The Odisha government has ordered automatic deductions from the salaries of its employees who fail to comply with court-mandated alimony and maintenance payments to their estranged wives and children.
The directive, issued on Sunday, applies specifically to government employees and is aimed at ensuring that beneficiaries receive financial support without prolonged delays. The move was ordered by Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi following repeated complaints from women who said they had been denied maintenance despite clear judicial directions.
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According to a statement from the Chief Minister’s Office (CMO), employees who default on court-ordered payments will now have the specified amount deducted directly from their monthly salaries. The deducted money will subsequently be transferred electronically to the bank accounts of the concerned estranged wives or children.
“Chief minister Mohan Charan Majhi has ordered strict enforcement of court-mandated alimony and maintenance payments by government employees,” the CMO said.
The decision follows complaints raised during the chief minister’s grievance hearings. Officials said that two to three complaints involving non-payment of maintenance or alimony are received on average during such hearings.
The government said several male employees had allegedly failed to provide maintenance grants or alimony even after divorce, despite explicit court orders requiring them to do so. Such defaults, the CMO noted, had left women and children without financial assistance despite judicial directions.
The chief minister has taken a firm view of such cases, with the government stressing that employees drawing salaries from the state exchequer are expected to comply with court orders and fulfil their legal obligations towards their families.
Majhi also highlighted the moral aspect of the issue, saying government employees should not ignore their responsibilities towards their spouses and children while continuing to receive salaries from the state government.
Under the detailed guidelines issued following the order, once the concerned department receives a court directive, the departmental Drawing and Disbursing Officer (DDO) will deduct the specified amount from the employee’s salary bill.
The amount will then be transferred electronically to the designated beneficiaries, providing a direct mechanism for implementing court-ordered maintenance payments.
The government has also directed that such cases be incorporated into the state’s centralised Human Resource Management System (HRMS). The integration is intended to facilitate automated compliance and reduce the possibility of delays in implementing judicial orders.
Officials said the new mechanism would also help authorities identify government employees who fail to meet maintenance obligations based on complaints submitted by affected women.
The Odisha government’s action is therefore designed to shift the enforcement of maintenance orders from repeated complaints and follow-ups towards a more direct salary-based system. By linking court directives with the state’s HRMS and salary administration process, authorities aim to ensure that financial support reaches eligible beneficiaries on time.
The government said the measure reflects its intention to ensure compliance with judicial orders and provide greater financial security to women and children affected by maintenance defaults.
