Merger of Depts Proposed to Overcome Shortage of Secys

By Express News Service - HYDERABAD

Published: 05th May 2014 08:53 AM

Last Updated: 05th May 2014 08:53 AM

     Revenue and Planning departments may be merged with the Finance department. As a part of the State’s reorganisation work, the Reforms and Restructure Committee suggested that there is no use continuing the Revenue and Planning departments separately. They can be merged with the Finance department, officials suggested. There are currently 36 departments in the combined Andhra Pradesh. But, after the division of the State, both Telangana and AP will face shortage of HoDs and secretaries. That was the reason for the Reforms and Restructuring Committee has suggested pruning of departments. Andhra Pradesh government can have a maximum of 27 ministers and the Telangana government can have a maximum of 18 ministers. This is based on the strength of the Assemblies of Telangana and AP. There are 119 MLAs in Telangana and 175 MLAs in AP. As per norms, the total ministers in the Cabinet should not cross 15 per cent of the Assembly strength. Keeping these issues in mind, the chief secretary constituted the Reforms Committee to prune the departments. Sources in the Finance department said there were no separate departments for Revenue and Planning in most of the states in the country. “Revenue collection, planning and spending is a combined work. That is why we have suggested merger of Revenue and Planning with Finance,” an official said. Likewise, there are wings which will have no work at all. Rain Shadow Area, Godavari Valley Development Authority and others are almost defunct. If such wings are closed or merged with related departments, the government could save IAS workforce. Horticulture, dairy development and other wings may be merged with the Agriculture department. The proposal is to reduce the number of departments from the present 36 to 29. Ports Authority is not required for Telangana state; so it could save one HoD on this count. If the Revenue and Planning departments are merged with Finance, it could save three IAS officers. As it is, there are five IAS officers in the Finance department alone.