Government
decisions are made in accordance with procedures. However, three Cabinet
Ministers reportedly had a hushed-hushed discussion this week to formulate the
country's response to the strategic issues. For such important
meetings, it is the norm that the Secretaries concerned are also made to
participate in the meeting and add their inputs. However, none of the
secretaries was invited to the meeting, nor was consulted for his views. What
has further caused concern among the civil servants is that the secretaries
concerned were kept totally in the dark even about the meeting. Indianmandarins
has learned that the secretaries concerned came to know of the meeting only
after they were delivered noting from the ministers to formalize the decisions
taken. In this
context, it's pointed out that though it is the prerogative of cabinet
ministers to take decisions on subjects under their jurisdiction, it is the
responsibility of the departmental heads (Secretaries) to advise their bosses
even post-facto. It is
further pointed out that the three seasoned ministers, by their oversight in
following the established procedures, have created an awkward situation for the
civil servants concerned who feel that, since they were not even consulted,
they are not required to offer their post-facto advice. And if that was
tendered unsolicited, who knows the advice may not be appreciated at all and
may even be considered a breach.
Government
decisions are made in accordance with procedures. However, three Cabinet
Ministers reportedly had a hushed-hushed discussion this week to formulate the
country's response to the strategic issues. For such important
meetings, it is the norm that the Secretaries concerned are also made to
participate in the meeting and add their inputs. However, none of the
secretaries was invited to the meeting, nor was consulted for his views. What
has further caused concern among the civil servants is that the secretaries
concerned were kept totally in the dark even about the meeting.
Indianmandarins has learned that the secretaries concerned came to know of the meeting only after they were delivered noting from the ministers to formalize the decisions taken.
In this context, it's pointed out that though it is the prerogative of cabinet ministers to take decisions on subjects under their jurisdiction, it is the responsibility of the departmental heads (Secretaries) to advise their bosses even post-facto.
It is further pointed out that the three seasoned ministers, by their oversight in following the established procedures, have created an awkward situation for the civil servants concerned who feel that, since they were not even consulted, they are not required to offer their post-facto advice. And if that was tendered unsolicited, who knows the advice may not be appreciated at all and may even be considered a breach.