Babus who call late meetings, delay files face scrutiny as cabinet secretary lists 12 types of secretaries

Officers who throw files, call meetings after 7 pm, turn up late after asking staff to work on Saturdays, or ask women colleagues to come uncomfortably close to show them a document have come under the spotlight at a performance review meeting chaired by Cabinet Secretary T V Somanathan, according to a report by The Times of India's (TOI) Dipak Dash.

Somanathan reportedly presented a list of 12 types of bureaucrats, using cartoons to highlight workplace behaviour that can affect efficiency and make offices less conducive to getting work done.

Some of the cartoons were by legendary TOI cartoonist R K Laxman.


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The presentation also took aim at officers who sit on files or send decisions to ministers that they could take themselves. The examples highlighted the gap between the conduct expected of senior officials and practices that can slow down government work.

Cabinet secretary flags late meetings, delays in decision-making

The presentation was part of a broader push to improve how government departments function, with the cabinet secretary stressing the need for better meetings and a workplace that allows officials to work more effectively, TOI reported.

Somanathan also called for faster consultations between ministries. He is learnt to have urged the finance and commerce ministries to share their views promptly so that inter-ministerial discussions do not hold up decisions.

The meeting also examined how government departments were performing against different parameters. However, Somanathan reportedly pointed out that when officials' scores cluster close to 10 on a scale of 1 to 10, it becomes difficult to distinguish top performers from those delivering satisfactory results.

Deregulation 3.0 planned from January

The cabinet secretary also briefed officials on the Centre's next round of reforms, called Deregulation 3.0, which is planned for January.

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The initiative aims to reduce red tape, simplify compliance requirements and improve the ease of doing business.

Railway employees' ration cards also come up

The meeting also took up the issue of around one lakh railway employees holding ration cards that allow them to receive free foodgrains under the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana, according to TOI.

The Department of Food and Public Distribution raised the matter as a disciplinary issue. Somanathan, as per TOI, directed Railway Board chairman Satish Kumar to ensure that the employees surrender their ration cards.

Last month, the food department had also written to the cabinet secretary about ration cards being used to establish family identity under Ayushman Bharat's Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (PMJAY), even though ration cards are not a formal eligibility requirement for the scheme.