104
REPORT OF Government of West Bengal DECEMBER, 2008 THE EXPERT COMMITTEE ON ADMINISTRATIVE REFORMS
REPORT OF
Government of West Bengal
DECEMBER, 2008
THE EXPERT COMMITTEE ON
ADMINISTRATIVE REFORMS
CONTENTS
Executive Summary i - vi
1. Introduction 01
2. Administrative Reforms Committee 1983 02
3. Re-organising and Streamlining Departments 03
4. Studying Manpower Requirement 16
5. Mechanism for Monitoring and Evaluation 18
6. Departments with maximum interaction with the public 21
7. Improving Records Management 43
8. Fixing Specific Responsibility based on a Job Chart 47
9. Human Resource Development for Cadre Management 48
10. Recommendations regarding personnel policy covering cadre management
51
11. Recommending changes in the system with the specific goal of efficient disposal of work intra-and-inter-departmental
61
12. Suggesting measures for quick decision-making 61
Page i of vi
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Sl. No
Paragraph No
A Re-organising and streamlining Departments 1.1
1.2
1.3
1.4
Create a new Department of Administrative Reforms & Public Grievances. Create a new department named Constitution, Elections and Parliamentary Affairs. A separate set-up for elections is needed which will look after the election work without causing any hindrance in the developmental work. A new post of Block Election Officer should be created in each block.
3.7
3.8
3.21.1
3.21.2
2 Matters relating to development in rural and in urban areas will be dealt with in the Rural Development Department and the Urban Development Department respectively. Each should have a Directorate/agency to deal with the development matters at the field level.
3.9
3 Transfer the Municipal Engineering Directorate to the Urban Development Department.
3.9.2
4 Merge the existing departments of Paschimanchal Unnayan Affairs, Self-help Groups & Self-Employment with the Panchayats and Rural Development Department.
3.9.3
5 Transfer the State Land Use Board to the Land and Land Reforms Dept.
3.10
6 Integrate Mass Education Extension Dept. with School Education Department.
3.11
7.1
7.2
Bring all the revenue-earning departments/ directorates under a new Department of Revenue. Merge the existing Agricultural Income Tax Directorate and the Electricity Duties Directorate with the Commercial Taxes Directorate.
3.12
3.12.1
8 Merge PW Roads and Construction Board Directorates with the Public Works Directorate.
3.13
9 Merge Bio-Technology Department with Science and Technology Department.
3.14
10.1 Merge Civil Defence Department and the Fire 3.15
Page ii of vi
10.2
& Emergency Services Department with Disaster Management Department. Transfer Home Guards and NVF to Home (Police) Department.
3.15.1
11 Merge Tourism Department with Forest Department.
3.16
12 Merge IR Department with the Public Enterprises Department
3.17
13 Integrate Law and Judicial Department 3.18 14 Rename the Development and Planning
Department as Planning and Plan Co-ordination Department.
3.19
15 Group allied departments under the 7 Additional Chief Secretaries to provide an in-built mechanism for coordination among allied departments in a sector.
3.20
16 Set up Cabinet Sub-committees dealing with those development sectors to provide a matching coordinating function at the level of the political executive. Publish the revised Rules of Business
3.20.1
17 Assign responsibility along with matching authority to the Divisional Commissioner, District Magistrate, Sub-divisional Officer and Block Development Officer to oversee all development work within his territorial jurisdiction.
3.20.2, 3.20.3, 3.20.4
18 Wind up the Refugee Relief & Rehabilitation Department.
3.22
19 Revamp or outsource the role of the Directorate of Evaluation, Manpower and Monitoring
3.23, 3.23.1
20 Re-organise Districts, Sub-divisions and Blocks
3.24
B Standardise Office Procedures 21.1
21.2
21.3
Update all existing outdated manuals and replace the obsolete by a comprehensive Collectorate Manual prescribing office procedures and records management for the field offices. Revise Manuals of every line department for its field offices. Each Departmental Manual will prescribe the specific job and task for each official.
4.1.1
4.1.1,
8
Page iii of vi
21.4
21.5
Design Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for all functions. Strengthen the office of the BDO-Executive Officer Panchayat Samiti by two more Jt. BDOs
4.1.2
4.2
C Monitoring and Evaluation 22.1
22.2
Monitor and evaluate not only the expenditure but also the output-->outcome-->impact continuum. A mechanism has to be built into the delivery system so that the process is monitored periodically and adequately.
5.1
5.3
23 Extend Common Service Centres (CSC) as a channel for people’s participation to every Gram Panchayat and ULB ward.
5.6
D Improving Public Service Delivery and Ensuring Accountability
24 Set up a Centre for Excellence in Public Management (CEPM) as a registered society within the Administrative Training Institute (ATI) to provide technical and wider capacity building support to administrative reforms as a continuous process.
6.1
25.1 25.2
25.3
Introduce E-governance (G2G and G2C) The LAN installed in the Secretariat should cover all the departments. Extensively use of Local Area Network system, internet facility and set up a state-wide electronic data bank.
6.2.1 6.3
11
26 Institutionalise a computerised fund-flow loop mechanism from the release by Finance Department Departmental release to Directorate with intimation to FD Directorate release to Field Office.
6.3
27 Ensure computer literacy of all staff 6.4 28.1
28.2
File sent by the head of a directorate should be examined from the level of Joint or Special Secretary in the department. Introduce single file system
6.5.1,
6.5.2 29 The recommendation of Administrative
Reforms Committee 1983 regarding introduction of Desk Officer System is reiterated.
6.5.3
Page iv of vi
30.1
30.2
Ensure Accountability through Citizen’s Charter, Social Audit and evaluation by outside agency, Departmental Manuals. Shift to Outcome Budgeting
4.3, 5.4, 5.5,6.6.2,
6.6.3,6.6.46.6.1
E Strengthening Decentralised Planning 31.1
31.2
31.3
Revive the role of the State Planning Board (SPB). The 7 Additional Chief Secretaries will assist the State Planning Board. Create Planning-cum-Budget Cell for each department. Strengthen District Planning Committee.
6.7.1
6.7.2
6.7.4 32 Devolve funds to match Activity Mapping 6.7.5.2 33 Make provision of plan outlay by each line
department at the decentralised level 6.7.5.2.1
34 Communicate Sectoral Plan Outlay to the panchayats and municipalities well in advance
6.7.5.2.2
35 Effectively provide manpower capacity to Urban Local Bodies and Panchayats to perform activities.
6.7.5.2.3
36 Issues in Decentralised Planning at Local Government Level: Budget; Legislative; and Operational issues
6.7.6,
6.7.6.1, 6.7.6.2, 6.7.6.3
37 Promote widespread application of Bengali language in the day-to-day functioning of the government.
6.8
F e-Governance 38 Set up M.I.S in all departments and other units
of government. 7.2 ii)
39 Set up a state-wide data bank having all govt. circulars, guidelines, rules etc.
7.2 iii)
40 Use Software developed by NIC in government organisations.
7.3
41 Strengthen Electronic records (e-records) management.
7.4
G Training and Human Resources Development 42 Frame a State Training Policy. 9.1 43 Implement Government Process Re-
engineering. 9.1
44 Expose employees to modern management 9.1
Page v of vi
concepts & skills. 45 Assign the Administrative Training Institute
the task of formulating a comprehensive Human Resource Development programme based on the State Training Policy.
9.1, 9.4
46 Declare Director ATI as Secretary (Training) to the Government in the Personnel & Training Department.
9.2
47 Designate in each department an officer as “Training Manager”.
4.4, 9.3
48 Set up a Secretariat Training Institute. 9.5 49 Sanction training allowance for motivating
competent officers to serve in the ATI and other training institutes.
9.6
50.1
50.2
Make induction training for all service officers compulsory. Ensure intensive system of training and instruction at all levels of administration
10.7,
4.4, 9.4
H Restructuring Civil Services 51.1
51.2
Rationalise present structure of State Civil Service. Apply same mechanism to other state services like Excise, Commercial Taxes, Education, Health, Agriculture and Engineering Services.
10.1.1,
10.1.2
52 Implement the recommendations of the West Bengal State Police Commission early.
10.1.3
53 Merge the West Bengal Civil Service (Executive) and its allied services into a single service named as West Bengal Civil Service.
10.1.4
54 Post selected directorate officers in the Secretariat
6.5.1, 10.1.5
55 Create a WB Engineering Service. 10.1.7 56 Stenographers’ cadre controlling authority be
the Personnel Department. 10.1.8
57 Draw up a separate personnel policy for every State Government Service.
10.2. 10.1.4 v)
58 Computerise the PSC’s operations to reduce the time gap between the date of application and the date of joining.
10.3
59 Recruitment for the state services should invariably be through the West Bengal Public Service Commission through written
10.4
Page vi of vi
examinations followed by interview. 60 Introduce Performance Appraisal system in a
strict and organised manner, working out a uniform methodology for all service cadre officers.
10.5
61 Encourage all new recruits to Group ‘A’ services to obtain a Master’s Degree in Public Administration through Distance Learning Mode as government has done for the WBCS(Exe) new recruits.
10.6
62 Assure security of tenure through institutional mechanism to ensure objectivity in transfers.
10.8
63 Establish mid-term career review and assessment of periodic efficiency as part of the personnel management system.
10.9.1
64 Ensure periodic evaluation of integrity of staff and officers by setting-up a small but active and efficient vigilance unit in every establishment.
10.9.2
65 Improve the format of Annual Confidential Reports and use it as a powerful tool for performance review.
10.10
66 Constitute a high power committee for periodic review of the status of the existing provisions on entitlements vis-à-vis private sector and making recommendations.
10.11
67 Conduct manpower planning study in all departments at regular intervals.
10.12
69 Revise the Delegation of Financial Power Rules.
12
Page 1 of 96
REPORT OF THE EXPERT COMMITTEE ON ADMINISTRATIVE REFORMS
1 Introduction
1.1. The Government of West Bengal set up an official level Expert
Committee on Administrative Reforms by Notification No. 4-PAR
(AR)/1P-1/2006 dated 3rd January 2007 to examine different
aspects relating to improvement in governance, better delivery
system of services to citizens and speedier implementation of
developmental schemes.
1.2. The terms of reference (TOR) of the committee are given in
Annex–I. All recommendations directly related to the TOR are
printed in bold letters.
1.3. The Chief Secretary held a discussion on administrative reforms
with all political parties on 12th August 2008. A number of
associations submitted notes and memoranda for the Committee’s
consideration (Annex–II). Some individuals also sent in their
suggestions. The Committee is grateful to them. It places on
record its appreciation of the faculty of the Administrative
Training Institute, West Bengal, for significant contribution at
every stage.
1.4. The committee has carefully considered the various suggestions
offered to it, both during discussion and through written
memoranda and notes. The recommendations were finally
discussed in a meeting of the Expert Committee held on 26 Dec
2008. The committee’s conclusions on the various issues involved
are given in the subsequent sections.
Page 2 of 96
2 Administrative Reforms Committee 1983
2.1. By a resolution dated 10 September 1982 the Government of
West Bengal set up the first Administrative Reforms Committtee
with Dr. Ashok Mitra as Chairman, and Shri Somnath Chatterjee,
Bar-at-Law, M.P. and Shri R.N. Sengupta, Home Secretary to the
Government of West Bengal, as Members.
2.2. The Administrative Reforms Committee submitted its report in
1983 making 91 recommendations. 11 recommendations were not
accepted by the Cabinet, 75 recommendations were either fully or
partly implemented and 5 recommendations are yet to be
implemented. The present status, as made available by the
Personnel and Administrative Reforms Department, is as
follows:-
Present Status Number of
recommendationsSl. No.s of
recommendations A) Recommendations
not accepted
11 9, 12, 14, 36-37, 48-49, 52,
65, 78-79
B) Recommendations
implemented in full
56 1, 4-8, 10-11, 13, 18-19,
21, 23, 26-35, 38, 47, 51,
53-56, 58-64, 66-71, 73-77,
82-86, 89-91
C) Recommendations
partially implemented
19 2-3, 16-17, 20, 24, 39-46,
50, 57, 72, 81, 87
D) Recommendations
yet to be implemented
5 15, 22, 25, 80, 88
Total 91
Page 3 of 96
3 Re-organising and Streamlining Departments
3.1. Departmentalism: One of the basic problems of management in
government is that of balancing the two fundamental factors,
‘function’ and ‘area’, in devising and designing the administrative
organizations. In the Indian system of administration, the
traditional approach has been to divide the administrative work
into various departments and to erect a vertical departmental
hierarchy consisting of departmental officers at various tiers,
starting with the state and ending with the village. The division,
district, subdivision and the block constitute the intermediate
tiers. Thus, departmentalism is a deeply entrenched feature of
Indian administration.
3.2. The evolution of administrative organization in post-independent
India strengthened departmentalism in the system of
administration because of the predilection of each political
executive heading a department to expand its powerbase by
strengthening its department’s structure in terms of multiple
layers as a manifestation of the functional factor in
administration. Each “function” or subject matter must have its
hierarchy of departmental structure. The other basic factor, ‘area’,
is immersed in the departmental set up because it exists at all
levels and for all areas. Thus, of the two fundamental factors
‘function’ and ‘area’, the latter remains squarely subordinated to
the former, the subject matter, according to which separate
departments are organised.
3.3. However, the departmental system of Indian administration,
traditionally and progressively strengthened over the years, is not
always adequate to achieve the desired results. Time and again it
Page 4 of 96
has been found that the various departments work in isolation so
that for achieving results their work has to be integrated and co-
ordinated whether for bringing about rural and urban
development or for development of infrastructure. There are some
basic reasons for this. First, the problems and facets of the social
and economic life of the community cannot be
compartmentalised. They invariably impact upon each other.
Increased agricultural production requires irrigation and credit,
but irrigation is looked after by one department and credit by
another. Again, the waterways are with one department while
minor irrigation utilising sub-soil water is with another and ponds
with yet another. Therefore, the programme of agricultural
development cannot be tackled by the agriculture department
alone but has to be co-ordinated with many other departments.
Further, each area has its special problems, its own resources,
unique agro-climatic conditions and composition of the people.
Stereotyped departmental approach or standardised departmental
schemes that do not take into account the peculiarities of the local
area do not succeed.
3.4. It is because of these reasons that repeated attempts have been
made in the course of the evolution of Indian administration after
independence to provide a corrective to departmentalism in the
management of the overall planning and development in our
country.
