Centre to take stock of administrative reforms

The Centre has initiated a process to bring in administrative reforms and improving public service delivery.

The department of administrative reforms and public grievances is organising a conference of secretaries of administrative reforms of states and Union territories here tomorrow to assess implementation of the recommendations of the second administrative reforms commission and discuss steps to improve public service delivery.

A senior government official told Business Standard the idea was to shift from “duty-bound moralities” in public service delivery to “right-bound moralities”. “The public should be able to point to any delay and deficiency in delivery is the objective on which the centre and states together would be focusing,” he said.

The official said the central government was already considering setting up commissions both at the Centre and state levels for ensuring timely and efficient public service delivery. “A final decision in this regard would depend on the standing committee's report on the Lok Pal,” he said. The administrative reforms secretaries of states would present the status reports on the progress of recommendations of the second administrative reforms commission approved by the GoM headed by Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee.

The conference will discuss the security tenure at senior levels in states, a comprehensive personal policy, whether State Public Service Commissions should monitor lower-level recruitments, creation of special RTI cells at collectorates and introduction of financial advisors and audit committees.