The government has begun the exercise of identifying areas where junior-level officers in ministries are inducted from sector verticals following the Centre’s 60-point action plan.
The plan was prepared after Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s meeting with secretaries of all departments and ministries in September, where Modi had recommended bringing in administrative reforms.
The Department of Personnel and Training has instructed each division in Central ministries to develop induction material in which officers are likely to be posted along with background of policy of flagship government programmes, it is learnt.
On October 18, The Indian Express had reported that the Centre has prepared a comprehensive 60-point action plan.
For administrative reform, the Prime Minister has stressed on capacity building; training of officers on various aspects of infrastructure in both the Centre and states; infusion of expertise and exposure to latest technologies for higher civil services; performance-based working; clear and specific targets for ministries and departments like that for Public Sector Undertakings; institutional mechanisms for addressing issues of states, given their limited capacities; and restructuring of departments through government process re-engineering every 10 years.
Need for lateral entry
From time to time, the government has appointed sector experts for specific assignments over the years. In 2017, NITI Aayog, in its three-year Action Agenda, and the Sectoral Group of Secretaries (SGoS) on Governance, had in its report recommended induction of personnel in middle- and senior-management levels in the government.
“Secretary, DOPT has conveyed that during a recently held interaction of the Hon’ble Prime Minister with Secretaries of various Departments, one of the action points emerged was that expertise needs to be developed for officers having sectoral roles. Junior level officer in the Ministries should come from sector verticals…,” a letter circulated across ministries to various divisions on November 25 noted.
“While preparing the referencing/guidance material for the officers, the basic… requirement is that sectoral issues, problems policies which may be relevant while they examine the proposal are duly kept in mind. The material may include mission and vision statement for the Government and success stories of the flagship programmes etc,” it said.
The letter said newly recruited officers, who will be domain experts, should be made to visit some of the areas on ground where flagship government schemes are being implemented.
“In addition, the newly recruited officers should undergo structured orientation programme in the Divisions which may be organized on quarterly basis, Mission and Vision of the Division and its main activities,” it stated. “During the initial stages of the posting, the officers can also be sensitized by visiting some of the areas where the programmes are actually implemented to take note of ground realities.”
Nodal officers have been appointed across ministries to coordinate with the DoPT and prepare an action taken report on a quarterly basis.
Cabinet Secretary Rajiv Gauba had reviewed the 60-point action plan last month. In line with the Cabinet Secretary’s direction and review meeting last month, the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs has also begun work in finalising its recommendation for providing Integrated Command and Control Centres (ICCCs) — a key element of smart cities — as a service to states and smaller cities, The Indian Express reported on November 26.
