Jagatsinghpur, March 11: The district administration has taken strict action against 69 nodal officers posted at paddy procurement centres (mandis) for remaining absent from duty. Acting on complaints of irregular attendance, the Jagatsinghpur Collector has ordered the withholding of their salaries for the month of March.

According to official sources, several nodal officers assigned to supervise paddy procurement centres were found absent from their posts without prior approval. Taking serious note of the negligence, the Collector directed that their salaries be stopped until further orders.

This year, officials including Panchayat Executive Officers, Revenue Inspectors and Village Agricultural Workers (VAWs) were appointed as nodal officers to oversee the functioning of mandis across the district.

The affected officers are posted in various blocks, including Biridi, Kujang, Tirtol, Raghunathpur, Naugaon, Jagatsinghpur, Erasama and Balikuda. The administration has also issued show-cause notices to the officers, asking them to submit their explanations within three days.