Senior IAS officers as District Collectors : Vanam Jwala Narasimha Rao

Senior IAS officers as District Collectors

Vanam Jwala Narasimha Rao

The Hans India (21-07-2017)

With the formation of 21 new districts in Telangana State, there are 31 districts and formation of these many districts is a revolutionary reform in the administrative sector. The formation of new districts paved way for the young IAS officers to become District Collectors and Joint Collectors. It appears that many of them are doing a good job and discharging their duties and responsibilities with dedication and commitment to the job. However, sometimes there is a haunting doubt that here and there all is not well and always it is not on the expected lines. But one must weigh matters correctly to find out the truth. There is a need to have a review and survey on the implementation of development and welfare programs by some of these young IAS officers. One should ascertain with what commitment and dedication all the officials are working. There are apprehensions that some of these young IAS officers are unaware of the social conditions and the political equations prevailing in the districts. It may be true or may not be. There may be some lapses due to ever changing social scenario, inexperienced approach to matters and inadequate training on good practices as well as lack of well laid conventions.

The Indian Administrative Service, referred to as the steel frame of the country by Late Vallabh Bhai Patel came into being after the independence replacing the then British government’s Indian Civil Service (ICS). All those selected for the IAS are brilliant and often come from divergent fields of academics from literature to Medicine and they are cream of the society. Their selection is also done by the UPSC with lot of filtration from Prelims, Mains and Interview and it is done without fear or favour. They have the protection under the Constitution. Sardar Patel used to say that these officers have nothing to fear in discharging their duties and the entire future of the country depends on them.

After a year’s rigorous training in Lal Bahadur Sastry National Academy of Administration Mussorie, they will undergo a year’s training in their allotted states as Assistant Collectors coupled with training in State Administrative Training Institutes like Dr MCR HRD IT and then they are posted as Sub Collectors in a sub division. That is how as Sub Collectors they, for the first time have a direct touch with the people and taste the power and get an opportunity to serve the people. There are many Sub Collectors whose great service people remember for years to come. After the posting as Sub Collector later they become joint Collectors, Project Directors of the Integrated Tribal Development Agency (ITDA). After seven or eight years, they will get a chance to become the Collector. With the formation new districts in Telangana, IAS officers having just four years of service have got a chance to become the Collector. The Magisterial powers the Collector enjoys are unique and in no other position however higher it may be will not carry these.

The specialty of IAS cadre is that of working as a District Collector. Besides the revenue powers, they should monitor the implementation of welfare and development programs and discharge many other responsibilities which exceed the expectations. Despite all the training, heavy job burden may lead to couple of mistakes and lapses.

After serving as District Collectors for about a decade they are posted as heads of the departments, secretaries in the State Secretariat and as Managing Directors of Public Sector Undertakings. They often got these promotions based on their caliber, capabilities and at times due to their proximity to the politicians in the districts. There is a need to make some changes in the set up based on the changing situation. Some feel that it is better to post some senior IAS officers as the District Collectors.  Maybe it is necessary to appoint some seniors in the districts for the better implementation of the welfare and development programs in true letter and spirit.

It may be better to appoint at least in one third of the districts, senior IAS officers of the cadre of Principal Secretary and Secretary as the District Collector! Their seniority will be useful for the administration and the good governance besides getting yet another chance to directly interact with the people and understand the issues. They would be able to understand the rural India. If such a practice is not in vogue, then it should be initiated now. Officers, who are not connected with the schemes that are being implemented at the village level, should not be posted in senior positions just because they are seniors. The Junior IAS officers should work under seniors’ guidance.

There is also a discussion on what kind of relationship should exist between the civil servant and the people’s representative.  Ours is a Parliamentary democracy and we follow the British practices and conventions though sometimes at the implementation level we have evolved our own system.

In the Armstrong Memorandum prepared in the Britain there is clear mention about the relationship between the civil servants and the people’s representatives as well as the duties and responsibilities of the civil servants. According to our Constitution, people’ representatives are accountable to their respective Parliament or Assemblies while the civil servants are accountable to the Ministers. It is understood that the Ministers are accountable to the government. The civil servants have a responsibility to offer their services to the government and the people no matter who becomes the chief minister or which political party is in power and above any political considerations. Their first job is to gain the confidence of the Minister for whom they are working.  The civil servant’s job does not change nor their duties whenever there is a change in the government.  They should offer their valuable suggestions to the minister and government on the administrative matter and cooperate with them. Above their likes and dislikes, they should cooperate and help the government in implementing the promises that the party in power made in its election manifesto.

If the civil servant fails to give proper information, gives wrong advice and causes delay in the Minister’s decision-making process, it shows their irresponsible behavior. The Armstrong Memorandum clearly states that once a decision is taken by the Minister even if it is wrong, the civil servant should implement it with more zeal and rigor. If there is mutual faith and confidence between the Minister and the civil servant the efficiency of the government administration, ability, wisdom increases. It is better that both the ministers and civil servants follow the UK best practices and traditions here. The political bureaucracy and official bureaucracy should work in close coordination and cooperation. Against this backdrop it may be good to appoint some senior IAS officers as the district collectors for the better implementation of programs and schemes for the development of rural areas and for a better administrative set up as well as for good governance.