11 Commandments: Chief Secy scripts CM’s word

MUMBAI, FEB 18: State Chief Secretary P Subramaniam has taken Chief Minister Narayan Rane's obsession with better and speedy governance...

MUMBAI, FEB 18: State Chief Secretary P Subramaniam has taken Chief Minister Narayan Rane’s obsession with “better and speedy governance” very seriously, and has accordingly issued 11 commandments to Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officers in Maharashtra. Subramaniam expects the IAS officers, especially secretaries in Mantralaya, to pull up their socks.

A two-page letter Subramaniam sent to IAS officers on February 11 refers to the review meeting Rane had with bureaucrats on February 4. “The CM spoke about his expectations from the administration. However, the secretaries have not issued directives to officials working under them so as to improve the performance,” the letter reads.

The commandments are more specific:

Officers and employees must observe discipline and be punctual. Employees should not wander during office hours and their movements should be controlled.

Officers at different levels must carry out responsibilities impartially and within the stipulated deadline. nVarious decisions taken by the government are implemented only on paper. It is not known if the citizens are benefitted or not. The secretaries must review implementation of decisions from time to time.

Secretaries do not have enough control over departmental officers. There is lack of coordination between the secretaries and the officers as well. The secretaries must initiate special measures to improve this.

The officers must have a positive attitude to all proposals. They should avoid incidents which might invoke public ire and send wrong signals about the government.

The officers, in all cases, must act in limits of prevailing rules and laws. They should not go out of the way and show unnecessary sympathy to anyone in any case.

Any information sought by a minister must be furnished forthwith.

All decisions taken by the Cabinet must be implemented without any delay.

The officers must show courtesy while dealing with citizens and people’s representatives.

The officers must be sensitive towards problems faced by the public. They must reserve a day every week to listen to public grievances.

To control unnecessary expenditure on administration, the secretaries must go on a tour only when extremely necessary. Subramaniam also gives secretaries a tip, “Departmental secretaries are a responsible and inseparable part of the government. The CM has aired his expectations about the bureaucracy. Now we must improve our performance, take strict action against erring officials and project a speedy, sensitive and transparent government.”

Regional officers too, should be summoned to Mantralaya on few occasions.On failure, stringent action must be taken against guilty officers.