‘Don’t raise queries on petty issues as these cause delay’

BJP GOVT, WHICH WILL COMPLETE 4 YRS IN OCT, SENDS COMMUNIQUÉ TO ITS BUREAUCRATS; GOVT JITTERY DUE TO DELAY IN DELIVERY OF DIFFERENT PROJECTS, PROMISES

CHANDIGARH : The Manohar Lal Khattar-led BJP government, which will complete four years in office in October, has now identified its bureaucrats’ penchant for raising questions in the files on simple issues as the reason that delays decision-making.

It was during a review meeting that the government found the officers were raising “too many queries” even in the intradepartmental cases, causing inordinate delay in settling the matter, government sources say.

As the government is already in a poll mode and in a tearing hurry to complete the developmental projects and fulfil the poll-promises, the chief secretary’s office has directed administrative secretaries, heads of the departments, and commissioners of all divisions about the dos and don’ts.

The August 20 communiqué points out the government having noticed that disposal of certain files is unduly delayed on account of queries relating to simple issues. While in some cases the queries are raised on intra-departmental issues, whereas in other cases they are inter-departmental.

“The matter has been considered by the government. Accordingly, it has been decided that in order to avoid such delays such matters shall be resolved either through discussion on telephone or through a meeting,” says the government order to its officers.

However, the government has stated that “only in cases” where the volume of information required is large or where major policy matters are involved, “queries in writing should be raised.”

The cases which are purely of administrative nature, the government has reiterated, will be disposed of at the level of administrative secretaries to avoid unnecessary delay on account of shuffling of the file.

The communiqué asks the bureaucrats to “ensure full compliance of these instructions in letter and spirit.”

The state government is jittery due to delay in delivery of different projects and promises announced by the chief minister.