AP CM Jagan warns babus on delay in issue of GOs, clearing e-files

Amaravati: General administration department (GAD) principal secretary Praveen Prakash warned all the IAS officials working in the Secretariat that action would be initiated against them if they fail in issue GOs within the stipulated time. He explained that Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy had taken this delay in issuing of GOs seriously and directed him to release new guidelines.

Praveen Prakash warned in the GO MS No 128, released on Friday, "In case of breach of the specified timelines for issuing Government Order, the Chief Minister may recall the file to examine the reasons for the delay in issuance of GO and may direct Principal Secretary (Political) to issue show-cause notice to the concerned Special Chief Secretary or Principal Secretary or Secretary for taking necessary action".

In case of the breach of the timeline, the Chief Minister may authorise Principal Secretary (Political) or any other Special Chief Secretary or Principal Secretary or Secretary to issue the GO. For this, the authorised Secretary may convene a meeting with the officers concerned and issue the GO.

The new fiat created ripples among the senior officials working at the Secretariat. A senior IAS officer observed that though it was not wrong in asking the officials to ensure speedy disposal of the GOs and other e-Office files, but this kind of warnings will certainly demoralise the bureaucrats.

After encountering problems due to huge delay in dispatching files at various departments, the state government issued these guidelines to all the departments in the Secretariat, according Chief Minister's Office (CMO) sources. These guidelines mandated the IAS officials concerned to dispose of the files within specified time frame.

In the GO, Praveen Prakash stated, "It has been observed by Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy that in many instances, even after issuance of instructions by CMO, GOs are not being issued on time. The timely issuance of GOs is central to the welfare of the people. Moreover, delay in taking decision also reduces the effectiveness of the decision".

If the GOs and memos being issued by the ministers or secretaries attract the attention of media, they must be sent to the CMO for perusal before being issued, Praveen Prakash said. If the department concerned does not receive any response from the CMO in five working days on the draft GO, the orders in the said files shall be deemed to have been approved and GO may be issued.

He instructed that all files sent by the Chief Minister or by his office through e-Office to the secretaries shall be endorsed as one of the three following categories: Out Today (Issue GO/ action taken on same day), Most Immediate (Issuance of GO/ intimation of action taken in five working days) and Immediate (Issuance of G.O / intimation of action taken in 15 working days).