3.5. Planning: To ensure development with a human face and
effective service delivery the Expert Group on Decentralised
Planning (Ministry of Panchayati Raj, Government of India,
2005) has recommended as follows:-
Page 5 of 96
‘As now practised, the concept of district planning is considerably
diluted by the fact that most department schemes envisage in their
guidelines, separate and self-contained “planning” processes. One
way of curbing this tendency is to ensure that the word “plan” is
used restrictively, to mean only that “plan” that is prepared at the
level of each local government. Sectoral planning efforts ought to
be termed as “programmes”. Thus a “Plan” would be a composite
whole which consists of several programmes in a mutual
interdependent way.’
3.5.1. It has further recommended that each district should prepare
a vision through a participative process starting from the
grassroots on what the perspective would be for development
over the next 10 to 15 years.
3.5.2. In this context, the most backward villages (4612 in
number), identified in West Bengal on the basis of the
percentage of female literacy and marginal labour, have to
receive special attention in the planning process for
convergence of all departmental activities as a unit to
facilitate the removal of their backwardness.
3.6. Against this backdrop, in order to improve the delivery of
services in the social sector, it is necessary to re-organise the
Departments and Directorates of the state government. A
proposed restructuring of the government departments is shown
in Annex–III. The vision would be articulated primarily in terms
of goals and outcomes and would address, basically, three aspects
of development, namely: (i) human development indicators, (ii)
infrastructure development and (iii) development in the
productive sector. The idea is that the envisioning process, being
participative, would build a spirit of teamwork and, hopefully,
Page 6 of 96
break down the department-wise ‘planning’ process that is now
dominant. For achieving this it is essential that regular feedback
from the stakeholders be integrated into the governance process.
3.7. As a first step, a new Department of Administrative Reforms and
Public Grievances should be carved out from the existing
Personnel and Administrative Reforms (P&AR) Department and
the Home Department. This new department will deal with
administrative reforms, public grievances and all matters relating
to the Right to Information Act. The remaining functions of the
existing P&AR Department will remain under a new Department
of Personnel and Training.
3.8. A separate arrangement for Elections: The 73rd and 74th
Amendments to the Constitution granted constitutional status to
local self-governing bodies, both rural and urban, and provided a
new, more politically underpinned, universalised platform for
decentralised planning from below and effective delivery of
services. The very effectiveness of such a democratic organisation
largely depends on conducting free and fair elections at regular
intervals. Apart from this, there are elections to the Parliament
and the Legislative Assembly. Revision of electoral rolls is now a
round-the-year activity and some bye-election or other takes place
year-round in these self-governing bodies at different levels.
During these times the entire field staff gets engaged and
development work is brought to a halt. Therefore, it is necessary
to identify a Department that will be responsible exclusively for
all matters relating to the election process not only for the
Legislative Assembly and the Parliament but also for the urban
and rural local bodies, district planning committees etc. It is
recommended that this responsibility be assigned to a new
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department of Constitution, Elections and Parliamentary
Affairs to be set up by merging the existing Home (Constitution
and Elections) and Parliamentary Affairs Departments.
3.8.1. In the context of the constitutional status of the local self-
governing bodies, the relevance and the necessity of having a
separate Department of Panchayats and a separate Department
of Municipal Affairs is in question being contrary to the basic
spirit of the constitutional provision. Therefore, it is
recommended that government examine whether all statutory
matters of rural and urban local bodies can be transferred to
the proposed Constitution, Elections and Parliamentary
Affairs Department.
3.8.2. Alternatively, the existing Panchayats and Rural
Development Department should have two distinct branches
namely i) Panchayat statutory matters; and ii) Rural
Development. Similarly, the Urban Development Department
can have two distinct branches namely i) Municipal statutory
matters; and ii) Urban Development matters.
3.9. It is recommended that matters relating to development in rural
and in urban areas be dealt with in the Rural Development
Department and the Urban Development Department
respectively. Each should have a directorate or an agency to deal
with the development matters at the field level.
3.9.1. The existing arrangement of the Panchayats & Rural
Development (P&RD) Department directly dealing with all
matters relating to Joint BDOs is administratively not a sound
practice and the work should be re-assigned as a directorate
function in the same manner as the Directorate of Panchayats
that deals with Panchayat Development Officers (PDO),
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Panchayat Audit and Accounts Officers (PAAO) and Samiti
Audit and Accounts Officers (SAAO). The new Rural
Development Directorate should control the BDOs, Jt. BDOs
and other block functionaries. Adequate powers should be
delegated to this directorate so that the department is less
burdened with directly overseeing fieldwork while
simultaneously controlling employees’ cadres and also
framing policy as at present.
3.9.2. The Municipal Engineering Directorate, now under the
Municipal Affairs Department, should come under the Urban
Development Department. The Directorate of Local Bodies
will come under the new Constitution, Elections and
Parliamentary Affairs Department if the suggestion in para
3.8 is accepted.
3.9.3. The existing departments of Pashchimanchal Unnayan
Affairs, Self-help Groups & Self-employment should be
merged with the Panchayats and Rural Development
Department.
3.9.4. The existing P&RD Department administers the Backward
Regions Grant Fund which covers the geographical area dealt
with by the Sunderban Affairs Department. The state
government needs to take a view on merging the Sunderban
Affairs Department with the new Department of Rural
Development.
3.10. The State Land Use Board should be transferred from the existing
Development and Planning Department to the Land and Land
Reforms Department where it appropriately belongs.
3.11. The Constitutional obligation to ensure education for all through
formal and informal interventions require a well co-ordinated
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approach. For this it is necessary to integrate Mass Education
Extension Dept. with School Education Department.
3.11.1. Technical Education and Training has a very important
role to play in the arena of human development with
particular reference to livelihood options. Therefore, at the
class 8, class 10 and class 12 stages the need to establish close
linkages between school education and vocational education-
cum-training is imperative. The National Knowledge
Commission has strongly recommended that Vocational
Education and Training—which currently falls under both
Labour and HRD Ministries and therefore suffers from a
fragmented approach—be placed wholly under the Ministry
of Human Resource Development. Following this logic, it is
recommended that one Additional Chief Secretary oversee the
entire education sector to ensure close co-ordination between
the departments of School Education, Technical Education
and Training, Madrasah Education, Higher Education and
Mass Education.
3.12. Recent experience in the revenue earning departments
corroborates the proposition that convergence of activities and
closeness among revenue agencies always leads to collection of
more revenue by expanding the tax net and reducing tax evasion.
Therefore, if Excise, Commercial Taxes, State Lotteries,
Registration & Stamp Revenue are brought under a new
Department of Revenue the tax-GDP ratio in the state will
definitely improve.
3.12.1. The existing Agricultural Income Tax Directorate and the
Electricity Duties Directorate should be merged with the
Commercial Taxes Directorate.
Page 10 of 96
3.13. It has been represented that at the ground level confusion exists
regarding which engineering organisation is responsible for a
particular work. Lack of co-ordination between various
engineering disciplines has been found to delay completion of
projects to a considerable extent. It is evident that the public
services requiring engineering expertise can improve
considerably if there is integrated functioning among such
technical service providers. Merging PW Roads and Construction
Board Directorates with the Public Works Directorate will ensure
command over greater range of engineering manpower and will
facilitate close co-ordination among related engineering
disciplines in implementation. [Also cf. 10.1.7]
3.14. The Bio-technology Department should be merged with Science
& Technology Department in view of the stress on research and
its field application.
3.15. The Civil Defence Department and the Fire and Emergency
Services Department should be merged with the Disaster
Management Department.
3.15.1. The Home Guards and NVF should be transferred from the
CD Department to Home (Police) Department.
3.16. The Tourism Department should be merged with the Forest
Department in view of the new consciousness regarding eco-
tourism.
3.17. The IR Department should be merged with the Public Enterprises
Department.
3.18. The Law and the Judicial Departments should be integrated.
3.19. For improved governance, smoothly co-ordinated functioning of
the government is imperative in the sectors that impact society
most. Planning is essentially a co-ordinated function. In order to
Page 11 of 96
emphasise on this specific role, the Development and Planning
Department may be renamed as Planning and Plan Co-
ordination which will be involved in the formulation of every
department’s annual and five year plans in a coordinated manner
for each sector of development.
3.20. Improved Co-ordination: Apart from re-structuring the
government departments, the state government should utilise the
services of seven very senior officers drawing pay equivalent to
that of the Chief Secretary for ensuring better co-ordination in
governance. At present, the Additional Chief Secretaries (ACS)
are in charge only of individual departments. An in-built
mechanism for coordination among allied departments in a sector
can be developed by grouping allied departments in a
development sector under the Additional Chief Secretaries. In the
context of the commitment of the government to achieving the
Millennium Development Goals, particularly Human
Development, the thrust areas are Education, Health and
Livelihood (Agriculture and allied activities, Industry and
infrastructure, Power) while sustaining the environment. The
proposed reorganisation of departments under the ACS is
enclosed in Annex–IV.
3.20.1. To provide a matching co-ordinating function at the level
of the political executive, Cabinet Sub-committees dealing
with those development sectors can be set up. The revised
Rules of Business providing, inter alia, for this needs to be
published immediately.
3.20.2. Similarly, there is need to match this co-ordinating
function at the field level. The counterpart of the Cabinet Sub-
committees already exists in the form of Sthayee Samitis in
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the Zilla Parishad and the Panchayat Samitis. However, they
have not been found to function with optimal effectiveness as
they have not been matched by devolution of the co-
ordinating function at the officer level. The Secretariat
Manual has a provision under Section 15 of Chapter VIII
whereby all line departments are to keep the District
Magistrate informed regarding all important developments.
This needs to be enforced. A similar order relating to the
Block Development Officer being kept in the picture by all
block-level line department officers needs to be issued and
enforced.
3.20.3. At the sub-division level this model needs to be replicated
by entrusting the Sub-divisional officer with the same
authority as envisaged for the DM in the Secretariat Manual
i.e. at the sub-divisional level line department officers must
keep the SDO informed of all important developments.
3.20.4. In order to oversee the proper function of this new model,
the post of the Divisional Commissioner needs to be
strengthened appropriately and this officer needs to be
assigned the responsibility with matching authority to oversee
all development work within his territorial jurisdiction and
ensure co-ordinated functioning for optimal utilisation of time
and resources. The Divisional Commissioners will support the
ACS in discharging the responsibilities envisaged for them.
3.21. Restructuring of Election Organisation: Conduct of election,
revision of electoral roll and preparation and distribution of photo
identity cards of the electors has become a perennial work for the
Block, the Sub-divisional offices and the Collectorate. This calls
for permanent engagement of a large number of staff in these
Page 13 of 96
offices almost throughout the year, seriously hampering the
developmental work. At least 3 elections take place every five
years (Parliament, Legislative Assembly, local government). It is
found that the development administration at the Block level
remains totally involved for at least 4 to 5 months for pre-in-and-
post-election activities. So in a five year span development work
remains suspended at least for 15 months. It breaks the continuity
and reduces the effectiveness of the development activities. All
this election work requires engagement of staff from other
departments that are critical to the MDG scenario such as School
Education, Health, ICDS, etc. Therefore, a separate set-up for
elections is needed which will look after the election work
without causing any hindrance in the developmental work. This
additional manpower needs to be worked out and provided by the
Election Commission.
3.21.1. A new department—Constitution, Elections and
Parliamentary Affairs—has been proposed to incorporate the
activities of Parliamentary Affairs, Elections and the statutory
functioning of panchayati raj bodies and municipal bodies.
3.21.2. A new post of Block Election Officer should be created in
each block for supervising the election work along with
necessary staff support.
3.22. Winding up the Refugee Relief & Rehabilitation Department:
The Refugee Relief & Rehabilitation Department is no longer
relevant 61 years after Independence and should be wound up.
Residual work, if any, will be dealt with by the Home (Political)
Department. In Government of India, too, this subject is dealt
with in the Ministry of Home Affairs.
Page 14 of 96
3.23. Revamping/outsourcing the role of the Directorate of
Evaluation, Manpower and Monitoring: In the backdrop of
recent technological development for effective delivery of public
services manpower planning must be undertaken scientifically.
The Directorate of EMM under the existing Development and
Planning Department needs to be reorganised. The professional
capacity of this organisation in this particular area may be
enhanced by making collaborative efforts with organisations of
national repute like National Productivity Council, Indian
Institute of Management, Institute of Applied Manpower
Research (IAMR) etc. They may be assigned the responsibility
for evaluating the manpower requirement on a regular basis and
making recommendations in keeping with the demands of new
programmes.
3.23.1. Alternatively, this directorate should be wound up and the
task of manpower planning be outsourced to expert agencies
under the supervision of the Personnel and Training
Department. The task of monitoring and evaluation of
programmes will remain with the Planning and Plan-Co-
ordination Department through appropriate specialised
agencies.
3.24. Re-organisation of Districts, Sub-divisions and Blocks: The size
and composition of basic administrative units have considerable
influence on administrative efficiency. This is particularly
relevant in the context of the goal of progressive decentralisation
that the state government has set for itself. Both the area and the
population of an administrative unit should be such as not to
cause strain on the machinery of administration. The matter thus
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calls for a process of continuous review on the part of the
authorities.
3.24.1. To improve the quality of administration, and make the
delivery of services to the people more efficient and effective
it is suggested:-
i) Each block should contain not more than 1,00,000 (one
lakh) population.
ii) Considering the structure and population of the Gram
Panchayats in West Bengal there should not be more
than 6 G.P.s in a Block.
iii) Within a Sub-division there should be not more than 4
Blocks.
iv) A District should not have more than 4 Subdivisions.
v) A matching proportion of urban local bodies should be
ensured. For instance, North 24 Parganas with 21
Municipalities and 22 blocks is a very difficult
proposition in terms of administration.
vi) Accordingly, the boundaries of the districts should be
organised and some of the large districts may be split
into more than one district. Districts like Burdwan (31
blocks), Paschim Medinipur (29 blocks), North 24
Parganas (22 blocks), Murshidabad (26 blocks) & South
24 Parganas (29 blocks) fall under this category.
3.24.2. The recommendation of the Administrative Reforms
Committee 1983 regarding re-organising and streamlining of
Districts is re-iterated. The Committee suggests that, as far as
practicable, blocks, police stations and revenue units should
be made coterminous geographically.
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4 Studying Manpower requirement
The National Productivity Council (NPC) was assigned the task of
Work Study on Staffing Pattern, Infrastructural Requirement &
Process Re-engineering in the offices of the Divisional
Commissioner [Burdwan], District Magistrate & Collector
[Burdwan], Sub-divisional Officer [Suri (Sadar) and Jhargram] and
Block/Panchayat Samiti [Binpur-II, Patharpratima and Joynagar].
Unfortunately, the study failed to put forward specific
recommendations regarding manpower required at these levels.
Moreover, 9 sections of the Burdwan Collectorate have got ISO
certification. However, an impact assessment study by the District
Magistrate is needed to assess the extent of improvement in the
delivery of services.
