SHILLONG: The State government will soon ask the Centre to review the cadre structure of civil service officers.
Replying to a cut motion moved by West Shillong MLA Paul Lyngdoh on the need to tone up the quality of bureaucracy at all levels and ensure optimum delivery to citizens, Chief Minister Mukul Sangma said the State would “collectively take up the matter with all states and the Centre and take them on board on the issue”.
Lyngdoh pointed out that some bureaucrats are looking after 10-12 departments and some have been allotted a single department.
Sangma said while every ministry has so many secretaries and joint secretaries, the State government is compelled to depend on a few officers for all departments.
Lyngdoh, while moving the motion, slammed the government for the poor work culture prevailing in Meghalaya over the years and said people do not have access to the bureaucracy and that the State does not have any transparency or a system of accountability.
The MLA was also critical about inappropriate transfers and postings of officers and demanded that the government should have a policy of incentivising the officers who are working in difficult areas. He also proposed that 50 per cent of the promotions should be performance-linked.
Asserting that the government would ensure annual recruitment of civil service officers, Sangma said the State has taken measures to ensure that there is no favoritism or manipulation during recruitment or at the time of postings.
On the poor performance of youth from Meghalaya in the UPSC, the chief minister said, “Regular recruitment for Meghalaya civil service will create an enabling environment for the youth to compete better in the recruitment of the Union civil service.”
Talking about the State Public Grievances Redressal forum, Sangma said the government would revive and expand the Meghalaya Integrated Information System, which had addressed the grievances of many people in record time, besides the State Level Public Grievances Committee will be made more vibrant.
Lyngdoh said the government needs to motivate the bureaucracy to be more people-friendly, besides stressing on the need to have an orientation programme for all bureaucrats.
