LSGD’s common services to be merged from Feb third week

Move said to ensure people-friendly service delivery

The merger of common services under the Local Self-Government department will be effective from the third week of February.

Inaugurating a workshop on Saturday for all department heads and senior officials ahead of the merger, Minister for Local Self- Governments M.V. Govindan said the merger of five departments, directorates, and allied agencies of a similar nature as a single department, would ensure people-friendly service delivery.

The two-day workshop is being organised to decide on the redeployment of officials and the responsibilities of the district and State offices after merger. As per the current arrangement, the works related to grama panchayat, block panchayat, urban affairs, engineering, and town and country planning are handled as separate departments. This has created difficulties in the planning process. Mr. Govindan said the merger of the departments would create a unified support system for the local bodies at all levels.

He said that the merger was aimed at delivering transparent and quick service delivery for the public and to develop a system that was friendly to the people. The official declaration of the merger of common services would be made in the third week of February as part of the 100-day action plan of the Left Democratic Front (LDF) government’s first anniversary. The State office would also be inaugurated on the occasion. The Public Service Commission had also completed vetting the special rules for the common service.