4.1. In pursuance of the recommendations of the National Productivity
Council, the following steps need to be taken for improving the
performance in the Collectorate, Sub-divisional and Block
Development offices:-
4.1.1. Updating all existing outdated manuals and replacing the
obsolete Bengal Records Manual, Practice and Procedure
Manual, Registers and Returns Manual, Inspection Manual,
Arms Manual etc. by a comprehensive Collectorate Manual
prescribing office procedures and record management for
these field offices. Similar comprehensive revision of manuals
should be undertaken by every line department for its field
offices. In this work the recently revised edition of the
Secretariat Manual can act as a model.
4.1.2. Designing standard operating procedures (SOP) for every
function: While developing the manual, it is recommended to
define the following parameters for every function:-
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i) Objectives
ii) Scope
iii) Responsibility
iv) Reference: - documents, files, archives
v) Process
vi) Records to be generated, custody and life of the records
4.2. It is evident that the BDO-Executive Officer Panchayat Samiti’s
office is overloaded with a plethora of development and welfare
schemes without the matching staff support. Because of this there
is significant gap between performance and target. Therefore, it is
recommended that, pending a systematic manpower study, he
should be provided the assistance of two Joint BDOs in addition
to those already in position so that the workload can be
distributed and supervised effectively.
4.3. Besides the above, it is necessary for good governance to develop
Citizen’s Charters for every office in consultation with primary
stake-holders and to evaluate their functioning regularly.
4.4. Simultaneously, training both off-job and on-job at induction
level and in-service must be arranged for improving the
performance of the officials. Such improved performance will
require assessment of each trainee’s performance and grading
thereof linked to his/her career advancement. The institution of a
Training Manager will go a long way in ensuring this
systematically (cf. 9.3).
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5 Institutionalising a mechanism for regular monitoring and
evaluation of the functioning of departments and directorates:
Introducing Participatory Monitoring and Evaluation.
5.1. The traditional planning approach has, all along, emphasised
monitoring and evaluation of budgetary outlay. However, in order
to improve the quality of life of the marginalised population in
particular by improving the service delivery, it is imperative to
monitor and evaluate not only the expenditure but also the output-
-> outcome--> impact continuum. For instance, providing mid-
day meal to primary school children is not an end in itself. Its
primary focus is to make school-attendance more attractive to
children and their parents so that universal enrolment and
retention until high school becomes a reality leading to
employment and enhancement of the quality of life.
5.2. In this case, evaluation involves a three level operation in addition
to the usual outlay scrutiny. At the output level, we may take
stock of the number of children being covered and the number left
out, the quantity, quality, timely distribution and feeding locale of
the food etc. At the outcome level, we may assess whether the
scheme has been able to achieve its objective in terms of
maximizing enrolment and minimizing drop-out rate etc. Going
further, if we try to find out the short or long-term effect of the
programme on the children, the parents, the local community and
the local self-governing bodies in terms of changing attitudes
towards literacy and education in particular and other aspects of
human development indicators, such as sanitation, health, family-
size, livelihood, we are entering into impact evaluation. For every
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scheme at the planning stage itself it is necessary to involve the
evaluating agency and establish a benchmark.
5.3. In government, little importance is accorded to monitoring the
process of the delivery system. The emphasis is on checking the
amount of expenditure. A mechanism has to be built into the
delivery system so that the process is monitored periodically and
adequately. The first step is to incorporate in the budget for every
scheme a specific provision covering concurrent, end-of-project
and impact evaluation. This will enable government to make in-
process course-corrections as well as to formulate more effective
schemes in future.
5.4. Participation of people in the development process, to be
meaningful and effective, must run through all the phases of a
project cycle viz. planning, formulation of a project or
programme, its implementation, monitoring and evaluation.
However, participation of the citizens is least in the planning,
monitoring and evaluation stages. The concept of Social Audit
has to be incorporated in the evaluation framework. (cf. 6.6.4)
5.5. Monitoring of service-delivery within the departments needs
improvement. In most cases, the monitoring systems do not
capture disaggregated data, especially by gender and socially
excluded groups. Few departments undertake periodic reviews
that include systematic feedback from citizens on the quality and
adequacy of services rendered by the departments especially in
the welfare programmes such as various types of pensions.
Evaluation of programmes is another area that needs
strengthening. A stronger focus on results and outcomes can be
made through improved focus on the use of Citizen’s Charters.
Also, it is important to evaluate the use of Citizen’s Charters.
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5.6. Since getting feedback from citizens and conduct of social audits
require specialised skills, a government-wide approach to
monitoring and evaluation involving citizens needs to be
undertaken. Extension of Common Service Centres (CSC) to
every Gram Panchayat and ULB ward as knowledge portal-cum-
service centre may be utilised as a channel for people’s
participation in monitoring and evaluation.
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6 Recommending steps for selecting departments that have the
maximum interaction with the public such as for Rural Livelihood
(Agriculture, Agriculture Marketing, Animal Resource
Development, Cooperation, Fisheries, Food Processing Industries
& Horticulture, Panchayat & Rural Development, Micro & S.S.
Enterprises & Textiles, Water Investigation & Development), Urban
Livelihood (Municipal Affairs and Urban Development),Welfare
(Health & Family Welfare, Backward Classes Welfare, Minorities
Welfare & Development, Women & Child Development & Social
Welfare, Food & Supplies, Consumer Affairs, School Education)
and Police for improving public services delivery.
6.1. Adopting Good Governance measures: Setting up a Centre for
Excellence in Public Management: A Centre for Excellence in
Public Management (CEPM) should be set up as a registered
society within the Administrative Training Institute (ATI) of the
state to provide technical and wider capacity building support to
administrative reforms as a continuous process beginning with in
the following areas:-
i) Policy support to Decentralisation
ii) Transparency in operations and simplification of
procedures
iii) Monitoring and Evaluation
iv) Strengthening Departmental Outlay-Output-Outcome-
Impact frameworks
v) Fund management
vi) Human Resource Management & Development
vii) Convergence or joined-up working
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6.2. Shifting from the existing overwhelming dependence on paper
work to e-governance with emphasis on systematising the back-
office support system behind the front-office interface with the
citizen
6.2.1. Introduce E-governance (G2G and G2C):
i) Redesign and digitise forms to make them user-friendly
based upon a thorough government process re-engineering
exercise.
ii) Intra-and-inter-departmental networking.
iii) Digitised note-sheets, files, correspondence.
iv) Electronic file movement and tracking of files and letters
and maintenance of records.
v) Electronic fund management system starting with all office
cash-books, using financial accounting software.
vi) Computerised personnel management information system
including departmental and vigilance proceedings that drag
on for years on end, heavily damaging the morale of
officials.
vii) E-payment of salaries, TA/DA, govt loans etc. to free
staff for manning neglected Key Result Areas.
viii) Set up Citizen Service Centres providing G2C and C2G
interface and grievance resolution, particularly lodging of
FIRs, General Diaries in police stations which should be
suitably computerised.
ix) Set up a state-wide electronic data bank.
6.3. Institutionalising a computerised fund-flow loop mechanism
from the release by Finance Department Departmental
release to Directorate with intimation to FD Directorate
release to Field Office with intimation to Department Field
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Office expenditure with intimation to Directorate
Department FD
Under section 25.1 of the Secretariat Manual, subject to the
exceptions permitted by section 27, all expenditure requires the
previous sanction of the Finance Department at some stage. To
ensure best utilisation of fund, it is necessary to institutionalise a
process which minimises the time lag between release of fund by
the Finance Department and the utilisation by the implementing
unit at grass-root level. A computerisation fund flow loop
mechanism will be an effective tool. The LAN installed in the
Secretariat should cover all the departments. For speedy
communication there should be extensive use of e-mail with
adequate security.
6.4. Ensuring computer literacy to all staff: All clerical level staff
being recruited should meet the basic criterion of computer
literacy. Typewriters have to be replaced by computers. All
existing typists must be made computer literate so that they can
function as Assistants to the Desk Officers. It is urgently
necessary to train all staff in using computers and to ensure access
to computers in every department. ATI may be assigned the task
of formulating an action plan for building this capacity. Thorough
exposure to the multiple administrative functions available in
software such as MS Outlook will equip staff and officers with
necessary tools for optimum time management and disposal of
work.
6.5. Introducing concepts of level-jumping and single-file system
between key directorates and the parent departments to remove
duplication of paper-work
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6.5.1. There has been a demand from different service associations
that there should be opportunity for directorate level officers
to serve in secretariat departments. The basic rationale for
having two levels of organisation in every department, i.e. the
Secretariat and the Directorate, is to ensure an impartial
examination of a proposal that comes from a line function.
However, there is a valid argument that lack of adequate
knowledge regarding the line function leads to unnecessary
delay for processing the proposals. An experiment can be
initiated by placing chosen directorate level officers of proven
competence at the level of Assistant Secretary and Deputy
Secretary. Depending on the experience, further decisions can
be taken. There are several instances where, although the head
of the directorate has been granted the ex-officio status of a
Joint Secretary, files signed by him are sent down to the
lowest level in the secretariat. This practice must be strictly
avoided and such files examined from the level of Joint or
Special Secretary.
6.5.2. Introduction of the single file system: To reduce the amount
of paper work, all noting, beginning with the directorate and
ending with the department, should be carried out in a single
file. The officer last dealing with a case in the Non-Secretariat
Organisation (NSO) will mark it to the department at
appropriate levels to be determined by the department and the
NSO concerned through a general order. In such a system, it
has to be ensured that proposals vetted by the directorate at its
highest level are not sent down in the department to levels
below the Joint Secretary.
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6.5.3. Desk Officer System: The recommendation of
Administrative Reforms Committee 1983 regarding
introduction of Desk Officer System is reiterated.
6.5.3.1. The following arrangements, which combine the
features of the Desk Office system with the system of
level jumping, will increase efficiency and effect
reduction in the time taken to take decisions on
proposals.
6.5.3.2. The entire work of a department may be divided
among a number of branches, and each branch placed in
charge of a Joint Secretary or a Deputy Secretary. Each
such Joint Secretary or Deputy Secretary may, in turn,
have an Assistant Secretary or a Section Officer to work
in tandem with him who will be responsible for work of a
more specific nature. The Lower and Upper Division
Assistants, Stenographer and Typists belonging to the
department may be allotted separately among the
branches. Responsibility will be collectively shared
between the Joint Secretary/Deputy Secretary, the
Assistant Secretary/ Section Officer and the other
members of the staff assigned to the branch.
6.5.3.3. All noting will commence at the level of the Section
Officer or the Assistant Secretary and travel up to the
Deputy Secretary or the Joint Secretary concerned.
Where it is a Deputy Secretary who is principally
responsible for the functioning of the branch, the file will
be forwarded to the Secretary; where it is a Joint
Secretary, the file may be disposed of and action initiated
without further consultation unless changes in policy are
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involved. The departmental manual should indicate the
broad division of responsibilities, the arrangements for
routing and the procedure for the disposal of cases of
different types.
6.5.3.4. In such a re-organised arrangement, the institution of
the dealing or reference clerk will be done way with.
Computer-literate clerical staff will be attached to every
Desk Officer. A Precedent Book in digital format should
be maintained by each Desk Officer in which the
summary of every decision taken on a file will be noted
along with the relevant file number and date for easy
retrieval through indexed search function.
6.5.3.5. The senior-most employee of a branch will be
accountable for the total work. A Deputy Secretary will
receive the incoming correspondence and files and assign
them to the concerned branch. Once the culture
develops, even the other departments will be able to
identify the relevant branch within the department to be
addressed in connection with a specific problem.
6.5.3.6. The personnel belonging to each division will sit in
proximity to one another and deal with cases and files in
a collective manner. The services of the junior members
of the staff should be utilised to collect and process the
requisite data. They may also offer suggestions that will
be considered and put in final shape on the file by the
Section Officer/Assistant Secretary concerned.
6.5.3.7. Such a re-structuring of work is contingent upon a
qualitative improvement in the physical conditions
obtaining in the departments. If employees belonging to a
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particular division are to sit close to one another, there
must be adequate space available for the purpose. It is the
administration’s responsibility to arrange for such space
and to ensure that the physical conditions improve.
6.5.3.8. Apart from such a re-arrangement of the system of
work, a time limit shall be set for the retention of files
both at one particular desk in a department and within
one particular department. Where the matter under
consideration does not involve a new policy decision or a
proposal for a new project, no file should be detained on
a particular table within a department beyond two
working days; the proposal should be processed in
entirety in the department within 10 working days, if not
earlier. Where it involves an issue of policy or a proposal
for a new scheme, the total period within which the
matter is either disposed of by the department, or
discussed with the department originating the file, or is
referred to the concerned Committee of Secretaries,
should not exceed three weeks.
6.5.3.9. For keeping track of the time taken in processing, the
time span needs to be prominently displayed. Every file
should have a slip pasted on it showing the date of receipt
and the due date for disposal and the date on which it has
been disposed of.
6.5.3.10. In case a file referred to one department by another
cannot be disposed of normally, inter-departmental
discussions should take place and a final decision
communicated within one month from the date of
dispatch of the file. Where this inter-departmental
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reference is on a routine matter, the file should go back to
the originating departments within a fortnight with a final
decision. Compartmental queries and compartmental
answers to such queries must be discouraged; appropriate
leadership must be provided in such matters by the
departmental Secretary. Deviations from these norms on
the part of any employee or group of employees should
be considered as dereliction of duty and invite
disciplinary action, as laid down in the Secretariat
Manual.
6.6. Shifting from the existing approach of reviewing performance
of schemes in terms of budgeted outlays to computerised
concurrent monitoring and evaluation of the planned outcomes
followed by long term assessment of the impact the department
is having on the socio-economic front (social audit) with respect
to the objectives of each scheme
6.6.1. Outcome Budgeting: There is a growing concern to track
not just the intermediate physical ‘outputs’ that are readily
measurable but the ‘outcomes’ which are the end objectives
of State interventions. Converting ‘outlays’ into ‘outcomes’ is
a complex process addressing the “value for money”
concerns, being more a management process than merely a
financial process, and admitting possibilities of different
approaches and modalities, which may differ from
programme to programme. Preparation of the Outcome
Budget is an evolving and dynamic process, which will
require detailed scrutiny and examination on yearly basis,
with value addition based on the preceding year’s experience.
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Some of the important steps in this conversion process are as
follows:-
i) Defining intermediate and final outcomes specifically in
measurable and monitorable terms;
ii) Standardizing unit cost of delivery;
iii) Benchmarking the standards/ quality of outcomes and
services;
iv) Capacity building for requisite efficiency at all levels, in
terms of equipment, technology, knowledge and skills
following a SWOT analysis;
v) Ensuring adequate flow of funds at the appropriate time
to the appropriate level, avoiding both delay and
‘parking’ of funds;
vi) Setting up an effective monitoring and evaluation system
to indicate the directions for further calibration and
honing the processes to deliver the intended outcomes;
vii) Involving the community/ target groups/ recipients of
the service, with easy access and feedback systems.
