By Bizodisha Bureau, Bhubaneswar, August 30, 2026: Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi has directed officials to deduct court-ordered maintenance from the salaries of state government employees if they default on payments, and transfer the money directly to the bank accounts of their divorced wives. The order will also apply in cases involving children, according to an official statement.

The move comes after the Chief Minister’s Office said several male state government employees were not paying monthly maintenance to their divorced wives or children despite court orders. The CMO said two to three such cases, on average, reach the chief minister’s grievance cell during each hearing.

Taking serious note of the matter, Majhi ordered that the maintenance amount be deducted from the salaries of the employees concerned. “Being a state government employee, contempt of court and mistreatment of divorced women and children is completely unacceptable,” he said.

The state government has issued directives for release of the maintenance amount to the women and children concerned. After receiving a court order for alimony payment, the divisional drawing and disbursement officer will prepare the employee’s monthly salary bill, deduct the amount fixed by the court and deposit it directly into the bank accounts of the divorced woman or child through electronic means, the CMO said.

Majhi has also asked for further improvement of the state’s Human Resource Management System by integrating court-ordered maintenance matters. The CMO said this would help ensure compliance with court orders and provide relief to the women and children concerned.