A three-party government in power has brought with it a fresh challenge for the State administration and bureaucrats — juggling a series of review meetings with different leaders and handling recommendations from members of all three allies.
After the Maha Vikas Aghadi took over the reigns of the State, the government announced a review of all the departments to assess their performance in the five years of the previous government. However, the reviews seem to be unending, with each department meeting at least two leaders with files and data.
While Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray is reviewing department performance, Deputy Chief Minister and Finance Minister Ajit Pawar is also holding meetings with every department ahead of the budget session. Besides, Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) chief and Rajya Sabha MP Sharad Pawar, whose efforts led to the formation of the government, is also meeting bureaucrats along with ministers from his party and the Congress.
“Apart from these independent reviews, there are letters, recommendations and phone requests from leaders. As an obligation to the alliance partners, ministers now have to endorse or give remarks on letters sent by workers from different parties. Not only has the number of people coming to Mantralaya increased, but officials are also bombarded with letters and recommendations,” a senior official in the secretariat said, on the condition of anonymity.
Multiple reviews
Departments that have undergone multiple reviews include Social Justice, Education, Women and Child Welfare, Urban Development, and Housing.
The Social Justice Department is led by NCP minister Dhananjay Munde. Last month, Mr. Thackeray took stock of the department, which was followed by a meeting between the officials and the Finance Minister. A week ago, the NCP chief met Mr. Munde.
Both Pawars had called for independent meetings with the Urban Development Department, held by Shiv Sena’s Eknath Shinde who directly reports to Mr. Thackeray.
The Congress’s Varsha Gaikwad, the Minister for School Education, has had meetings with the CM and Deputy CM, as has Women and Child Welfare Minister Yashomati Thakur. The CM and Sharad Pawar are both monitoring the functioning of the Housing Department.