Hyderabad: In a move that could save Rs 2,000 crore every year, the state government has decided to vet the relevance and performance of over 40 departments to curb wasteful expenditure which has reached Rs 10,000 crore.
Several sub-departments mushroomed under each department over the years, created with little foresight.
Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao, who has been reviewing the impact of demonetisation on state revenues with ministers and senior officials almost every day for past fortnight, was shocked when he learnt of these redundant departments, due to which the government has been incurring needless expenditure.
Mr Rao has assigned the task of recommending measures to trim and streamline the departments to the Centre for Good Governance. The finance department which approves the filling of vacancies in all departments has been waiting for the CGG report.
“These departments can be trimmed and services of the employees can be absorbed in other departments, where there is a need. If we go by the vacancies in existing departments, we need to appoint over 1.25 lakh new staff. This can be brought down by 30 to 40 per cent, if employees services are rationalised, which will result in huge saving for the government in salaries and pensions. Moreover, the operational costs would also come down with reduction in departments. We expect to save around Rs 2,000 crore per year on account of this exercise,” said finance minister Etela Rajender.
Redundant departments have become the most sought after for officials and staff since there is not much work to be done. Officials can can derive the “double benefit” of drawing salaries and have the time for “side business”.
In welfare departments of BCs, SCs, STs etc, staff seek posting in sub-departments even as the main department grapples with shortage of staff to process the applications of 14 lakh students for scholarships and fee reimbursement.
In the health department, there is a severe shortage of staff in hospitals at all levels. However, the trained staff opt for sub-departments to engage in clerical and administrative work, which has lesser work load.