Computer software like MS Project can be used as a tool
for effective plan monitoring. Once a plan is in action, it
facilitates tracking of progress so that course corrections
can be made to remain on target.
6.6.2. Accountability: Many governments in developing countries
frame service provisions as an act of benevolence rather than
of responsive and accountable governance. Adam Smith
wrote in the Wealth of Nations: “It is not from the
benevolence of the butcher, the brewer or the banker that we
expect our service, but from the regard to their own interest.”
Taking this analogy to the public sector, the overall thrust of
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such approaches is empowering citizens to hold their
governance to account for delivery of services through an
institutional framework with justice-able rights to public
service and redress. With this is combined an accountability
framework to deal with government failures.
Accountability1 is a set of relationships among service
delivery actors with five features:
i) Delegating: explicit or implicit understanding that a
service (or goods embodying the service) will be
supplied.
ii) Financing: providing the resources to enable the service
to be provided or paying for it.
iii) Performing: supplying the actual service.
iv) Having information about performance: obtaining
relevant information and evaluating performance against
expectations and formal or informal norms. and
v) Enforcing: being able to impose sanctions for
inappropriate performance or provide rewards when
performance is appropriate.
Failures are also common in public production of services.
Frontline workers rarely receive (explicit or implicit)
incentives for successful service delivery. There are no
benchmarks for service quality and quantity, no measurement
of effectiveness or productivity, few rewards or penalties. The
provider organization monitors only inputs and compliance
with processes and procedures. Even so, some states have
provided some services under these conditions, but these
1 World Development Report 2004: Making Services Work for Poor People
Page 31 of 96
remain limited, low in quality, high in cost. The problems are
deep. One response to the corruption, absenteeism, and
underperformance of providers is stricter monitoring and
imposing penalty.
Aside from ensuring all possible steps to emphasise and
promote transparency and responsiveness in the working of
every public authority, each department and directorate of the
state government must formulate and publish within a
stipulated period a Citizen’s Charter making clear to the
public the mission and the dimensions envisaged of service
delivery. Citizen’s Charter is a document prepared by the
Service Provider in a clear and precise manner about the
quality and method of delivery of service to the users with
specific norms for delivery standards and includes in-built
mechanism for addressing issues of non-adherence to delivery
norms. For achieving this, departments should constitute two
core groups: one for and on behalf of the service provider and
another for and on behalf of the public for regular interface,
assessment of the standard and quality of services delivered,
improvement in the needed areas, updating the Citizen’s
Charter through mutual agreement and cooperation.
6.6.3. Evaluation by Outside Agency: Evaluations undertaken by
the Auditor General’s office tend to have limited influence
and are often open to criticism of being like delayed post-
mortem exercises. Another criticism of these evaluations
relates to their irregularity and inconsistent quality.
Furthermore, evaluations tend to be one-dimensional,
concentrating only on fiscal probity and rule adherence. In the
rapidly changing scenario, evaluation of process and output is
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not sufficient for achieving the desired goal and further
improvement. Evaluation of outcome and impact in the long
run is very important. Evaluation by an outside agency having
expertise in this area can contribute significantly in achieving
the goals of service delivery and further development.
6.6.4. Social Audit: Social Audit or Public Audit is a process in
which details of the resource, both financial and non-
financial, used by public agencies for development initiatives
are shared with the people, often through a public platform.
Social Audits allow people to enforce accountability and
transparency, providing the ultimate users an opportunity to
scrutinize development initiatives and pinpoint responsibility
for failures. This process of Social Audit is one step ahead of
accounting audit as it covers non-financial details in addition
to financial details. It involves the following components:-
i) Availability of information/ details of the resource,
financial and non-financial, used by public agencies for
development initiatives.
ii) Organising the ultimate users/ beneficiaries/ people.
iii) Scrutiny of the information by the end users.
The basic input for the process is availability of
information– willingness on part of the government officials
to provide information and the ability of people to ask
questions. For this, there are two powerful central legislations
that should be put to use: Consumer Protection Act 1986 and
Right to Information Act 2005.
6.6.4.1. The Consumer Protection Act, 1986 guarantees inter-
alia statutory rights to the consumer as under:-
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i) The right to be heard and to be assured that consumer’s
interest will receive due consideration at appropriate
fora. The right to be heard is not only the foremost right
of consumers it is a principle of natural justice also.
ii) The right to seek redressal against unfair trade practices
or restrictive trade practices or unscrupulous exploitation
of consumers. The consumers have been given the right
to seek redress against restrictive/unfair trade practices
or unscrupulous exploitation.
Through state and district level Consumer Protection
Committees regular vigilance is maintained over the matters
in issue.
6.6.4.2. The Right to Information Act, 2005, a slim legislation
of only 31 sections, can be used as a tool for ushering in
an era of good-governance and a truly functional
environment of continuous administrative reforms. The
Preamble of the Act envisages as its major objectives: i)
creation of an informed citizenry, (ii) promotion of
transparency and accountability in the working of all
public authorities, iii) to contain corruption and iv) to
hold governments and their instrumentalities accountable
to the governed. These professed objectives aim at
creation of a practical regime of transparency of
information and citizen-centric administration by
breaking away from the long practised culture of secrecy
and control. As its other major objective, the Act has set-
up high-power Information Commissions in the Centre
and at each of the States to make dissemination of
information by public authorities a tangible and workable
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proposition. To move closer to the cherished goal of
practicable administrative reforms by way of
dissemination and transparency of information, the newly
constituted Administrative Reforms & Public Grievances
Department of the state government will maintain vigil
and ensure that public authorities function in right earnest
to realise and fulfil the objectivities of the RTI Act, 2005
and provide information to the citizens mandatorily, pro-
actively and suo motu as required under Section 4, sub-
sections (1) & (2) of the Act. Section 4 (2)) states, “to
provide as much information suo motu to the public at
regular intervals through various means of
communications, including internet, so that the public
have minimum resort to the use of this Act to obtain
information”. A separate website of the state government
should be launched for all RTI related information.
6.6.4.3. Citizen’s Charter represents this suo motu disclosure
of information and guarantees bringing improvement in
the delivery of services to the public and ensuring
transparency, accountability and responsiveness.
Effective adoption of Citizen’s Charters can take care of
both Consumer Protection Act, 1986 and Right to
Information Act, 2005.
6.7. Changing from top-down planning to bottom-up decentralised
plan formulation, implementation and evaluation in both rural
and urban sectors
6.7.1. Reviving the role of the State Planning Board: A plan
should be a composite whole that consists of several
programmes of the departments (Sectoral Plans) in a mutually
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interdependent way. For this purpose, the State Planning
Board (SPB) may be assigned the task of finalising the plan of
each department in the context of the Eleventh Five Year Plan
based on decentralised approach. The seven Additional Chief
Secretaries will assist the State Planning Board in
coordinating the plans for the sectors under their supervision.
6.7.2. There should be a Planning-cum-Budget Cell for each
department consisting of senior officials of the department
who should be suitably trained in the planning process by the
Planning and Plan Co-ordination Department/SPB. The State
Planning Board will integrate the District Plans with
departmental plans.
6.7.3. The successful experience with the GIS-based NRDMS in
several districts should be taken forward and this facility
made available to every DPC for acting as the basic tool for
drawing up district plans.
6.7.4. Strengthening District Planning Committees: There is a
need to create a separate cell to service the District Planning
Committee headed by the District Planning Officer. The Cell
could have five separate sections, dealing with Municipal
Plans, Zilla Parishad Plans, Panchayat Samiti Plans, GP Plans
and one for maintenance of data and undertaking research,
with the necessary support in terms of IT and qualified
research assistants. There must be full time professionally
qualified persons in these cells. If such persons are
unavailable in the government, appointments of professionals
on contract or outsourcing are options to be considered as is
being done under the West Bengal Strengthening Rural
Decentralisation Programme (SRD). Special efforts ought to
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be made to ensure that the best talent and the most motivated
are invited to participate as experts. Institutional support
through universities and research institutions, both at the
District and State level, and by the Area Development
Authorities under the UD Department etc. should be
identified for assisting the DPC in planning, monitoring and
evaluation.
6.7.5. The critical steps that need to be taken to ensure that
decentralisation becomes effective in service delivery are:
i) Ensuring that urban local bodies (ULBs) and every tier
of Panchayat are assigned clearly demarcated roles
identified through activity mapping.
ii) Undertaking a well-structured process of fiscal
devolution that matches the fund availability at each
level of Panchayats and ULBs with the functions
assigned to it.
iii) Providing manpower to the Panchayats and the ULBs to
match their functioning.
6.7.5.1. Activity Mapping: Activity Mapping is a key to the
effective devolution of functions. Since activity mapping
is the trigger for the devolution of finances and
functionaries it is necessary to expedite its
operationalisation. Activity Mapping for Panchayat tiers
and for Urban Local Bodies could be done as follows:-
i) Identification of function with a particular tier.
ii) Provisioning of fund based on the identified function.
iii) Ownership of the function ensuring its outcome
6.7.5.2. Devolution of funds to match Activity Mapping: The
essential steps in this direction are for the State
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Government to undertake a detailed analysis of its annual
budget, both non-plan and plan, to separate the
allocations that would need to be transferred to the ULBs
and Panchayats to match the activities devolved to them.
It should communicate the budgeted outlay to the District
Planning Committee in respect of all District sector and
State sector schemes falling under the geographical
jurisdiction of the district. In addition, it should
communicate the budgeted outlay to the concerned ULB,
Gram Panchayat (by name)/ Panchayat Samity (by
name), Zilla Parishad (by name). Separate budget heads
for the rural and urban local bodies for devolved schemes
may be opened and fund transferred directly to these
local bodies on a quarterly basis.
6.7.5.2.1. Provisioning of plan outlay at the decentralised
level: All the tiers of panchayats and the
municipalities are required to draw up individual
annual plans out of their own resources and through
untied fund support of the government. The
communication gap regarding the allocation or
availability of fund in this regard has to be bridged
by each line department.
6.7.5.2.2. Sectoral Plan Outlay: Communication of sectoral
plan outlay to the panchayats and municipalities
should be made well in advance by the concerned
departments to enable them to prepare their annual
plan within the specified time.
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6.7.5.2.3. Effectively providing manpower capacity to Urban
Local Bodies and Panchayats to perform activities:
An important aspect of provision of manpower
capacity is the devolution of staff to Panchayats, or
enabling them to secure their own staff. Logic
dictates that for Panchayats to function effectively,
they should ultimately be vested with powers to
recruit their staff and exercise control over them.
Purely as a transitional measure, it will be necessary
to fill up all PRI & ULB posts, barring those at lower
levels, by posting government employees on
deputation to them. However, these transitional
arrangements should not be allowed to become
permanent, because as long as officials do not belong
to a local body and retain the option to revert to the
parent departments, true control cannot exist. The
creation of local cadres through administrative and
legislative measures is essential so that ULBs and
Panchayats can function effectively, execute
schemes and be accountable to the people.
6.7.6. Issues in Decentralised Planning: The Planning & Plan Co-
ordination Department should take initiatives in the following
areas for ensuring effective decentralised planning:
i) Facilitate building a district vision.
ii) Evolution of the district vision through discussion in
Panchayats and ULBs.
iii) Building a vision for basic human development
indicators that would essentially cover health, education,
women and child welfare, social justice, livelihood
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options and availability of basic minimum services. Each
panchayat and municipal body could propose, in its
envisioning exercise, how they will achieve the levels
specified for each such aspect within a particular period
of time.
iv) Ensuring Participative Citizen Surveys. Information is a
basic tool for planning, but information relevant to each
area and its population is rarely available. A citizen
survey leading to creation of a data-base for each Gram
Panchayat and ULB to know more about themselves,
developed in a participative manner, is a pre-requisite for
participatory planning.
v) The first West Bengal Human Development Report
(HDR) is already available and the second report is
under preparation. Two district HDR reports have been
published and others are under preparation. HDRs for
the State, Districts and Blocks can be the basis for the
development planning exercise. It is recommended that
HDR reports be first prepared district-wise, so that there
is a common framework within which the envisioning
exercise takes place in each district. Subsequently,
initiative should be taken to develop Human
Development Reports at sub-district level.
vi) Since there is lack of skilled planning manpower,
competent officials from Development Authorities (like
ADDA etc) should be attached to various districts for
providing skill and expertise.
vii) Take stock of the capacity and the capability of
Panchayats and ULBs to raise their own revenue.
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viii) Linkages among different Standing Committees of the
three PRI tiers have to be established.
ix) Interface between the planning authorities of the
Panchayat tiers where they intersect territorially with
Urban Local Bodies has to be established so that an
integrated plan emerges.
x) Spatial planning for the panchayats and municipalities
concerning the issues of convergence need to be
addressed.
xi) The role of Sthayee Samitis (Standing Committees) of
Zilla Parishad and Panchayat Samiti and Ward
Committees of ULBs in plan formulation should be
clearly laid down.
xii) Convergence of line departments’ plans with that of the
panchayats and municipalities has to be ensured.
xiii) It is necessary to design transparent norms for
placement of fund at different tiers of panchayats and the
municipalities depending upon the geographical and
demographical features.
xiv) Setting up of a rural engineering and implementation
cell at the districts for co-ordination and supervision of
several engineering works undertaken by line
departments like RD, PHE, PWD, Irrigation and
Waterways, Water Investigation and Development etc.
for rural development
6.7.6.1. Budget issues at Local Government Level: The time-
frames for planning for each tier as laid down in the West
Bengal Panchayat Act and similarly in the West Bengal
Municipalities Act need to be redrawn based on the
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ground realities and to fit into the time-frame of the
national Planning Commission.
6.7.6.2. Legislative issues
i) Provisions of the West Bengal Panchayat Act relating to
preparation of plan should be amended (Sections 19, 109
and 153) to ensure the activity based plan and
implementation by the concerned tier without any
legislative hindrance.
ii) Flexibility has to be given to the three-tier panchayat for
preparation of five-year plan from the date of assuming
office.
iii) An institutional mechanism has to be established for co-
ordinating the plan devised by the Metropolitan Planning
Committee and the plans made by each of the District
Planning Committees falling within the territorial
jurisdiction of the MPC. This should be the
responsibility of the State Planning Board and the Plan
Coordination Department.
