With no Cabinet, Secretariat wears a deserted look

​Hyderabad: Administration has gone for a toss in the Telangana state secretariat. On one side, ministers’ chambers fell vacant due to delay in the creation of state cabinet and the other side officials are attending duties at their convenient time instead of being in office by 10 am.

Except for Chief Minister Office (CMO) and Finance departments, all sections of other departments present deserted look everyday as the officials are attending to their duties at least one hour late. Even though the government fixed office hours, many officials are seen in their seats in the afternoons. 

Ever since the TRS came to power for the second consecutive term on December 13, laxity among the officials from the rank of Senior Assistant to Deputy Secretaries working in the different sections in the Secretariat is seen in discharging their duties. The higher authorities (Secretaries) are also oblivious to the absence of their subordinates during office hours. 

The biometric attendance introduced by Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao’s government three years ago in all wings in the Secretariat was no use to check the officials from skipping their duties. To the amazement of all, no action is being taken against any latecomer so far by higher authorities.

Officials said that the workforce in the Secretariat is yet to get into work mode as all ministers’ peshies (except Home) are non-existent for the last 40 plus days. The work burden on the officials is 50 per cent less when the minister peshi is not in operation. These days, the number of people visiting the Secretariat is also in thin numbers for there are no ministers to present their grievances. 

Except routine work related to the establishments and clearance of the pending files, the Secretariat staff did not have much work and it could be the main reason for they coming to offices late, an employee association leader maintained. Once the cabinet is formed, the Secretariat will buzz with activity and the staff will come to office in time, he said.