Delhi slams department heads for playing it safe

In his first strongly worded office memorandum, Delhi chief secretary K K Sharma has slammed heads of department in the state government for not exercising the powers delegated to them and needlessly sending files to the finance department for approval.

Warning top bureaucrats and all the HODs, Sharma asked them to expedite the functioning of their departments and exercise financial powers instead of routing all the files to finance department.

The routing of files to the finance department, when it is in the power of HODs to execute, has caused delays in the implementation of development works, social welfare measures and other programmes of the government, Sharma said.

"It has come to the notice of the government that many HODs are not exercising the powers delegated to them and routinely send the files to finance department for concurrence, which leads to delay in implementation of development works, social welfare measures and other programmes of the government.

"It has also come to notice that the matters like acceptance of lowest bid in an open tender are being referred to FD," an office memorandum issued by the finance department stated.

It further stated that departments are required to consult the finance department only in those matters in which FD's prior concurrence is necessary, whether such proposals have financial bearing involving expenditure or otherwise.

"All HOD are, therefore, advised to exercise their delegated powers in respect of those proposals, which are within their financial delegation, as per rules without referring such proposals to FD," it added.

Sharma stated that the proposals which are within the delegated powers of HODs shall not be referred to the finance department for approval.