Depts warned over cabinet memos

BHUBANESWAR: The state government has warned various departments against last moment submission of cabinet proposals without supportive documents for the cabinet's consideration.
In a letter to all the departmental secretaries on November 4, chief secretary Gokul Chandra Pati wrote that cabinet memoranda should be approved as soon as possible and sent to the parliamentary affairs (PA) department before issue of cabinet meeting notices.
The chief secretary observed that many departments were putting up proposals for approval at the last moment at the department level after the cabinet meeting notice has been issued.
The top bureaucrat also took strong exception to submission of memoranda to the PA department through Group C and Group D employees. "It is found that memoranda are not supported with important documents such as press briefs and synopsis, which such employees (Group C, D) fail to understand and communicate to their departments," Pati wrote. After most cabinet meetings, the chief secretary briefs the media. The synopsis and press briefs are circulated among the journalists.
The chief secretary asked the departments to depute a "responsible officer not below the rank of deputy secretary to come with the memorandum to PA department at the time of submission of the cabinet memorandum so that s/he may well understand the shortcomings... This will avoid confusion and dislocation."
A senior officer of the PA department said many departments were taking the submission of cabinet proposals very casually. "Because of shortcomings in the proposals detected at the last moment, many important items are not placed to the cabinet for approval and get postponed till the next meeting," he said. "Delay in submission of proposals also results in agenda not being prepared on time to be circulated among the ministers," he added.
Opposition political parties have often criticized the state government for not circulating cabinet agenda among the ministers before cabinet meetings, thereby undermining their positions. "Invariably, we get to know about the agenda right at the meeting venue most of the time," a minister said. The state cabinet last met on November 2.