Delhi govt proposes to give financial powers to bureaucrats

In order to increase efficiency of all its departments, Aam Aadmi Party-led Delhi government has decided to increase financial powers of bureaucrats by up to 100 per cent in some cases.
Government has prepared a proposal to increase fund allocation to Head of departments (HoDs) and administrative secretary.
According to an official, at present, expenditure limit of every HoD is Rs 2 lakh per annual, but government has proposed to increase this limit upto Rs 3 lakh.
Similarly, such expenditure limit of secretaries, which is currently Rs 3 lakh, has been proposed to increase up to Rs 5 lakh.
"The proposal is to enhance financial powers at the level of head of department and administrative secretary. It will increase efficiency of functioning of the Delhi government departments due to timely financial decisions based on defined parameters.

"This will reduce the paper work in respect of routine decisions like printing of visiting cards, purchase of rubber stamp etc," the official said.

According to the proposal, HoD will be allowed to shell out Rs one lakh on conveyance per month. Presently, HoDs are given Rs 30,000 for hiring conveyance.
Secretaries will also not be required to take nod from the Finance Department for executing the works and schemes which cost up to Rs 10 crore. At present, they can approve project works running up to Rs 5 crore.
"HoD can shell out up to 2 lakh on petty works, repairs, and day to day and annual maintainance of building. Similar, the expenditure limit of secretaries have been increased from Rs 5 lakh to 7 lakh," the official said.

Government will table the proposal in the Cabinet Meeting.
"Hundreds of man-hours are wasted by the HoDs in following the files at Finance Department for recuring and routine expenditure. The precious time of the department is also wasted in scrutinising the routine expenditure with no significant and meaningful contribution," the official added.