6.7.6.3. Operational issues:
i) Making departments identify schemes that can be
devolved to the urban and rural local self-governing tiers
along with the earmarked fund for each.
ii) Build up capacity in the local self-government tiers
(urban and rural) to enable formulation of need-based
plans incorporating local resources and devolved funds.
iii) Integrate provision for concurrent evaluation in the
budget outlay for each scheme followed by checking the
output, evaluation of outcome and subsequently
assessment of the impact through social audit.
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iv) For optimising effectiveness of delivery systems in each
programme identify Key Result Areas and Performance
Indicators linked to physical Outputs, medium-term
Outcomes and long term Impact assessment (social
audit).
v) Base performance evaluation of officials on this.
vi) Ensure wide dissemination of the Right to Information
Act and enforce its implementation as an empowering
mechanism for the people and civil society.
6.8. Promoting widespread application of Bengali language in the
day-to-day functioning of the government in order to bring the
departments and the government organizations, agencies, public
bodies and authorities closer to the people.
It is necessary to develop Bengali speech-recognition
software for preparation of digital documents by dictation and a
user friendly keyboard. All Manuals, beginning with the
Secretariat Manual, should be made available in Bengali. A
beginning should be made by providing Bengali summaries of the
most important provisions. Publication of a compilation of
people’s entitlements handbook in Bengali is a good start in this
direction by the Administrative Training Institute.
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7 Suggesting concrete remedial measures for removing the defects
such as inefficient maintenance and problems of retrieval of
records, absence of a departmental memory, lack of uniform
procedure, absence of accountability for failure to perform.
7.1. The two major areas which appear to call for urgent attention in
the field of public policy making are:-
i) Improvement in the acquisition and integration of knowledge
and information, and
ii) Development of skills and personnel involved in policy
making.
7.2. Knowledge and Information
i) For improving policy-making, generation, identification and
harmonisation of valid knowledge are essential. This also
implies that the knowledge base is widened or, in other words,
what is relevant from different disciplines is drawn upon and
integrated.
ii) In a bureaucracy composed of a hierarchy of levels, it is not
uncommon for communications to get distorted by the time
these reach the decision points after a long and circuitous
journey. Here lies the need and importance of a carefully
devised management information system. It is the need of the
day to set up M.I.S in all departments and other units of
government eventually leading to the enhancement of the
quality of decision-making.
iii) Departments are facing major difficulties because of the lack
of an organisation for systematic policy formulation in
collecting data on the areas under examination. For each single
problem, the data have to be gathered from several sources.
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Massive data generated by committees in their deliberations,
or data used for purposes of planning are shelved after the
committees finish their deliberations and are not easily
accessible. For decision-making and policy review, operating
data are needed and have to be built up at the administrative
level. Data from special agencies have limited usefulness for
managerial review of policy-effectiveness. Hence, the using of
data in choosing operating decisions gets delayed. A state-
wide data bank has to be developed where operating data will
be readily available and to which all departments will have
necessary access. This data bank will make available subject
wise decisions, all relevant government circulars, guidelines,
rules and decisions of the State Administrative Tribunal. It
should be computerised subject-wise supported by a search
engine.
7.3. Introducing ICT
For a state-wide data bank and for effective delivery of the public
services records need to be managed electronically. The following
software developed by NIC must be used in government
organisations:-
i) Personnel Management Information System (PMIS)
ii) File Tracking Software
iii) Letter Tracking Software
iv) Fund flow Management Software
v) Grievance Redressal Software
vi) Court work Software (for electronic management of court
cases to avoid contempt of court and for filing papers
timely)
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A list showing the various application software developed by
NIC for being brought into use in the relevant offices is given in
Annex–V(A) and V(B).
7.4. e-Record Management
For effective e-governance a pre-requisite is government process
re-engineering by every department. It is not nearly converting
existing forms to digital format. Further, it has to be ensured that
all software used by departments are compatible with one another
so that there is no interface problem. Therefore, standards
regarding software to be used must be prescribed by the IT
department as binding throughout government. The drive to
establish electronic government (e-government) has begun to
make electronic records (e-records) management an issue of vital
concern. A key enabler of e-government is the establishment of a
firm legal basis for and the ability to utilise and manage the
electronic records created to conduct and document e-government
transactions. The implementation of sound e-record management
practices can address these issues as well as providing additional
benefit such as:
i) The creation and management of accurate and reliable e-
records.
ii) Ensuring the legal acceptability of e-records.
iii) Reducing costs for records retrieval.
iv) Reducing reliance on paper records and the burden of paper
record keeping.
v) Ensuring long term access to e-records of enduring
historical, legal, cultural, or administrative value.
vi) Improving citizen access to public information.
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vii) Maintaining the confidentiality and privacy of non-public
personal information.
It is proposed that a committee be constituted to develop the
guidelines on key concepts and how to manage e-records to
ensure they are authentic, unmodified, accessible, and securely
stored.
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8 Suggesting measures for fixing specific responsibility based on a
job chart for each government employee and speedy follow-up
action for delinquency
The Departmental Manual of each department and directorate will
prescribe the specific job and job related tasks of the officials
working in the organisation. Concerned officials will be responsible
for performing the job as prescribed according to the delivery norms
which have to be worked out. Reward, punishment and efficiency bar
measures should be in-built in the career progression mechanism.
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9 Formulating a Human Resource Development programme for
scientific cadre-management along with regular upgradation of the
morale and the skills of employees through focused training
interventions at the induction and the in-service levels dealing with
specific functional skills and knowledge peculiar to individual
departments and incorporating modern management and e-
governance concepts and skills involving values and ethics in
administration, team building techniques, leadership issues,
problem solving and management of change.
9.1. Training plays an important role in improving performance if
there is any lack in relevant knowledge, skill and attitude. A State
Training Policy can give the direction in this regard. To harness
the benefit of new technology in improving the delivery of public
service, development of functional skills is a must. Government
Process Re-engineering has to take place. Employees need to be
exposed to modern management concepts and skills. The
Administrative Training Institute may be assigned the task of
formulating a comprehensive Human Resource Development
programme for employees based on the State Training Policy.
The ATI will be responsible not only for implementing but also
for supervising the Human Resource Development Programme.
In view of the crucial role to be played, the ATI should be
drastically re-organised. Its complement of officials and physical
facilities should be expanded. It must be offered the necessary
logistical support so that training programmes can be organised in
all districts and sub-divisional towns. The recommendation of the
Administrative Reforms Committee, 1983 is reiterated.
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9.2. In order to harness maximum benefit in improving the
performance of the govt. officials through training intervention it
is recommended that Director, ATI, be declared Secretary
(Training) to the government in the Personnel & Training
Department. This will ensure systematic improvement in the
performance of the job holders through a well co-ordinated
training plan and its implementation.
9.3. Each department should have an officer designated as “Training
Manager”, whose job will be to ensure an integrated approach to
training. The Training Manager will be actively involved in
various activities leading to organisation of training programmes
such as identification of areas for improvement, identification for
training requirements, design of training programme, selection of
training institutions and evaluation of training. He will provide
support to the organisation in formulating the training plan of the
department. The Training Manager will act as an interface
between the organisation and the training institutions.
9.4. The Committee therefore recommends an intensive system of
training and instruction at all levels of administration. All
employees, including Group D employees, should undergo
induction training at the time of recruitment, and also attend
periodic refresher courses. At the point of time when a section or
sections of employees attain a measure of seniority entitling them
to be considered for promotion, they should, as a matter of
routine, be provided with a course of training which could prepare
them for the next stage of administrative responsibility.
Depending upon the nature of duties and functions involved, such
training could be imparted in the respective departments, at the
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Administrative Training Institute, or at some other training
institute.
9.5. In order to enhance capacity of the officials at the Secretariat
through regular training interventions, the Committee
recommends setting up a Secretariat Training Institute.
9.6. A competent officer is the most effective trainer in improving the
competence of trainee officials. For motivating competent
officers to serve in the ATI and other training institutions a
training allowance should be sanctioned as available in the Lal
Bahadur Shastri National Academy of Administration and other
national training institutions.
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10 Recommendations regarding personnel policy covering cadre management
including recruitment, training, tenures, performance appraisal, modalities
for promotions based on merit and selection procedure for holding higher
responsibilities, measures for below average performance, training for
improving performance of low performers, measures for checking corruption
by ensuring optimal transparency of all financial transactions particularly
tenders etc. in the context of the Right to Information Act.
10.1. Personnel Administration: The success of an organization
depends on the capacities and capabilities of its personnel. Unless
an organization devotes enough resources on the development of
its human resource, it would not get the required output from its
personnel. An organization’s commitment to the development of
human resource has to be reflected in its policies, procedures,
practices, customs and ideals.
10.1.1. Present structure of different State Civil Services—scope
for rationalisation: The present structure of State Civil
Services, particularly the premier State Civil Service of West
Bengal, offers definite scope for rationalisation. The West
Bengal Civil Service (Executive) which is the important State
Service of West Bengal is presently over burdened with a
huge cadre strength comprising 1765 posts and needs to be
down-sized to not more than 1400 to ensure cadre mobility
and realisation of effective services from the officers of the
Service.
10.1.2. The same mechanism needs to be applied to other state
services like Excise, Commercial Taxes, Education, Health,
Agriculture and Engineering Services. A new Service had
recently been introduced by the State Government for
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registration of land and property under the Finance
Department for which cadre planning needs to be put in place
immediately. The higher posts of Prisons Directorate and
Department of Jails are filled up by deputation of officers
from Indian Administrative Service, Indian Police Service and
West Bengal Civil Service while the subordinate posts of
Jailors, Sub-Jailors and similar other posts are filled up by
direct recruitment. The incumbents for the posts have to suffer
the perennial problem of lack of mobility in service.
Promotional avenues for this level of officers require to be
considered. Similar consideration is needed for West Bengal
Health Service Cadre, which has a substantially high cadre
strength of more than 6500 medical doctors. Career mobility
crunch for the cadre is a serious problem, which needs to be
obviated.
10.1.3. Regarding police, the recommendations of the West
Bengal State Police Commission need to be implemented
early. The Police Regulations of Bengal are not available for
reference being out of print for long. These regulations need
to be widely circulated and suitably updated. The general
principle of the police as a uniformed force functioning under
the over all supervision of the civil authority needs to be
stressed and the administrative hierarchy arranged
accordingly. The earlier system of the annual performance
appraisal of the police officers being initiated by the Civil
Authorities should be restored.
10.1.4. Present structure of different State Civil Services – Scope
for rationalisation: The West Bengal Civil Service
(Executive ) and its allied services (WBF&SS, WBExS,
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WBLS, WBEmpS, WBCTS, WBCoopS, WBAITS & WBRS)
may be merged in to single service and it should be renamed
as West Bengal Civil Service on the following grounds:-
i) All the services are appointed to Group A through the
same examination.
ii) The nature of the jobs of allied services does not require
any technical expertise. A WBCS officer can easily
perform the functions relating to Food & Supplies,
Excise, Labour, Employment, Cooperation, Commercial
Taxes, Agricultural Income Taxes, Registration etc.
Previously, most functions of the allied services were
accomplished effectively and efficiently by the WBCS
(Exe) officers.
iii) It is recommended that no further recruitment to the
Group A services other than to the West Bengal Civil
Service should take place from 2010. The existing cadres
will continue to serve as at present till its members
superannuate.
iv) Horizontal mobility of service members will be open to
all and vertical movement facilitated. Thus, inter-
departmental coordination will be strengthened and the
public interest better served.
v) Lateral entry into services, except on promotion from
feeder posts, as in the present, is not to be encouraged as
this adversely affects the promotion prospects of in-
service officers and demoralises them. Option may be
given for voluntary retirement from service for all cadre
officers after 20 years of confirmed service with full
pensionary benefits on the basis of the last pay drawn.
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Scope for deputation for officers of state services to
Government of India posts, posts in government
undertakings, semi-government organisations and
private organisations on lien should be expanded to
enhance motivation by way of monetary gains and career
mobility. This will also enrich the experience of the
officers and thereby enhance the utility of the state’s
manpower resources.
10.1.5. As an alternative, at a particular level of seniority,
directorate officer may be posted in the secretariat so that
their valuable field experience enriches policy-making. (cf.
6.5.1)
10.1.6. There are wide discrepancies in the designations of the
officers posted in the directorates having the same pay scale.
Correcting this through scale-linked designation creates
several administrative and legal problems where quasi-
judicial functions are linked to particular designations. At the
same time, the morale of the officers is a matter of serious
concern. This issue has to be examined in depth by the new
AR Department and solutions found.
10.1.7. The engineers recruited by the state government do not
form an en-cadred service. Therefore, it is proposed to create
a WB Engineering Service. Unified recruitment and training
will facilitate uniform cadre management and far better
coordination in between officers belonging to different
engineering disciplines.
10.1.8. The West Bengal Stenographers cadre is at present
controlled by the Finance Department. Since the Personnel
Department is the specialised govt. dept. dealing with
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personnel matters of the Common Cadre, it is recommended
that the stenographers’ cadre controlling authority be the
Personnel Department.
10.1.9. Departments having regular interaction with other States in
India should have parity in the designations among the States.
It is found that there is disparity even at the national level in
these areas.
10.2 A separate personnel policy should be drawn up for every State
Government Service after careful examination. As an example,
Annex-VI may be referred to which is an attempt in that
direction for one service.
10.3 The Public Service Commission (PSC) should reduce the time
gap between the date of application and the date of joining for
all recruitment, particularly Group A services. Now it is around
2 years. If it is reduced to 7-8 months, the average age at the
point of entry will immediately be reduced by 2 years.
Computerising all the examination operations of the PSC, as in
the UPSC, will help in speeding up matters.
10.4 Recruitment for the state services should invariably be through
the PSC. Where there is no arrangement yet for holding written
examinations for selection of candidates in Group-A posts of the
State Government, the method of selection through written
examination followed by interview conducted by the PSC
should be introduced.
10.5 Performance appraisal system should be introduced in a strict
and organised manner, working out a uniform methodology for
all service cadre officers. Performance appraisal should be
carried out for officers of all Services for each five-year block
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and promotion/pay-scale movement should strictly be dependent
on the result of the performance appraisal thus carried out.
10.6 Knowledge of the theory and practice of Public Administration
develops a competence to deal with public service delivery more
effectively. All new recruits to Group ‘A’ services may be
encouraged to obtain a Master’s Degree in Public
Administration through Distance Learning Mode as government
has done for the WBCS (Exe) new recruits.
10.7 Induction Training for all services officers should be made
compulsory, lasting for at least one month before they join posts
for regular delivery of services to the public. This should be
followed up at specified intervals by in-service training to
update the employees’ orientation and skills.
