Top bureaucrats asked to implement Prime Minister's directive on speedy decisions

NEW DELHI: Top bureaucrats of the country have been given a five-day deadline to implement Prime Minister Narendra Modi's directive for improving work culture in the central government, including repeal of "archaic" processes and reduce the decision-making layers.

The deadline for the Secretaries to provide a plan of action expires tomorrow.

The instructions were issued by Cabinet Secretary Ajit Seth on June 5 as a follow up to the meeting that Modi held with the top bureacrats on Wednesday last during which he said the rules which create hurdles in speedy decision-making should be done away with.

The circular, issued by Seth, carries 11 points which lay stress on efficient and speedy decision-making in a transparent manner.

"I expect you to act upon these immediately and indicate a plan of action latest by June 9," the Cabinet Secretary's circular said.

It asks each department to "identify and repeal at least 10 rules or processes and even archaic acts that are redundant and would not lead to any loss of efficiency".

Every department has been asked to identify forms that are in vogue and shorten them, where possible, to one page only, the circular says, adding seeking of "unnecessary or irrelevant information should be discouraged".

All departments have been asked to reduce decision-making to a "maximum of four layers".

The circular says files and papers should be weeded out in accordance with rules of record-keeping, including digitisation, wherever necessary and the exercise should be completed in 3-4 weeks.