Rationalisation panel submits 18 reports to Haryana CM on restructuring of depts

Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini was today presented with the first set of 18 reports by the Chairman of the Rationalisation Commission, Rajan Gupta, during a meeting held here. The government had constituted the commission to recommend the restructuring of various government departments, boards and corporations, with a view to enhancing the efficiency, transparency and responsiveness of these bodies to better serve the public.

Saini directed the Chief Secretary and other officers to initiate immediate steps for the implementation of the commission’s reports. He emphasised that five departments should be taken up on a pilot basis for time-bound implementation. These departments are, Haryana Public Health Engineering, Irrigation, Mines and Geology, Horticulture and Urban Local Bodies.

The reports submitted by the commission include 16 department-specific reports and two general reports. The reports cover all engineering departments, Transport, Urban Local Bodies, Agriculture and Higher Education. Gupta informed the CM that another set of five reports was nearly complete and would be submitted within a few days. The exercise in respect of another 23 departments was at an advanced stage.

The commission, in its report, recommended a revised structure for each of the 88 municipal corporations, councils, and committees, as well as for each of the 179 government colleges. It also proposed the creation of an independent Department of Drainage and Groundwater Recharging for flood control by dividing the existing Irrigation Department into two separate entities.

Additionally, the report suggested the establishment of new institutions and the closure of redundant ones across several departments. With the exception of two or three departments, the number of posts is expected to increase significantly in all departments. According to data available on the government’s Human Resource Management System (HRMS), the commission has recommended creating 1,05,832 posts against the existing 1,04,980 posts in the said 21 departments.

Gupta apprised Saini that the commission recommended appropriate manpower, including IT and other technical staff, tailored to the requirements of each office level based on the nature of their duties. The report includes provisions for spare capacity at each level to ensure departments can manage additional workloads effectively. Emphasis has also been placed on appointing suitable IT personnel at every level to facilitate the extensive use of modern technological tools.

He said the commission, in its report concerning the Human Resource Management System, had recommended an overhaul of the platform and inclusion of sanctioned posts for each functional and establishment office within the departments. This would facilitate the smooth management of human resources, including the effective placement of employees.

The government constituted the commission in 2023 to recommend restructuring of various departments and their boards and corporations, with the objective of making these entities more efficient and responsive to public needs.