Ashok Chavan takes the Maha move to rank his departments' performance

THE Central government’s performance management division under the Cabinet Secretariat may not yet formally declare which departments or ministries met with 100 percent target in the first ever holistic evaluation system undertaken for three months beginning January 1, 2010, it’s now the turn of Ashok Chavan-led Maharashtra government to monitor the performance of each department in the state. In fact, Maharashtra is considered to be one of the better performing states, and many other state governments look forward to it for improving administration.

Chief minister Ashok Chavan on Thursday launched the Performance Monitoring and Evaluation System (PMS) to track performance of each department and make it more efficient. In fact, model is similar to what has been introduced by Dr Prajapati Trivedi’s team in the cabinet secretariat of the Centre as here too, each department would first set target and then try to achieve those. A special Delivery Monitoring Unit has been set up under the chief minister’s office for this purpose.

Hota committee on vigilance proceedings

A committee of experts under the chairmanship of former UPSC chairman PC Hota has been constituted to examine and suggest measures to expedite the process involved in disciplinary and vigilance proceedings. Former personnel secretary Arvind Verma and former Central Vigilance Commissioner P Shankar would serve as members of the committee.

Action and Appointments

a) The ACC has approved the appointment of Anil Kumar, a 1976 batch Nagaland cadre IAS and presently special secretary in the ministry of power as principal adviser in Planning Commission in the rank and pay of a secretary.

b) The ACC has approved extension of inter-cadre deputation of Sukhbir Singh, a 1988 batch Uttarakhand cadre IAS from Uttarakhand cadre to Punjab cadre by two months beyond July 2010.

c) The ACC has approved the proposal for premature repatriation of Amarendra Khatua, a 1981 batch IFS and joint secretary in the ministry of commerce, to his parent cadre.

d) Ms Gauri Kumar, a 1979 batch Gujarat cadre IAS, presently in the cadre has been appointed as additional secretary and financial adviser in the ministry of environment and forests against the newly created post.

e) The competent authority has approved that Ms Rita Sinha, a 1973 batch UP cadre IAS and secretary in the department of land resources will hold the additional charge of the post of secretary of department of drinking water supply under the ministry of rural development during the absence of leave of Ms Rajwant Sandhu, a 1975 batch HP cadre IAS from May 8, 2010 to May 23, 2010.

f) TV Somanathan, a 1987 batch Tamil Nadu cadre IAS has been appointed as joint secretary in the ministry of corporate affairs.