June 7th 2024.
In Bhubaneswar, the news of Sujata R Karthikeyan, a Special Secretary in the Finance Department of the Government of Odisha, being granted a six-month childcare leave has been making headlines. This announcement was officially made on Friday through an office order issued by the General Administration and Public Grievance Department.
The leave, which will be effective from May 31, 2024 to November 26, 2024, has been granted to Sujata so she can take care of her minor daughter who will be appearing for her Class-X examinations. As per the order, Sujata's leave will not be counted against her accumulated leave and she will also continue to receive her regular salary during this period.
Sujata is the wife of VK Pandian, a former bureaucrat who has now ventured into politics. During the recently concluded General Elections, Pandian was a prominent figure in the Biju Janata Dal party, often being referred to as the second-in-command after the then-Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik.
It is worth mentioning that Sujata's name was previously brought up by the BJP who accused her of using the Mission Shakti women to influence the election results. This led to the Election Commission taking action and transferring her to the Finance Department. Despite this controversy, Sujata's leave has been approved and she will now be able to dedicate her time and attention to her daughter's academic pursuits.
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