COMMISSIONERS

Shri U. N. Behera, Chairperson,OERC

Shri U. N. Behera was an officer of the Indian Administrative Service of 1983 batch of Odisha cadre. An Engineering Graduate from IIT, Kharagpur, he had 34 years of valuable experience in the IAS.He has spent early seven years in the district administration supervising various development programmes. Subsequently, as Managing Directors of Odisha State Co-operative Milk Producers'Federation (OMFED) and Odisha State Co-operative Oilseed Growers' Federation (Oil Odisha) he had been actively involved in organising farmer co-operatives and promotion of production, processing and marketing of milk, milk products and edible oil. Under his stewardship Odisha State Oilseed Growers'Federation won the best productivity award from the National Productivity Council consecutively for two years, 1991-92 and 1992-93.

He has worked in the industries sector as Managing Directors of IDCO and IPICOL primarily in promotion of industries, financing of small and medium industries and creation of industrial infrastructure. During his tenure as Managing Director the Odisha Industrial Infrastructure Development Corporation (IDCO) obtained ISO-9001 certification (1996) for quality standards and ISO-14001 certification (1998) for environmental standards. He also worked as Chief Executives of Odisha Renewable Energy Development Agency (OREDA) and Odisha Computer Application Centre (OCAC). Mr. Behera played a key role in formation of Odisha State Disaster Management Authority (OSDMA), the first of its kind in the country immediately after the Odisha super cyclone of 1999 and was its first Managing Director.

He worked in Government of India for seven years between 2002 and 2009 in the Ministries of Steel, Science & Technology (Biotechnology) and Urban Development (DDA). During his tenure as Joint Secretary in the Department of Biotechnology, he also held the charge of Managing Director of Bharat Immunologicals & Biologicals Corporation (BIBCOL), a Central PSU. In the State Government, he has worked as Secretary in the departments of Home, Finance, Planning & Co-ordination, General Administration, Forest & Environment, Steel & Mines, Excise and Parliamentary Affairs. He was the State Development Commissioner-cum- Additional Chief Secretary for a year. He spent a year as Additional Chief Secretary to Chief Minister, Odisha before joining the Odisha Electricity Regulatory Commission as its Chairperson on the 16th of January, 2017.

He has travelled widely covering almost all the Indian states and about thirty foreign countries.

Shri Sauri Kant Parhi, Member

• Air Vice Marshal Sauri Kant Parhi retired from Indian Air Force (IAF) on 30th September, 2016 after distinguished service of 36.3 years, in the Administrative branch.He joined OERC as Member on 4th November, 2016. He belongs to Berhampur, Odisha. During his illustrious career in IAF, he served in various capacities in the Air Defence and Administrative branches of IAF. He was awarded commendation by the Chief of Air Force and conferred with Vishist Seva Medal.
• Born on 23rd September, 1958 in Brahmapur (Ganjam) he did MA (English), M.Sc. in Defence and Strategic Studies and PG Diploma in Business & Marketing Management. He has undergone numerous prestigious inter services and Air Force specific courses & training, namely Defensive Service Staff College (Wellington, TN), National Defence College (New Delhi) etc.
• He was a category ‘A’, Master Fighter Controller who commanded two frontline Air Defence Radar Units and Joint Control and Analysis Centre (Delhi). He was the COO of Frontline Air Defence Direction Centre, a Command Examiner & has been involved in evaluation of AD systems, in India & abroad.
• In the field of Administration, he was the Chief Administrative Officer of front line fighter base, commanded the Commando Training Centre of Air Force, been the Provost Marshal (Air) & Assistant Chief of Air Staff (Security, Vigilances & Discipline) at Air HQ and the Senior Officer Administration of HQ Training Command(Bangalore). He tenanted important assignments related to special forces, security and vigilance departments of IAF. The span of his administrative activities included infrastructure development, Accounts, legal, security, vigilance, HR, medical, pensions, welfare etc. He has served in all parts of India and travelled widely within India and abroad.

Shri Gajendra Mohapatra, Member

Born on 26th May, 1960 at village-Kanikapada, Block-Dasarathpur, District: Jajpur. Shri Gajendra Mohapatra enrolled as an Advocate and joined practice at Bhubaneswar Bar. He entered into Odisha Judicial Service and had served as a Judicial Officer at different places such as Baragarh, Aska, Bhubaneswar, Kamakhyanagar and Rourkela. He was Registrar (Judicial) of the Hon’ble High Court of Orissa before his appointment as the Director of Public Prosecutions, Odisha, Bhubaneswar. Later, he served as the Special Judge (Vigilance), Balasore and District and Sessions Judge, Dhenkanal prior to his assignment as the Director (Prosecution Wing) to the Hon’ble Lokayukta, Odisha, Bhubaneswar.

His career as Judicial Officer included commendable work on civil, criminal, sessions and vigilance cases. During his stint as the Director of Prosecution of the Hon’ble Lokayukta, Odisha, he had actively participated in organising awareness programmes in different parts of Odisha to disseminate knowledge about the anti-corruption mechanism. Shri Mohapatra has taken oath as the Member, Odisha Electricity Regulatory Commission, Bhubaneswar on 1st June, 2020.

Former Commissioners