Uttar Pradesh: Yogi Government Penalises 28 Officials For Negligence & Irregularities

In a significant move against corruption and inefficiency, the Yogi Adityanath government has initiated disciplinary action against 28 officials from the Consolidation Department. 

These actions come as part of the government's ongoing efforts to enforce accountability and uphold its zero-tolerance policy towards corruption.

The crackdown affects officers across eight divisions, with penalties ranging from suspensions to show-cause notices. Thirteen Settlement Officers are among those facing disciplinary measures. In one instance, a Deputy Director of Consolidation has been removed from his position, and another has been directed to explain his failure to meet supervisory duties.

A Consolidation Officer is also under scrutiny, with his salary withheld pending further investigation. Additionally, three Assistant Consolidation Officers have been subjected to disciplinary actions. A retired Assistant Consolidation Officer is facing a proposed 20% reduction in pension due to service-related irregularities.

Consolidation Commissioner G.S. Naveen stated that regular review meetings, spearheaded by Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, have identified significant negligence and corruption within the department. "The findings, reported to the Chief Minister, prompted swift and stringent actions against the implicated officers," he told FPJ.

The actions span several divisions, including Prayagraj, Varanasi, Mirzapur, Azamgarh, Gorakhpur, Basti, Ayodhya, and Devipatan. Notably, Settlement Officers from Bareilly, Hardoi, Lalitpur, Unnao, Chitrakoot, and Jaunpur—identified as Pawan Kumar Singh, Shriprakash Chandra Uttam, Rakesh Kumar, Suresh Kumar Sagar, Manohar Lal, and Swatantra Veer Singh Yadav—have been summoned to explain their lack of progress in consolidation tasks.

Deputy Director Consolidation and Chief Revenue Officer Rakesh Kumar Gupta of Pratapgarh has been asked to justify his failure to fulfill his supervisory duties. A recommendation has been made to remove Gorakhpur's Deputy Director of Consolidation, Raj Narayan Tripathi, for failing to provide necessary progress updates. A proposal has also been submitted to reduce the pension of retired Assistant Consolidation Officer Ramesh Pal Singh Rana by 20% due to service irregularities.

Significant disciplinary actions have been taken against several other officers. Settlement Officer Santosh Kumar of Kushinagar has been suspended for work negligence, with a recommendation for further departmental action. Pawan Kumar Sidhu, Settlement Officer of Varanasi, faces action for failing to complete consolidation work in village Ajgara as required by Section-52 and for not releasing the transferred Consolidation Lekhpals. His salary has been withheld as part of the disciplinary measures.

Further actions have been taken against Settlement Officers Mohan Lal, Narendra Singh, Shashikant Shukla, and Pawan Pandey, stationed in Shahjahanpur, Mirzapur, Gorakhpur, and Deoria, respectively, for failing to perform their duties diligently.

In Kannauj, Settlement Officer Dharmendra Singh, Consolidation Officer Shiv Narayan Gupta of Barabanki, and Junior Assistant Umashankar of Barabanki are facing disciplinary action for irregularities in their investigations. Assistant Consolidation Officer Mahendra Singh's salary has been withheld for failing to meet targets in village Lalauti, Fatehpur, and he has been asked to provide an explanation. Assistant Consolidation Officer Sandeep Yadav of Balrampur is also facing disciplinary action for not completing work in village Mosque.