Telangana CM KCR to effect major bureaucratic rejig

Hyderabad: Major bureaucratic reshuffle is on the cards in Telangana State government. To ensure that the newly enacted Revenue, Municipal and Panchayat Raj Acts are enforced strictly, senior IAS officials are likely to be given more responsibilities.

The appointment of new secretaries to the revenue-generating wings such as excise and prohibition, commercial taxes, transport, and stamps and registrations is also under consideration. It was only last February that the TS government effected a big reshuffle in the administration.

Top sources said that Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao is planning to make the administration more active and effective in the implementation of new Acts, welfare and developmental programmes from 2021. Aiming to streamline the administration to check financial leakages and also usher in people-friendly governance, the CM wants to appoint efficient officials in the key departments. Senior IAS officials will be given more responsibilities to strengthen the departments of agriculture, energy, panchayat raj, municipal administration, planning as well as all the revenue-generating wings.

Finance Secretary K Ramakrishna Rao is likely to take up the responsibility of steering revenue-generating wings, mainly excise and commercial taxes. Currently, Chief Secretary Somesh Kumar is looking after the two key departments as Special Chief Secretary. In view of increasing work burden, the head of the state administration is likely to be relieved of additional responsibilities.

The CM is said to be analysing the performance of each official from the rank of Special Chief Secretary to the District Collector. The efficient bureaucrats in the districts will also be brought to Hyderabad to achieve the desirable goals set by the government. The filling up of vacancies in various departments, unemployment dole and disbursement of pension to people above 57 years are the big challenges to the government in 2021. It requires efficient officials to complete the formalities at the earliest. A group of IAS officials has already been entrusted the responsibility of implementation of Dharani portal in an effective manner.