The long-anticipated reshuffle of bureaucrats seems to be on the cards in Andhra Pradesh with speculation rife that the Finance, Revenue and Industry departments may see some major changes.
Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu, who reviewed the performance of his Cabinet colleagues and gave them ranks, is also believed to be thinking in terms of making some changes to tone up the administration further.
Mr. Naidu, who is keen to ensure speedy growth and development of the Sunrise State in line with the vision set for the State to make it one of the three best performing States in the country by 2022, had also entered into an agreement with Performance Management and Delivery Unit (PEMANDU) of the Malaysia Government to make the departments function in a result-oriented manner.
A series of ‘Lab Today’ programmes were planned under PEMANDU for various departments beginning with the Education sector as the Chief Minister sees quality education and skill development as the main tool for marching ahead to evolve as a knowledge society and an effective way to tackle poverty. A vision paper for each sector will also be released in due course of time after brain storming sessions with all the stakeholders in each sector.
In this background, Mr. Naidu is keen to put the right man for the right job in the soon-to-be contemplated re-jig of bureaucracy.
Another factor he seems to be weighing is to bring in greater coordination among officials to work as a cohesive team.
The shifting of officials, sources say, is certainly not a reflection on their performance in their present position.
“The objective is to bring more dynamism into the system and speed up the pace of desired change as two years had already gone by. Discussions for administrative reshuffle are on, but nothing has been finalised,” government sources said.
P.V. Ramesh played a key role as Secretary and later as Principal Finance Secretary for the last two years and streamlined the Finance Department, particularly making departments submit their annual action plans so that comprehensive budget release orders could be issued right from the first week of the new financial year without any time lag.
But there is also some discontent that he does not clear bills fast enough, besides being tight fisted when it came to allocations to some departments.
There is a thinking that Mr. Ramesh will be shifted to another key department like industry and commerce and Ajay Kallam, who is Special Chief Secretary, Excise and Commercial Taxes, Revenue, may be brought back to head the Finance Department.
Over all, about 10 IAS officers, including some district Collectors, are expected to be shifted as part of the reshuffle.
Aim is to bring more dynamism into the system and speed up the pace of change
