Files get cleared by Tamil Nadu govt in double-quick time
In several cases the officers who were at the helm of affairs failed to put forth the advantages of Central schemes.
Chennai: To ensure that government runs smoothly in coordination with the Centre, top state officials attached to the offices of Chief Minister and Chief Secretary have passed instructions to clear pending files and expedite the release of government orders that do not involve major expenses to state administration. As a result, all files put on hold during the chief ministership of J. Jayalalithaa pertaining to GST bill, Uday scheme, Neet and National Food Security Act have been cleared and reverted back to the Centre.
A few files related to Food Security Act and Uday were cleared when O. Pannnerselvam was the chief minister. Files on GST bill and Neet were now cleared with the concurrence of Chief Minister Edappadi K. Palanisamy, confirmed a top official. “So far more than 2,000 files including administrative and policy decisions have been cleared in the past three months. Usually the significant files have to pass through the offices of department secretaries, finance, chief secretary and finally cleared at the CM office. Now the files are no longer kept in abeyance at any level and a file gets cleared within four to five days”, an informed official told DC.
“All department secretaries have been instructed to work on new government orders through which administration can be streamlined. Higher education, lower education, agriculture and animal husbandry with fisheries departments are now racing against each other with new reforms”, the top official said.
There were also altercations between a few top officers while taking decisions on the policy matters that once madam (Jayalalithaa) chose not to clear. In several cases the officers who were at the helm of affairs failed to put forth the advantages of Central schemes.
“Neet is a classic example. TN students including those in rural pockets are any day better in studies when compared to other states and they can crack through any competitive exams, but for the sake of politics wrong advices were given to the state adding to the complications. Now the state and Centre are on common agenda and funds have started arriving. In the past one month funds to a tune of Rs 600 crore has been released by the Centre to expedite conversion of boats into deep sea fishing vessels and drought compensation for farmers had also been released. We are now awaiting funds under the right to education act and for projects under Jawaharlal Nehru Urban Renewal Mission”, secretariat sources said.