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| An unknown Indian bureaucrat (see the files!) in UNESCO's official site |
private secretaries, principal private secretaries etc. who retired more than five years ago. According to rules, such documents can be destroyed (those are actually shredded and burnt under a supervisory officer) for those officers who retired five years ago. But files of an officer against who a case is pending can’t be destroyed. So, the department can’t weed out an old file unless it gets a certificate from the cadre controlling section that there is no case pending against the concerned employee.
The DoPT in its office memorandum issued on Tuesday gave a deadline of June 30 for cadre units participating in Central Secretariat Stenographers Service (CSSS), to furnish pending disciplinary or court cases against any officer. It is the CSSS from which private secretaries (PS), principal private secretaries (PPS) and senior principal private secretaries are drawn.
“In case, no information is received from a cadre unit by 30.06.2014, it will be presumed that requisite information pertaining to the cadre unit is ‘nil’”, the OM said.
It’s very clear from this OM that the new regime wants to get rid of lakhs of “unnecessary” documents lying in the store rooms of corridors, basements etc.
For last 10 years government had gone comatose. I wonder what were Secretaries of Ministries doing all this while? Rules existed for regular weeding out of records & procedure are well laid down. Unfortunately Secretaries remain busy in lobbying for posts in Central Information Commission etc etc after retirement. We need right officers in right places. Officers who can take stand & be the change they want. An officer lobbies for particular posting & gets it, he comfortably settles down, continues with what ever is going on, takes no initiative, tenure over again starts lobbying for another posting, gets it continues same cycle of status-quo. This goes on he nears retirement. By now reached the top post, again starts lobbying for after retirement post, gets it then again clings on as long as he can. I want to know of what worth are such officers? They come & go and contribute nothing to any place of posting. They are all their life lobbying and ultimately die dissatisfied. Such officers are responsible for this sorry state of affairs. Why does it require directions from the Prime Minister to clean up the Augean stables? Why this initiative could not be taken by any of past Secretaries?
ReplyDeleteI always watch 26 January Parade & Beating Retreat on Doordarshan TV. The majestic North Block South Block in backdrop is awesome sight. But anyone who has visited the offices inside these buildings will be aghast. Except for portion where Minister or Secretary sitting rest looks like slum. loose Wires all over, old furniture stacked to ceiling in corridors, babus freely spitting in corners, thermocol cups strewn all over. Almirahs in corridor, dust laden, dirty files, loose papers all over. The sight is suffocating. Important looking Men and woman Babus scurrying around with look busy do nothing faces. If you ask them for directions they frown that you are disturbing them. Just like lady in this photograph everyone appears comfortable in these slums. These majestic buildings actually look like Jhuggi Jhopri colony from inside. I think Narendra Bhai was also awestruck from outer sight of these buildings and when now he take office & actually occupy room he is disturbed & give directions for clean up. This is shock & awe treatment which has come at right time. The picture shows the state of affairs of neglect, lethargy in Manmohan Govt. Now things will change for better.
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