Khattar’s secretaries suggest a series of reforms

AMONG VARIOUS SUGGESTIONS, SECRETARIES ADVISED SETTING UP OF A STATE CORPORATION FOR CONTROLLING WHOLESALE AND RETAIL SALE OF LIQUOR FOR MAXIMISATION OF REVENUE

CHANDIGARH : Revamp of the administrative set up, timely filing of vacancies, securing recruitments against manipulation and creation of multi-skilled project teams are some of the reforms suggested by the administrative secretaries in response to a communication from Haryana chief minister Manohar Lal Khattar.

Ahead of the three-day Chintan Shivir, the chief minister had sought to know how the officers can contribute more, whether in policy making or its implementation, to hasten the reform process and to make it more effective.

“This is the key question for all of us to think about. I hope you will begin pondering on this even before we meet (at the Chintan Shivir),’’ Khattar wrote.

He had also asked the officers to make a list of reforms that have been carried out in their departments and envisage new reforms. “Finally, you can separately write about your vision in areas of your personal interest even if these are not the mandate of the department you are currently posted in,’’ he wrote.

DO AWAY WITH CLERKS, ASSISTANTS

The CM was suggested to explore the possibility of easing out the prevailing administrative set up having a traditional structure of clerks, assistants and superintendents, and replace it with a new model based on skill mapping.

IMPROVING HUMAN RESOURCE INTAKE

Bringing improvement in recruitment to improve governance indices was another reform suggested to the chief minister. “There is a big backlog of vacancies in the forest department and engineering departments. This has led to poor governance and affected implementation of developmental activities,’’ the compilation read.

STATE CORPORATION FOR LIQUOR SALE

Setting up of a state corporation for controlling wholesale and retail sale of liquor for maximisation of revenue, introduction of information technology to track the movement of liquor from distillery to the consumer, e-billing in all authorised liquor vends, a separate directorate of excise to help plugging of revenue leakage were some of the measures suggested to the chief minister.

CUT DOWN LITIGATION

The suggestions, some of which have been made public, speak about cutting down litigation particularly in the education, town and country planning, home and health departments. “This (cutting down litigation) requires serious thinking and very bold initiative,’’ the compilation added.

PANEL TO MANAGE EXPENDITURE

The officers also proposed setting up of an expenditure management commission to undertake review of all departments, public sector undertakings, boards and corporations. Besides, introduction of a paperless office system has also been suggested.

E-PROCUREMENT OF FOODGRAINS

The suggestions include introducing e-procurement of foodgrains, cashless transactions at fair price shops, constructing an e-governance index reflecting performance of various departments in delivery of e-governance services in a time bound manner.