Officials should release files within 48 hrs: CM

Kolkata: In a bid to ensure that projects do not get unnecessarily delayed due to paper work, the state government officials have been directed to release files within 48 hours.

A set of guidelines has been issued for employees in Monday's state-level administrative review meeting that includes the direction to be punctual in their offices.

Ministers and senior officials up to the rank of joint secretary of all the departments were present in the meeting headed by Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee. District Magistrates also attended the meeting.

Sources added that the Chief Secretary placed a report in the meeting stating that files apart from those which are policy-related get cleared from the Chief Minister's office on every day basis so that it goes to the concerned departments without any delay.

But in many cases it has been found that the files remain with certain officials for even one to one-and-a-half months. This leads to unnecessary delay of the work for which the files need to be passed on with remarks of the concerned official.

Thus, the officials have been directed on Monday to release the files, apart from those which are policy-related, after giving their remarks on it within 48 hours of receiving it. Respective ministers and senior most officials were also asked to look into the matter to ensure that files get cleared within 48 hours.

It may be mentioned that the state government has given stress on e-management of files and it has been implemented in most departments as well.

The matter related to e-governance also came up during the meeting. Later, the Chief Minister said: "There was discussion related to the file transferring system, financial management system and ease of doing business".

It is learnt that a set of guidelines has been framed for the employees and it has been circulated in printed form to the officials present in the state-level administrative review meeting.

The officials have been asked to take steps to ensure that all employees maintain punctuality in attending their offices. At the same time, pending disciplinary matters also have to be resolved at the earliest.

Moreover, senior officials have to take a weekly meeting to review progress of different projects and schemes of their respective departments.

The administrative calendar also has to be followed properly and updated information related to number of vacant posts in respective departments also has to be sent to the higher authorities.