Last take: Chief secy flays out-of-agenda proposals

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The state's Plan progress review meeting, chaired by chief secretary E K Bharat Bhushan, has flayed the numerous 'out-of--agenda' proposals being brought to cabinet meetings by ministers, overlooking the departments.
In his last Plan review meeting as chief secretary on Saturday, Bhushan flayed the practice of 'out-of-agenda' culture in the cabinet and sought the cooperation of secretaries in resisting the practice.The chief secretary is also learnt of have hinted that 'out-of-agenda' decisions had created much controversy in the recent past.
"The chief secretary requested the secretaries not to issue orders if the files on out-of-agenda matters went to them. He also said that was one of the reasons why most secretaries wanted to leave the state on central deputation as this would ultimately land them in trouble," said one of the secretaries who attended the meeting.
Among the Plan progress review for the first three quarters that ended on December 31, the state's performance has been poor with just 38% funds being spent with less than three months left in the financial year.
The state could spend just Rs 7,666 crore of the Rs 20,000-crore total outlay. Among the departments, housing (1%) and planning (7%) were the worst performers, with their total outlay at Rs 45 crore and Rs 263 crore respectively. Tourism (62%) and health (50%) departments stood at the top in spending the Plan funds.
However, many officers who attended the meeting dismissed the chief secretary's observations as a publicity stunt. "He could have taken such a stand from the time he joined as chief secretary, and not in his last meeting. In fact, many of us had received reminders from the chief secretary for delay in issuing orders in cases decided in out-of-agenda proposals," one of them said.