s capacity to promote transparency and accountability within the state’s governance framework.
Established on March 2, 2006, under the Right to Information Act, 2005, the Odisha Information Commission is tasked with hearing appeals related to information requests from government entities, investigating complaints concerning the denial of information, and monitoring departmental reports on RTI-related issues to ensure compliance. The commission’s headquarters are located in Bhubaneswar.
With this new leadership, the Odisha Information Commission is poised to reinforce its commitment to upholding the principles of the Right to Information Act, thereby fostering a more transparent and accountable government.
