Bangalore: Govt to pull up babus failing to clear 50 percent of pending files

From Our Special Correspondent
Daijiworld Media Network - Bangalore

Bangalore, Dec 19: Seeking to tone up the administration and streamline the functioning of all departments, the State Cabinet has decided to crack the whip on Secretaries of the Government Departments if they fail to clear at least 50 per cent of the pending files.
 
Briefing reporters after the cabinet meeting chaired by chief minister Siddaramaiah, law and parliamentary affairs minister T B Jayachandra did not indicate the time frame for clearing the pending files.
 
But, he said the matter will be taken up the chief secretary Kaushik Mukherjee and he will inform the chief minister about the situation.

The Government was aware of the pendency of files in various departments and pointed out that the issue was of serious concern, he said.

2.62 lakh Pending Files in the Secretariat

He said a total number of pending files in the State Secretariat was 2.62 lakh.

Total number of closed files was 1.25 lakh.

The number of files pending for more than a year was 1.22 lakh.

It was found that Secretaries clear only one file a week on an average.

Jayachandra said if a Minister asks for one file, it will take at least a week to reach him as it has to pass through five to six officers and this affects the efficiency of the government.

The file-clearance percentage in different department is as follows: Animal Husbandry - 45, Commerce and Industry – 49.08, Energy – 39.77, Primary and Secondary Education – 49, Finance – 36.2, Youth Services – 40.5, Medical Education – 32.76, PWD – 44.15, Revenue – 46.68,  Urban Development – 45.23, Infrastructure – 40.19, Forest – 31.31.

Jayachandra said the state cabinet decided to simplify governance by ensuring timely delivery of services and would take all steps to steamline the bureaucracy.

CS to issue Show Cause Notices to Lax Babus

The minister said the State Cabinet decided to issue show cause notices to all those secretaries who have failed to clear 50 per cent of pending files on a regular basis.

Answering questions from reporters, Jayachandra said the Ministers were also held responsible for any delay in clearance of files in their respective departments.

To a question on the vacancies, the minister said Chief Secretary Kaushik Mukherjee has been directed to submit a report on number of vacancies in various departments.