The Hindu : Kerala / Thiruvananthapuram News : Revamp on in Finance Department

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Thursday, Jul 31, 2008
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Kerala - Thiruvananthapuram

Revamp on in Finance Department

Special Correspondent

Reforms to reduce the number of files reaching the department: Isaac

Financial powers of all department heads to go up
They can submit proposals directly to Centre

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Finance Department has begun a major initiative to revamp the administrative procedures being followed by it, Finance Minister T.M. Thomas Isaac told presspersons on Wednesday.

The reforms are on the basis of the proposals of the Administrative Reforms Commission chaired by former Chief Secretary K.V. Raveendran. These were approved by the Council of Ministers earlier.

Dr. Isaac said that the reforms would substantially bring down the number of files reaching the Finance Department.

More efficiency

It would mean increasing the financial powers of the heads of all the departments in the government Secretariat. It would improve efficiency and ensure quick decision-making.

Files reaching the Secretariat itself would come down in number.

Ceiling enhanced

The ceiling placed on the committees chaired by each department heads for according administrative sanctions for Plan projects would now stand enhanced from Rs.1 crore to Rs.3 crore.

A new working group would be constituted for each department for according administrative sanctions for projects involving more than Rs.3 crore.

Members

The Finance Secretary and Planning Secretary would be members of each such working group.

The secretary of the department concerned would be the third member.

All departments would also be allowed to directly submit to Union government proposals for taking up Central schemes.

They should keep the Finance Department and Planning Department informed about such proposals.

They should, however, ensure that they had budget allocations for meeting the State’s input of funds for such schemes.

Personnel matters

The reforms would encompass the entire spectrum of administrative procedures. They involved not only delegation of financial powers, but also delegation of powers for dealing with personnel matters such as sanctioning leave, foreign trips, deputations etc.

Dr. Isaac said the concept of ‘impact budget’ would be introduced in the case of at least one department during the course of this year.

It would mean monitoring the actual physical impact of the budget spending of that department.

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