Maharashtra bureaucrats told to perform or go

Bureaucrats in Maharashtra, under attack for their role in enabling the Adarsh housing and other scandals, have to perform, the new administration has made clear.

At their first formal interaction with senior bureaucrats after being sworn into office on Thursday evening, Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan and Deputy CM Ajit Pawar said officers who were unable to make sound and speedy decisions would be axed.

A senior bureaucrat told Business Standard: “Both CM and DCM made it clear they mean business and they expect the bureaucrats to perform. In fact, DCM Ajit Pawar was quite focused that they’d stress on fast decision-making, transparent administration and quick disposal of files. They asked the bureaucracy to fall in line without showing any excuse.”

The official said Pawar made it clear that the CM and he had the political will to step up the state’s growth rate and expedite project implementation. “The CM and DCM asked bureaucrats to be actively involved in an exercise to regain Maharashtra’s past glory,” the official said.

The warning comes at a time when there has been a rising feeling within political parties that politicians were being targeted for various scandals and their performance, while bureaucrats generally escape the consequences. “The Adarsh housing scam is an eye-opener on bureaucrats. CM and DCM are clear in their views that bureaucrats will be have to shape up or ship out and they should help the government to make it more people-oriented,” the official said.