Bhubaneswar: Emphasizing on an initiative to ensure zero tolerance against corruption, Odisha Government today took stringent action against nine more tainted officials in different departments.

While authorities fired three corrupt officials from services, the pensions of six more officials have come to a stop permanently for inefficiency and corrupt practices, a release from Chief Minister's Office (CMO) stated today.

The government dismissed former Assistant Agriculture Officer of Nabarangpur district Gokul Chandra Nayak for corruption and inefficiency after he was convicted in a vigilance case.

Similarly, action was taken against former Junior Engineer of RWSS, Sohela, Bargarh district, Upendra Bhanja Nayak by terminating him from service for failing to maintain honesty and dereliction in duty.

Former Auditor of Sundargarh District Local Fund Audit Department Sushil Kumar Meher, who was convicted in a corruption case, has been sacked from his service.

Besides, the government has stopped the pension of former executive officer of RWSS Division-II Shivram Biswal, who has been accused in a graft case.

Similarly, the pensions and gratuities of former Karlamunda BDO in Kalahandi district Gandaram Khamari, former Assistant Agriculture Officer of G Uadayagiri Krushna Chandra Gouda, former Soil Conservation Officer of Malkangiri district Dasarathi Tripathy, former Social Education Officer of Udala in Mayurbhanj district Anand Chandra Nayak and former DMSN Superintendent of Chandpur in Nayagarh district have been stopped permanently after these tainted officials were convicted in different corruption cases.

With this, total 197 officials have been given forced retirement so far, preventing them to get pension benefits for their involvement in corrupt practices during their service periods in Odisha Government.