10.8 Security of tenure—Institutional mechanism to ensure
objectivity in transfers: Frequent and frivolous transfer of
officers either on own seeking or on the decision of the cadre
controlling authority, except in extreme necessity, at the highest
echelon of administration is to be strictly avoided. Ordinarily,
no transfer should be effected before an officer completes 2 to 3
years in a post. No officer should be allowed to continue in a
post for more than 3 years at a stretch. Instead of decisions
regarding transfer being initiated and effected at a junior level of
administration, this should be done at the middle level based
upon a computerised PMIS. Further, a small committee should
be set up comprising of the concerned Additional Chief
Secretaries chaired by the Chief Secretary that may look into
any proposal or problem for out of turn/pre-mature
transfer/promotion or retention in the same post beyond 4 years.
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Each exceptional case must be backed up by a speaking order in
writing.
10.9 Mid-term career review, periodic efficiency/integrity evaluation,
reassignment of the deadwood:
10.9.1 Mid-term career review and assessment of periodic
efficiency are very important factors for toning-up
personnel administration and for creating confidence in the
section of staff and officers who are committed to delivery
of services and are inclined to keep the system moving. The
present perception regarding a section of the state apparatus
not performing assigned duties, or doing so to a negligible
extent, while the other section is overburdened because of
its natural inclination to be efficient and dedicated has led to
it shouldering a larger proportion than the normal share of
work. No method of mid-term career review and periodic
review of efficiency exists and this must be established as
part of the personnel management system.
10.9.2 Similarly, periodic evaluation of integrity of staff and
officers by setting-up a small but active and efficient
vigilance unit in every establishment for ensuring good
governance, protection of the honest workers and taking
punitive action against the corrupt is a tangible necessity for
mobilising personnel administration in the right direction.
Re-assignment of the deadwood after proper evaluation on a
regular basis by introduction of an effective mechanism is a
top priority item to gear up the existing apparatus by
realising services from those who are serviceable and
eliminating the unserviceable through forced
retirement/golden handshake etc.
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10.10 Performance Review: Performance management matters to
everyone who wants to see citizens better served by
Government. It can be used to ensure that services are
improving and are more efficient. Policy decisions are being
carried out and citizens are being well served.
10.10.1 Performance of an organisation depends largely on the
performance of the officials working in the organisation.
Developing an institutional mechanism to capture the
performance of officials and to evaluate it in proper
perspective can ensure effective and efficient work in the
organisation. Annual Confidential Report is a valuable tool
in achieving this goal.
10.10.2 In order to arrive at a proper report regarding the work of
an officer in the secretariat during the year it is necessary
that his objectives for the year under report be fixed with
reference to his/ her job requirement in the post held. Such
objectives for each year should be arrived at after mutual
consultation between the officer and the reporting officer
(RO). For this purpose, each RO should prepare a list of
his/her objectives for the year by the end of the first week of
April of that year and communicate it to the officers below
him/her for whom he/she is the reporting authority. Each
subordinate officer will, then, prepare his/her own list of 8
to 10 objectives incorporating as many as he/she feels
achievable from his/her superior’s list and submit it by the
end of April each year to the RO. The RO will hold a
meeting with each such subordinate officer and then finalise
a mutually agreed set of objectives. These should, as far as
possible, be measurable in terms of time and out-put. This
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should also include general items that will contribute to the
over-all image of the administration such as maintaining a
clean and healthy ambience in each officer’s office/section.
10.10.3 Such objectives need to be reviewed by the officer
concerned quarterly in his own interest to check how far he
has been able to progress towards achieving them.
10.10.4 Within the second week of April of the next year each
officer shall submit to the RO a self-assessment report
stating the objectives mutually agreed to and the
achievement against each. This report should also indicate if
there have been any significant shortfalls in achieving the
objectives, along with reasons if any. Noticeable or
outstanding achievements the officer has been capable of
should feature in this self-assessment report.
10.10.5 The Reporting Officer shall take into account this self-
assessment report while recording his comments and
evaluating the officer that must be completed within May of
that year. If there is delay, this must be explained by the
RO. If that is not done, an entry to that effect shall be made
in the ACR of that RO by the Reviewing Authority and it
shall be held against him as an instance of failure to comply
with directions issued by the government.
10.11 Revision of provisions on various entitlements/comparison
with private sector procedures: A high power committee for this
purpose is to be constituted for annual review of the status of the
existing provisions on entitlements vis-a-vis the private sector
and making recommendations after consultation with the
employees’ unions, officers’ service associations, management
specialists and organisations with expert knowledge in this area.
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10.12 Manpower planning (cf. para 3.23.1): Assessment of the staff
strength and co-relating them with the needs of the department
is extremely important. Action research in this area and steps to
be taken may be assigned to the Directorate of Evaluation,
Monitoring and Manpower or outsourced to a suitable expert
agency whose work will be supervised by the Personnel and
Training Department. They should make a periodic assessment
and suggest action to the government for framing of policy and
improving the existing scenario involving:-
i) Identification of surplus staff.
ii) Devising ways to upgrade their skills to enhance their
employability/possible alternative placement.
iii) Designing a severance package and its implementation
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11 Recommending changes in the system with the specific goal of
efficient disposal of work intra-and-inter-departmental through
electronic movement of files instead of physical movement of
papers, electronic interfacing with field offices and building up
an electronic data bank for the state
This committee has recommended for extensive use of Local
Area/Wide Area Network system, internet facility and setting up a
state-wide electronic data bank (cf. 6.2). Every Department should be
linked electronically to its Directorates to facilitate electronic file
movement. Similarly, there has to be an electronic link-up of every
directorate with its field offices. To enable this, a specific percentage
of each department’s budget must be set aside and utilised to provide
the required hardware and software. Extensive use of e-mail must be
encouraged for inter-office communication. Suitable amendments in
statutes have to be identified and carried out so that no legal lacunae
inhibit use of e-mail.
12 Suggesting measures for quick decision-making such as specific
recommendations for delegation of administrative power in
departments and directorates and a thorough revision of the
delegation of financial power rules in the light of the current
requirements
Directorate of Treasuries under Finance Department is working on
revision of the Delegation of Financial Power Rules. They may be
requested to revise it as early as possible in the light of current
requirements.
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Conclusion
The Expert Committee on Administrative Reforms in its present
report has dealt with some of the most important issues on improving
service delivery. Such reforms are a continuous process. It is
recommended that this exercise should continue with the other important
areas involving public service delivery such as effective district
administration, financial management systems, ethics and values in
administration etc.
Page 65 of 96 Annex - II
List of Associations/ Organisation who have submitted their views/ suggestions on the Terms of Reference of the Official Level Expert Committee on
Administrative Reforms 1 State Co-ordination Committee of the West Bengal Govt. Employees
Associations & Unions
2 State Government Employees’ Federation, West Bengal
3 Convention of State Service Associations, West Bengal
4 Higher and State Audit & Accounts Services Association, West Bengal
5 Forum of Officers of W.B. Audit & Accounts Service
6 West Bengal Secretariat Services Association
7 The Association of West Bengal Secretariat Assistants
8 WBCS(Exe) Officers’ Association
9 IPS Association, West Bengal
10 West Bengal State Commercial Tax Service Association
11 Commercial Taxes Directorate Officers’ Association, West Bengal
12 Federation of Associations of Engineers & Technical Officers (FAETO),
West Bengal
13 State Govt. Trinamool Employees’ Federation, West Bengal
14 West Bengal Secretariat Personal Assistants’ Association
15 West Bengal Government Personal Assistants’ (Schedule – B) Association
16 West Bengal State Excise Service Association
17 West Bengal Assistant Child Development Project Officers’ Welfare
Association
Page 66 of 96 Annex – III
List of West Bengal Government Departments with Directorates and Boards (Excluding Public Sector Undertakings)
Existing Organisational Setup Organisational Setup after Proposed Re-organisation
Sl Name of Department
Directorate/ Board
Sl Name of Department
Directorate/ Board
Remarks
1 Administrative Reforms & Public Grievances
New Department, bifurcated from Personnel & Administrative Reforms
1 Agriculture Directorate of Agriculture
2 Agriculture
Directorate of Agriculture
No Change
Directorate of Agriculture Marketing
Directorate of Agriculture Marketing
2 Agricultural Marketing
West Bengal State Marketing Board
3 Agricultural Marketing
West Bengal State Marketing Board
No Change
Directorate of Animal Resources and Animal Health
Directorate of Animal Resources and Animal Health
3 Animal Resources Development
Directorate of Dairy Development
4 Animal Resources Development
Directorate of Dairy Development
No Change
4 Backward Classes Welfare
Backward Classes Welfare Directorate
5 Backward Classes Welfare
Backward Classes Welfare Directorate
No Change
5 Biotechnology Merged with Science and Technology
6 Civil Defence Merged with Disaster Management. Home Guard and NVF are under Home (Police) Dept.
Directorate of Industries
Directorate of Industries
Directorate of Mines & Minerals
Directorate of Mines & Minerals
7 Commerce & Industries
Office of the Registrar of Firms, Societies and Non-trading Corporations
6 Commerce & Industries
Office of the Registrar of Firms, Societies and Non-trading Corporations
No change
Page 67 of 96 Annex – III
Existing Organisational Setup Organisational Setup after Proposed Re-organisation
Sl Name of Department
Directorate/ Board
Sl Name of Department
Directorate/ Board
Remarks
--------- --------- 7 Constitution, Elections & Parliamentary Affairs
Directorate of Elections
New Department & Directorate.
The 73rd and 74th Amendments to the constitution gave constitutional status to local self-government and provided a new, more politically underpinned, universalised platform for decentralised planning from below and effective delivery of the service. The very effectiveness of such a democratic organisationlargely depends in conducting free and fair election at regular intervals. With the constitutional status ofthe local self-government the relevance and necessity of having a Department of Panchayats and aDepartment of Municipal Affairs has not only become irrelevant but is also contrary to the basic spirit ofthe constitutional provision. This dept. will also deal with all statutory matters of rural and urban local bodies.
Directorate of Consumer Affairs & Fair Business Practices
Directorate of Consumer Affairs & Fair Business Practices
Directorate of Legal Metrology
Directorate of Legal Metrology
8 Consumer Affairs
Consumer Fora
8 Consumer Affairs
Consumer Fora
No Change
Directorate of Co-operative Audit
Co-operation Directorate of Co-operative Audit
9 Co-operation
Directorate of Co-operative Societies
9
Directorate of Co-operative Societies
No Change
Bureau of Applied Economics & Statistics
Bureau of Applied Economics & Statistics
Directorate of EMM State Land Use Board
10 Development & Planning
State Planning Board
10 Planning &Plan Co-ordination
State Planning Board
State Land Use Board merged with Land & Land Reforms Dept. EMM Directorate to be wound up
Page 68 of 96 Annex – III
Existing Organisational Setup Organisational Setup after Proposed Re-organisation
Sl Name of Department
Directorate/ Board
Sl Name of Department
Directorate/ Board
Remarks
Directorate of Relief
11 Disaster Management
Directorate of Relief
11 Disaster Management
Directorate of Fire and Emergency Services & Civil Defence
Fire and Emergency Services & Civil Defence merged with Disaster Management. Home Guards & NVF removed from Civil Defence Dept. and merged with Home (Police) Dept.
12
Environment West Bengal Pollution Control Board
12 Environment West Bengal Pollution Control Board
No change
Directorate of Excise Directorate of Commercial Taxes Directorate of State Lotteries
13 Excise Directorate of Excise
13 Revenue
Directorate of Registration & Stamp Revenue
New Department Directorate of Agricultural Income Tax & Directorate of Electricity Duties are proposed to be merged with Directorate of Commercial Taxes
Recent experience in the revenue earning departments corroborate the fact that convergence of activitiesand closeness among revenue departments always lead to collection of more revenue by increasing the taxnet and reducing the tax evasion. So if all the revenue earning departments are merged, tax-GDP ratio in the state will definitely improve. As a result, state will have more resources in his command fordevelopment activities.
Directorate of Commercial Taxes
Directorate of Treasuries & Accounts
Directorate of Treasuries & Accounts
Directorate of Pension, Provident Fund & Group Insurance
Directorate of Registration & Stamp Revenue Directorate of Small Savings Directorate of Agricultural Income Tax Directorate of Pension, Provident Fund & Group Insurance
14 Finance
Directorate of Electricity Duties
14 Finance
Directorate of Small Savings
Revenue Earning Directorates have been transferred to Department of Revenue
Page 69 of 96 Annex – III
Existing Organisational Setup Organisational Setup after Proposed Re-organisation
Sl Name of Department
Directorate/ Board
Sl Name of Department
Directorate/ Board
Remarks
15 Fire & Emergency Services
Directorate of Fire and Emergency Services
Merged with Disaster Management
16 Fisheries Directorate of Fisheries
15 Fisheries Directorate of Fisheries
No Change
Directorate of Food Processing Industries and Horticulture
Directorate of Food Processing Industries and Horticulture
17 Food Processing Industries & Horticulture
Directorate of Cinchona and other Medicinal Plants
16 Food Processing Industries & Horticulture
Directorate of Cinchona and other Medicinal Plants
No Change
Directorate of District Distribution, Procurement and Supply
Directorate of Distribution, Procurement and Supply
Directorate of Rationing Directorate of Transportation Directorate of Consumer GoodsDirectorate of Storage. Directorate of Textile and PDS Directorate of Non-cereal Essential Commodities Directorate of Inspection and Quality Control. Directorate of Statistics.
Directorate of Storage.
18 Food & Supplies
Directorate of Finance.
17 Food & Supplies
Directorate of Accounts.
Directorate of Rationing,Directorate of Transportation, Directorate of Consumer Goods, Directorate of Textile and PDS, Directorate of Non-cereal Essential Commodities, Directorate of Inspection and Quality Control and Directorate of Statistics are merged with Directorate of Distribution, Procurement and Supply.Directorate of Finance has been renamed as Directorate of Accounts
Directorate of Forest
19
Forest Directorate of Forest
18 Forest & Tourism
Directorate of Tourism
Forest and Tourism are merged.
Forest in this state provides an excellent opportunity for tourism in general and Eco-tourism in particular. Forest and Tourism are integrally linked.
Page 70 of 96 Annex – III
Existing Organisational Setup Organisational Setup after Proposed Re-organisation
Sl Name of Department
Directorate/ Board
Sl Name of Department
Directorate/ Board
Remarks
Directorate of Health services
Directorate of Health services
Directorate of Medical Education & Training
Directorate of Medical Education & Training
Directorate of Homeopathy
Directorate of Homeopathy
Directorate of Ayurvedic & Unani Medicine
Directorate of Ayurvedic & Unani Medicine
Directorate of Family Welfare
Directorate of Family Welfare
20 Health & Family Welfare
State Medicinal Plants Board
19 Health & Family Welfare
State Medicinal Plants Board
No Change
Directorate of Public Instruction.
