Revamp of Sectt depts for a lean administration

The process of distribution of State cadre posts and employees is almost in finishing stages in the new State of Telangana; 58,000 posts are being allocated between the departments of Telangana and residual Andhra Pradesh States.

In contrast, posts and employees in district, zonal and multi-zonal cadres have not been distributed. As per the AP Reorganisation Act, there is no need for distribution as such posts are deemed to have been allocated to the respective States as per jurisdiction.

However, there is much demand from employees associations and there is also a feeling in the Government of Telangana that much injustice has been done to the people of Telangana in distribution of lower cadre posts by virtue of violation of Presidential Order, non-implementation of GO Ms No 610, diluting the concept of local candidature etc., but the Government of India has not yet concentrated on this issue.

After launching a number of welfare programmes, the Government of Telangana has decided on restructure of departments by grouping posts having similarity of job specifications.

This is to evaluate necessity of posts or departments. It will help better administration in the newly formed State. Special attention should be paid to the mandate and responsibilities of the department as well as to structure that would facilitate operational effectiveness of the department in new State.

There is dire need of regrouping of departments at the Secretariat and Heads of the Departments levels. Previously, the Education Department used to control primary, secondary, intermediate and higher education system under the Head of the Department, Director of Public Instructions.

Later, on it was segregated into School Education and Higher Education departments at the Secretariat level in view of better administration of 23 districts of the erstwhile AP State. The number of Heads of the Departments has increased as a result.

Now the geographical jurisdiction of new State has reduced, and there is need to reconstitute the Heads of the Departments by amalgamation of related departments under the single umbrella department. There are several Agencies, Corporations and State-level Offices which need to be evaluated.

At present, there are 35 Secretariat Departments which can be restricted to have 25 departments. There are 3 Finance Departments which can be merged into single department. Irrigation and Command Area (I.W) department and Irrigation and CAD (Project wing) can be merged to form a single department at the Secretariate.

Likewise, School Education and Higher Education are two different departments which can be merged into a single Department of Education. As per Article 164 of the Constitution, the total number of Ministers, including the Chief Minister, in the Council of Ministers in a State shall not exceed fifteen per cent.

As such, with 117 members of legislative assembly of Telangana State, there can be 17 or 18 Ministers in the Council of Ministers who have to supervise 35 departments now. Bringing down the number will facilitate better supervision and management.

At present, there are more than 322 Heads of the Departments, including agencies, corporations, State-level Offices etc. Agriculture and Cooperation Department consists of 23 Heads of Departments at the Secretariat. Home Department has 24 HoDs.

The number of HoDs is 16 in Health , Medical and Family Welfare Department, 19 each in Revenue Department and Irrigation and Command area Department. Irrigation and CAD(Project Wing) has 30 HoDs.

There is every need to amalgamation of departments under the single Head of the Department which will reduce the administrative expenditure and will improve the efficiency of working in the new State.

The restructuring of departments with regard to necessity of employees to fulfil the scheduled task of the department is another important task. This exercise needs to be adopted for each existing department.

The optimal number of employees needed for a scheduled work should also be assessed likewise. This is right time to undertake the exercise. (The writer is Organising Secretary, Telangana Gazetted Officers’ Central Association)