In a letter to Prakash, Jain had alleged that officers of the Urban Development Department were staying away from office during working hours to “not let the government function properly”. (File Photo)
In a strongly worded note to Delhi Urban Development Minister Satyendar Jain, Chief Secretary Anshu Prakash has termed as “unsubstantiated” and “unwarranted” Jain’s claim that officers were creating hindrances in the government’s functioning by staying away from work.
Prakash said that Jain’s claim, made in a letter on May 7, was ironic since the “minister in charge of a department shall be primarily responsible for the disposal of business of the department” under the Transaction of Business Rules, 1993.
The exchange of notes between the two has deepened the crisis in the Delhi administration, brewing for over two months now, following an alleged assault on Prakash at the Chief Minister’s residence.
In a letter to Prakash, Jain had alleged that officers of the Urban Development Department were staying away from office during working hours to “not let the government function properly”.
“In case officers/officials are not interested in attending the office and showing results by the quantum of work produced, there should not be any hesitation in taking disciplinary action, besides deducting their corresponding remuneration,” Jain wrote.
The letter did not go down well with Prakash and Urban Development Secretary Renu Sharma. After consultations, a response was drafted, which was forwarded to Jain’s office, The Indian Express has learnt.
“Punctuality is important. The department will reiterate instructions for the same. However, it is also a fact that officers are working much beyond office hours and also on weekends… Instead of making an unwarranted and unsubstantiated allegation or observation, minister is requested to cite specific problems so that the same can be addressed,” Prakash wrote.
Sharma wrote that it is “unfortunate” that allegations on delivery of work have been raised when officials were working “with full sincerity”.
In his letter, Jain claimed that a random attendance check on May 4 at the Urban Development Department found 11 officials absent and “most… not present in their respective seats”. “The quantum of work being delivered is very less. Undoubtedly, this is result of the decision of the officers not to let government function properly,” he wrote.