Directorate of Public Instruction.
Directorate of Technical Education.
Directorate of Technical Education.
District Gazetteer District Gazetteer
State Archives State Archives
21 Higher Education
State Book Board
20 Higher Education
State Book Board
No Change
22 Hill Affairs 21 Hill Affairs No Change 23 Home
(including Passport, Police, Political)
West Bengal Police Directorate
22 Home (including Passport, Police, Political)
West Bengal Police Directorate
Residuary work of RR&R Dept and Home Guards and NVF from Civil Defence
Housing Directorate
Housing Directorate
Estate Directorate Estate Directorate
24 Housing
Brick Production Directorate
23 Housing
Brick Production Directorate
No Change
25 Industrial Reconstruction
Merged with Public Enterprise
Directorate of Information
Directorate of Information
26 Information & Cultural Affairs
Directorate of Archaeology
24 Information & Cultural Affairs
Directorate of Archaeology
No change
27 Information Technology
25 Information Technology
No Change
28 Irrigation & Waterways
Irrigation & Waterways Directorate
26 Irrigation & Waterways
Irrigation & Waterways Directorate
No Change
Page 71 of 96 Annex – III
Existing Organisational Setup Organisational Setup after Proposed Re-organisation
Sl Name of Department
Directorate/ Board
Sl Name of Department
Directorate/ Board
Remarks
29 Jails Prison Directorate27 Jails Prison Directorate
No Change
Office of the Registrar General of Marriage
Office of the Registrar General of Marriage
30 Judicial
Office of the Legal Remembrancer
28 Judicial & Law
Office of the Legal Remembrancer
Law merged with Judicial
There is a lot of similarity and inter-dependence in the activities of these two departments. Merger of these two departments will increase efficiency.
Directorate of Land Records & Survey
31 Land & Land Reforms
Directorate of Land Records & Survey
29 Land & Land Reforms
State Land Use Board
State Land Use Board merged from Development & Planning Dept.
Directorate of Labour
Directorate of Labour
Directorate of Employment
Directorate of Employment
Directorate of Factories
Directorate of Factories
Directorate of Boilers
Directorate of Boilers
Directorate of ESI Directorate of ESI
Directorate of Shops & Establishments
Directorate of Shops & Establishments
32 Labour
West Bengal Labour Welfare Board
30 Labour
West Bengal Labour Welfare Board
No Change
33 Law Merged with Judicial Dept.
Directorate of Mass Education Extension
34 Mass Education Extension
Directorate of Library Services
Merged with School Education Dept.
Page 72 of 96 Annex – III
Existing Organisational Setup Organisational Setup after Proposed Re-organisation
Sl Name of Department
Directorate/ Board
Sl Name of Department
Directorate/ Board
Remarks
Directorate of Micro & Small Scale Enterprises
Directorate of Micro & Small Scale Enterprises
Directorate of Handloom & Textiles
Directorate of Handloom & Textiles
Directorate of Sericulture
Directorate of Sericulture
35 Micro & Small Scale Enterprises & Textiles
West Bengal Khadi & Village Industries Board
31 Micro & Small Scale Enterprises & Textiles
West Bengal Khadi & Village Industries Board
No Change
Directorate of Minorities Development & Welfare
Directorate of Minorities Development & Welfare
Directorate of Madrasah Education
Directorate of Madrasah Education
Board of Wakfs, West Bengal.
Board of Wakfs, West Bengal.
36 Minorities Development & Welfare & Madrasah Education
West Bengal Board of Madrasa Education
32 Minorities Development & Welfare & Madrasah Education
West Bengal Board of Madrasa Education
No Change
Directorate of Local Bodies
Municipal Engineering Directorate
37 Municipal Affairs
West Bengal Valuation Board
Merged with Urban Development Dept.
Directorate of Panchayats
38 Panchayats & Rural Development
Directorate of Panchayats
33 Panchayats & Rural Development Directorate/
Agency of Rural Development
See paras 3.8 & 3.9
39 Parliamentary Affairs
Merged with Constitution & Election Dept.
40 Paschimanchal Unnayan Affairs
Merged with Panchayats and Rural Development Dept.
Page 73 of 96 Annex – III
Existing Organisational Setup Organisational Setup after Proposed Re-organisation
Sl Name of Department
Directorate/ Board
Sl Name of Department
Directorate/ Board
Remarks
41 Personnel & Administrative Reforms
34 Personnel & Training
Bifurcated and new department created of Administrative Reforms & Public Grievances
Equipping personnel suitably, to tackle changing environment and tasks, requires renaming of the dept. for adequate emphasis. 42 Public
Enterprise 35 Public Enterprise
& Industrial Reconstruction
Industrial Reconstruction merged with Public Enterprise Dept.
43 Power & Non-Conventional Energy Sources
Directorate of Electricity, West Bengal.
36 Power Directorate of Electricity
No change
44 Public Health Engineering
Public Health Engineering Directorate
37 Public Health Engineering
Public Health Engineering Directorate
No Change
Public Works Directorate Public Works (Roads) Directorate
45 Public Works
Construction Board
38 Public Works Public Works Directorate
PW (Roads) and Construction Board merged with PW Directorate.
Directorate/ Agency of Rural Development
39 Rural Development (merging existing depts of Paschimanchal Unnayan Affairs, Self-help Groups & Self-employment)
Directorate of Self-help Groups & Self-Employment
New Department & Directorate but see paras 3.8 & 3.9
46 Refugee Relief & Rehabilitation
R R & R Directorate
Wound up. Residuary work to be transferred to Home Department
Page 74 of 96 Annex – III
Existing Organisational Setup Organisational Setup after Proposed Re-organisation
Sl Name of Department
Directorate/ Board
Sl Name of Department
Directorate/ Board
Remarks
Directorate of School Education
Directorate of School Education
Directorate of Accounts
Directorate of Accounts
West Bengal Board of Secondary Education
Directorate of Mass Education Extension
Directorate of Library Services West Bengal Board of Secondary Education
47 School Education
West Bengal Board of Primary Education
40 School Education & Mass Education Extension
West Bengal Board of Primary Education
Mass Education Extension merged with School Education Dept.
Education is a constitutional right. Therefore, state is responsible for providing basic educational facilities as also vocational education facilities for building capacity to choose among livelihood options as part of the Human Development concept So merger of School Education and Mass Education Extension departments will definitely be a step forward in that direction. 48 Science &
Technology 41 Science &
Technology Bio-Technology
merged with Science & Technology Dept.
49 Self-help Groups & Self-employment
Directorate of Self-help Groups & Self employment
Merged with Panchayats and Rural Development Dept.
50 Sports and Youth Services
Youth Services Directorate
42 Sports and Youth Services
Youth Services Directorate
No Change
51 Sundarban Affairs
Sundarban Development Board
43 Sundarban Affairs Sundarban Development Board
No Change
Directorate of Technical Education
Directorate of Technical Education
52 Technical Education & Training.
Directorate of Industrial Training
44 Technical Education & Training.
Directorate of Industrial Training
No Change
53 Tourism Tourism Directorate
Merged with Forest
Page 75 of 96 Annex – III
Existing Organisational Setup Organisational Setup after Proposed Re-organisation
Sl Name of Department
Directorate/ Board
Sl Name of Department
Directorate/ Board
Remarks
Inland Water Transport Directorate
Inland Water Transport Directorate
Public Vehicles Directorate
Public Vehicles Directorate
54 Transport
Traffic and Transportation Engineering Directorate
45 Transport
Traffic and Transportation Engineering Directorate
No change
Directorate/ Agency of Urban Development Municipal Engineering Directorate
55 Urban Development
46 Urban Development
West Bengal Valuation Board
New Directorate. Municipal Affairs Department merged.
Water Investigation Directorate
Water Investigation & Development
Water Investigation Directorate
56 Water Investigation & Development
Water Resources Development Directorate
47
Water Resources Development Directorate
No Change
Directorate of Social Welfare
Directorate of Social Welfare
West Bengal Social Welfare Board
West Bengal Social Welfare Board
57 Women & Child Development & Social Welfare
Rajya Sainik Board, West Bengal
48 Women & Child Development & Social Welfare
Rajya Sainik Board, West Bengal
No Change
Page 76 of 96 Annex – IV
Allied departments grouped for co-ordination under under Additional Chief Secretaries
I Additional Chief Secretary (Agriculture) – overseeing the entire agriculture and allied sector
Present Name of the Department Proposed Name of the Department 1 Agriculture 1 Agriculture 2 Food Processing Industries &
Horticulture 2 Food Processing Industries &
Horticulture 3 Agricultural Marketing 3 Agricultural Marketing 4 Animal Resources Development 4 Animal Resources Development 5 Co-operation 5 Co-operation 6 Fisheries 6 Fisheries 7 Water Investigation & Development 7 Water Investigation & Development 8 Irrigation & Waterways 8 Irrigation & Waterways II Additional Chief Secretary (Planning and Plan Co-ordination) – overseeing all development matters
Present Name of the Department Proposed Name of the Department 1 Development & Planning 1 Planning and Plan Co-ordination2 Hill Affairs 2 Hill Affairs 3 Minorities Development & Welfare &
Madrasah Education 3 Minorities Development &
Welfare (excluding Madrasah Education)
4 Municipal Affairs Proposed to be merged with Urban Development
5 Panchayats & Rural Development 4 Panchayats and Rural Development
6 Paschimanchal Unnayan Affairs Proposed to be merged with Rural development
7 Self-help Groups & Self-employment Proposed to be merged with Rural development
8 Sunderban Affairs 5 Sunderban Affairs 9 Urban Development 6 Urban Development
Page 77 of 96 Annex – IV
III Additional Chief Secretary (Home) – overseeing all Home, Elections & Parliamentary Affairs
Present Name of the Department Proposed Name of the Department 1 Home (Constitution & Elections,
Police, Political, Passport) 1 Home (Police, Political, Passport)
2 Disaster Management 2 Disaster Management 3 Civil Defence Proposed to be merged with Disaster
Management (excluding Home Guards & NVF)
4 Jails 3 Jails 4 Constitutions, Elections &
Parliamentary Affairs 5 Parliamentary Affairs Proposed to be merged with
Constitution & Elections 6 Personnel & Administrative
Reforms 5 Personnel & Training
6 Administrative Reforms and Public Grievances
7 Food and supplies 7 Food and supplies 8 Consumer Affairs 8 Consumer Affairs IV Additional Chief Secretary (Higher Education) – overseeing all educational activities
Present Name of the Department Proposed Name of the Department 1 Higher Education 1 Higher Education 2 Mass Education & Extension Proposed to be merged with School
Education 3 Science & Technology 2 Science & Technology 4 School Education 3 School Education 5 Technical Education & Training 4 Technical Education & Training 6 Minorities Development & Welfare
& Madrasah Education (Madrasah Education only)
5 Madrasah Education only of the Minorities Development & Welfare & Madrasah Education
7 Bio-Technology Proposed to be merged with Science & Technology
Page 78 of 96 Annex – IV
V Additional Chief Secretary (Power ) – overseeing all industrial and infrastructural activities
Present Name of the Department Proposed Name of the Department 1 Power & Non-Conventional Energy
Sources 1 Power
2 Commerce & Industries 2 Commerce & Industries 3 Micro & Small Scale Enterprises &
Textile 3 Micro & Small Scale Enterprises &
Textile 4 Housing 4 Housing 5 Industrial Reconstruction Proposed to be merged with Public
Enterprises 6 Information Technology 5 Information Technology 7 Labour 6 Labour excluding E.S.I 8 Public Enterprises 7 Public Enterprises 9 Public Works 8 Public Works 10 Transport 9 Transport VI Additional Chief Secretary (Health & Family Welfare) – overseeing all health & welfare matters
Present Name of the Department Proposed Name of the Department 1 Health & Family Welfare 1 Health & Family Welfare 2 Backward Classes Welfare 2 Backward Classes Welfare 3 Labour (E.S.I. only) 3 Labour (E.S.I. only) 4 Public Health Engineering 4 Public Health Engineering 5 Women & Child Development &
Social Welfare 5 Women & Child Development &
Social Welfare VII Additional Chief Secretary (Forest) – overseeing land and environment matters
Present Name of the Department Proposed Name of the Department 1 Forest 1 Forest 2 Environment 2 Environment 3 Land & Land Reforms 3 Land & Land Reforms
Departments outside the grouping 1 Revenue
2 Finance
3 Information & Cultural Affairs
4 Judicial and Law
5 Sports & Youth Services
Page 79 of 96 Annex – V (A)
Sl No Application Software Developed by NIC
1 Personnel Management Information System (PMIS)
2 File Tracking Software
3 Letter Tracking Software
4 Fund flow Management Software
5 Grievance Redressal Software
6 Arms License Information and Monitoring System
7 Bangla Swanirbhar Karmasansthan Prakolpo (BSKP) Information System
8 Base Line survey data bank.
9 Bidi workers Identity Card Issuance and Monitoring System
10 Certificate Information System
11 COSA
12 District Consumer Disputes Redress Forum/CONFONET
13 Election Results Information System
14 Food Grains Distribution System under Mid-day Meal Scheme
15 Health Samity Accounts Information System
16 Land Acquisition System
17 Monitoring System for Self Help Groups
18 Police Verification Report System
19 Polling Personnel Deployment System
20 Post Matric Scholarship System for Backward Classes
21 Provident Fund for Landless Agricultural Labourers
22 Public Demand Recovery System
23 Public Grievance Redress Systems
24 Sarathi/Vahan
25 Service Record Monitoring System/Personnel Information System
26 Sishu Siksha Kendra Information System
27 Soil Health Card
Page 80 of 96 Annex – V (B)
List of Projects Developed by NIC for State Administration and Implementation
Status April - 2008 Sr. No.
Department Sr. No.
Project Implementation Status
1 Finance Department
1 CORD - Computerization of Registration of Documents
Yes, in 156 Offices out of 341 through PPP mode
2 TIS - Treasury Information System
Implemented at 39 treasuries under NIC, the rest are the responsibilities of the CMC Ltd.
3 Annual State Budget (Web enabled / CD)
Fully Automated system; used each year for the Budget
4 Computerization of Commercial Tax System
Implemented in major Circle Offices, Infrastructure is being upgraded to cover all Offices; E-Return is now functional; e-Registration is on the way towards implementation
5 DPPG(Directorate of Pension, PF & Gratuity) Computerization
Implemented
6 GISS(Group Insurance & Saving Scheme) System at DTA
Implemented
7 Information System for Government Stamps at DTA
Implemented
8 Reserve Bank Account Information System
Implemented
9 Rural Infrastructure Development Fund (RIDF) Monitoring System
Implemented
10 Audit Para Information System Completed; implemented with current data
Page 81 of 96 Annex – V (B)
Sr. No.
Department Sr. No.
Project Implementation Status
2 Excise Department
1 xPERT – Excise Program for Effective Revenue Tracking
On line system for Import Pass, Transport Pass, Export Pass implemented on pilot basis in Kolkata South and Burdwan West
3 Judiciary & Law
1 Computerization Calcutta High Court (LOBIS package)
Implemented; being extended to district courts
2 Filing and Monitoring of High Court Cases
Implemented
3 Personnel Information System(PIS) for Judicial Officers
Implemented
4 Marriage Registration Information System
Proposal Pending with Directorate
5 State Administrative Tribunal(SAT) Implemented
6 All Kolkata district court computerization
Implemented
4 Transport Department
1 VAHAN - Vehicle Registration System
Implemented in 14 RTOs
2 SARATHI - Vehicle Driving License System
Implemented in 9 RTOs
Page 82 of 96 Annex – V (B)
Sr. No.
Department Sr. No.
Project Implementation Status
5 Home Department
1 CIPA - Common Integrated Police Administration
Under implementation; To cover all Police Stations across the State
2 POLIS – Police License Information System
Implemented at Lalbazar; being modified to web based system
3 Missing Person Information System Portal hosted and implemented with the district Police Stations and JJ Homes of Howrah, Hooghly & 24 Paraganas (South)
6 Labour & Employment Department
1 Employment Exchange Computerization
Registration and Renewal module implemented at 7 employment exchanges. Data for other exchanges are being made ready for uploading. . This is a web based centralized system
Page 83 of 96 Annex – V (B)
Sr. No.
Department Sr. No.
Project Implementation Status
7 Legislative Assembly
1 Members' Information System(LAMIS)
Implemented
2 Legislative Bill Information System stalled 3 MLA Hostel accommodation
System(HABIS) Not implemented
4 Assembly Question Answer Information System
Not fully operational
5 Bulletin Information System 6 Members' TA/DA Information
System Under development
7 Assembly Committee Information System
Under development
8 Chief Minister Secretariat
1 Cabinet Meeting Information System(CMIS)
Implemented
2 CA2CM --- An application Software meant for use by the Confidential Assistant to the Hon’ble Chief Minister to record applications of various types from the public
Implemented
9 Agriculture Department
1 Agriculture Project Monitoring System(PMS)
Implemented at Hqrs
2 AGMARKNET(Agriculture Marketing Information system)
Implemented
3 DACNET Implemented 4 Agri Marketing Board Implemented, this
is a web portal 5 Integrated Seed Information
Management System Web based thru portal
6 Soil Test based Fertilizer Recommendation System
Implementd in all Soil Testing Laboratories in the State
7 Agri-Portal Already hosted
Page 84 of 96 Annex – V (B)
Sr. No.
Department Sr. No.
Project Implementation Status
10 Consumer Affairs
1 Consumer Affairs Department Redress System(CDRS)
Not operational
2 Cash Account of Legal Metrology(CALM)
Not operational
3 Tax Tribunal Not operational 4 CONFONET: Consumer Fora Implemented in 9
district consumer fora
11 Election Department
1 WB State Election Commission Developed 12 Panchayat
and Rural Development
1 Computerization of 2nd SFC(State Finance Commission) & 12th FC
Implemented
2 e-Compendium( Information System for all relevant Acts, Rules & Orders related to Panchayati Raj)
Implementd on the web
3 Portal for Panchayat & Rural Development Department
Functional
4 e-Procurement Uploading of tenders functional; On line Submission of bids to be completed by 23rd April.
13 Land & Land Reforms
1. BHUCHITRA: ROR with plot map Implemented in Mogra in Hooghly; GIS in progress; to be implemented after maps are digitized and fine tuned.
2. BHUMI ADHIGRAHAN: Land Acquisition
Completed; implemented at Purva Medinipur and Hooghly
Page 85 of 96 Annex – V (B)
Sr. No.
Department Sr. No.
Project Implementation Status
14 Utility Software
1 Fund Flow Monitoring System Implemented 2 COSA - Computerization of Salary
Accounts) Implemented
3 Library Information System(e-Granthalaya)
Implemented
4 Financial Accounting Information System(FIAS)
Implemented
5 File Monitoring System Implemented 6 RIMS (Recruitment Information
Management System) Implemented
7 Service Record Monitoring System Implemented
Page 86 of 96 Annex – VI
The State Civil Service
West Bengal Civil Service (Executive) is the premier Service of the State and
as aforesaid at point no. 1 is severely suffering from lack of career mobility. Rational
utilisation of the services of the cadre officers is also posing problems since creation
of new State Cadre Services and as such, a potential part of the cadre strength in the
District and in the State Headquarters remain under-utilised. Scope for deputation to
Cooperation Directorate in the post of Joint Registrar, Additional Registrar has
ceased over the years. This, however, has not created much opening for cadre
mobility in the other services. As such, either the size of the West Bengal Civil
Service (Executive) should be reduced or filling up of posts of other services to
some, extent by officers of WBCS (Executive) has to be considered.
Also, as in the days of pre-separation of judiciary, some of the powers of 2nd
Class and 1st Class Judicial Magistrate to try cases under Indian Penal Code,
Criminal Procedure Code (in addition to sections already assigned) and similar other
legislations may be conferred upon WBCS (Executive) Officers after they have put
in four or more years of service and have been confirmed in service.
Recruitment procedure etc.
Recently, the broad profile of the WBCS (Executive) officers directly recruited
during last three years has been studied and some recommendations made for ensuring
effective performance (Encl - 1). The major recommendations are as follows:
The average age of the officers is going up from 26 in 2003 and 2004 to 31 in the
2005 batch. The trainees appeared to be precocious (as though they have nothing to learn)
and bereft of enthusiasm about their future role as administrators and about their career
prospects. Inadequate mobility in service and unduly long period of posting as BDO at
the initial stage (about 7-8 years) is instrumental in establishing this mindset. The tenure
as BDO should not exceed four years consisting of two blocks: one an interior, backward
block; the other a comparatively semi-urban area which should be the 1st posting so that
the benefit of experience can be applied to develop the backward block.
Inter-seniority of the recruits should be fixed on the basis of marks given in the
ATI after completion of the probationary training. This will help in making them attend
diligently to the training course.
Page 87 of 96 Annex – VI
Departmental Examination
i) A pre-requisite for eligibility for appearing in departmental examination should be
completing the Foundation Course in the ATI.
ii) Two ‘seen papers’, viz., Accounts-II and Law-III, may be excluded from the
syllabus of the fresh recruits. The ATI can teach them the relevant rules and laws.
iii) PSC may fix the timetable for Departmental Exams of IAS and WBCS officers so
as not to coincide with the period of Induction/Foundation training of these
officers as this diverts their attention from the courses.
iv) Pass marks for the language papers for the IAS and WBCS officers may be
suitably reduced from 50% as outsiders and hill-area recruits face considerable
problems in reaching this level.
Page 88 of 96 Enclosure – 1
0
23
8
40
64 6453
11
23
7
2 5
upto 25 26-30 31-35 >35
Age-Wise Distribution (In Percentage)
2003 2004 2005
Broad profile of recent batches of fresh recruit WBCS (Executive) officers
and some recommendations
1. Age
Increase in the age of entry has effected unwelcome change in the entry level
behaviour of WBCS (Executive) cadre officers. Maximum age of entry should be
not more than 30.
It is found that in the 2003 batch, 60% of them were above 30 years. In the
2004 batch it was 13% only but in the 2005 batch it has risen to 38%. The
average age for the 2005 batch is 31, the minimum being 23, and the maximum
38. They have been in the job for many years in junior posts like Revenue
Officers, LDCs, SI of police, lack exuberance, spark, freshness and openness of
mind. The prime characteristics a fresher is known for and considered ideal for a
learner. One trainee had put in service earlier as Joint BDO for 7 years and
another as Revenue Officer for 13 years.
2. Though the average age of the previous two batches, viz., 2003 and 2004 was
around 26, the trainees appeared to be precocious (as though they have nothing to
learn) and bereft of enthusiasm about their future role as administrators and also
about their career prospects. Inadequate mobility in service and unduly long
period of posting as BDO at the initial stage (about 7-8 years) is instrumental in
establishing this mindset. This should not exceed four years consisting of 2
blocks: one an interior, backward block; the other a comparatively semi-urban
area.
Page 89 of 96 Enclosure – 1
3. The current system of posting direct recruit WBCS officers as BDOs may be
reconsidered. The posts of BDOs may be manned by officers on promotion from
Jt.BDOs and the feeder posts only, as in the pre-1974 days, which will
simultaneously improve their promotion prospects and morale (at present, Jt.
BDOs are being promoted as BDOs after nearly 14 years and others after well
over 20 years). The fresh WBCS recruits may posted direct at sub-divisional or
district headquarters as in the past. The present cadre strength of the Service may
be reduced accordingly.
4. Inter-se seniority of the recruits should be fixed on the basis of marks given
in the ATI after completion of the training. This will help in making them attend
diligently to the training course.
5. Family income:
It is found that 67% of the trainee officers of 2003 batch belongs to the
families having monthly income more than Rs. 15000/-. This has come down to
47% in 2005.
7
2
8
22
17
25
4
29
20
6752
47
Upto 5000 5001-10000 10001-15000 More than15000
Family Income-wise(monthly) Distribution(In Percentage)
2003 2004 2005
Page 90 of 96 Enclosure – 1
6. Educational Qualification:
The number of trainee officers having Post-graduate degree is increasing. It
was 27% in 2003 and has gone up to 51% in 2005.
It appears that the number of officers joining the Service with Humanities
background is steadily decreasing over the years. It has come down from 16% in
2003 to 13.3% in 2005. This is causing unwarranted imbalance affecting the
overall mindset of the cadre. Candidates appearing for the WBCS (Executive)
examination offering literature, history, philosophy and social sciences,
particularly political science, sociology, rural development, social work,
development economics, education etc in the graduation and post-graduation
levels should be encouraged to join the Service in greater number by giving them
weightage in some manner to enable them to compete with those taking technical
and high scoring subjects.
2922 22
44 43
27 27
35
51
Pass Graduate Honours PG
Educational Qualification(In Percentage)
2003 2004 2005
Page 91 of 96 Enclosure – 1
7. Optional subjects in PSC exams:
Most of the trainee officers opted for Anthropology, History, Political
Science and Psychology.
62
52.5
51.7
16
21.3
13.39 8.
5
5
13
10.6
10
2.1
13.3
5 6.7
Science Arts Commerce Engineering Agriculture Others
Discipline-wise Distribution ( In Percentage)
2003 2004 2005
Page 92 of 96 Enclosure – 1
Optional Subject-wise Distribution (In Number)
30
10
8
3
2
1
1
1
1
32
38
30
16
18
4
2
2
2
2
2
9
9
10
6
7
1
1
2
22
7
7
5
2
4
2
2
2
2
28
8
2
2
2
1
3
1
8
26
2
1
19
14
Pol. Sc.
History
Anthropology
Psychology
Bengali
Geography
Zoology
Sociology
Botany
Management
Urdu
Hindi
Agriculture
Animal Husbandary
Commerce and Accountancy
Public Administration
Economics
Vety. Sc.
Chemistry
Computer Science
Elec. Engr.
Mathematics
English
Pali
Physics
2003 2004 2005
Page 93 of 96 Enclosure – 1
58
65
59
22
19
21
13 9 12 7 7 8
General SC OBC ST
Castewise Distribution(In Percentage)
2003 2004 2005
22
17
22
Married
Marital Status(In Percentage)
2003 2004 2005
8. Marital Status:
Number of married officers is increasing and is in the range of 17 to 22%,
which interferes with the openness to learning, the diligence and the type of
motivation. This is directly linked to the high age of entry.
9. Caste:
Officers belong to General Caste are in the range of 58% to 65%. This is in the
range of 19% to 22% in case of SC and 7% to 8% in case of ST.
Page 94 of 96 Enclosure – 1
10. Religion:
Representation of Hindu Officers is around 80%. In case of Muslims it varies
from 2.2% to 8%.
11. Gender:
Representation of women varies from 11.7% to 29.8%
80.4 80.4
77
5.9 6.5
27.8
2.2
83.9
2.2
13
2
8.7
Hindu Buddhist Muslim Christians Others Not Disclosed
Religion-wise Distribution(In Percentage)
2003 2004 2005
19.6
29.8
11.7
80.4
70.2
88.3
Women Men
Gender-wise Distribution (In Percentage)
2003 2004 2005
Page 95 of 96 Enclosure – 1
12. Computer Knowledge:
Number of trainee officers having no computer knowledge is reducing over
time. The number of trainee officers having computer knowledge at medium and
advanced level is around 35% over this period.
13. Previous job experience:
Number of trainee officers having previous job experience is increasing over
the period. It was only 40% in 2003 but has increased to 76.6% in 2005.
Intake in the WBCS (Executive) cadre per year should not exceed 30 to
facilitate proper conduct of induction and foundation level training at the ATI. At
present it has become impossible, because of the large numbers, to train the new
recruits to the major state services (WBCS Executive and Judicial, WBPS, CTOs,
ARCS, F&S, WB Forest Service, ALCs) and the all-India services together, as is
imperative for building up the camaraderie that is essential for co-ordinated
functioning in the districts.
31
22
18
33
48 47
18 20
25
18
10 10
Nil Basic Familiarity Medium Advanced
Computer Knowledge (In Percentage)
2003 2004 2005
Page 96 of 96 Enclosure – 1
14. The time of joining for the trainee officers should not be later than September
every year.
15 (i) PSC may fix the timetable for Departmental Exams of IAS and WBCS
officers so as not to coincide with the period of Induction/ Foundation training of
these officers as this diverts their attention from the Foundation Course.
(ii) Two ‘seen papers’, viz., Accounts-II and Law-III, may be excluded from the
syllabus of the fresh recruits. The ATI can teach them the relevant rules and laws.
(iii) A pre-requisite for eligibility for appearing in departmental examination
should be completing the Foundation Course in the ATI.
(iv) Pass marks for the language papers for the IAS and WBCS officers may be
suitably reduced from 50 as outsiders and hill-area recruits face considerable
problems in reaching this level.
16. PSC may reduce the time gap between the date of application and the date of
joining. Now it is around 2years 7/8 months. If it is reduced to 7/8 months, the
average age at the point of entry will immediately be reduced by 2 years.
25.941
.3
60
14.1 13
16.6
60
45.7
23.4
Only Govt. Non-Govt. Nil
Previous Job Experience (In Percentage)
2003 2004 2005
