There is consternation among senior officers of the Delhi Government as they have been asked to work on Saturdays. In one his first orders that has created controversy after resuming work, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal who comes to his office even on Saturdays directed them to work on Saturdays. A circular has been issued that Deputy Secretary and above rank officials will have to come to the office even on Saturdays.
The General Administration Department (GAD) has issued notification regarding deployment of staff whenever Chief Minister comes to office, senior officers from Deputy Secretary and above along with support staff will have to come on Saturdays, which, however, seems to have earned the
ire of several officials against the orders.
A senior officer of Deputy Secretary rank, told The Pioneer that the big question is who will ask the Chief Minister whether he will come to office on Saturday or not while those from the support staff have raised objections saying that if you are posted at Players Building, you will have to come on Saturdays.
“Those who are posted outside Players Building will continue to take advantage of five days a week,” said a junior level officer of Delhi Government. The officials who are posted at Players Building are seemingly unhappy, stating that when required they work 24x7 but cancelling weekly off on Saturdays is uncalled for.
“Whenever the Chief Minister attends the office on Saturdays, Services, Finance, GAD, Health and Family Welfare, Public Works Department (PWD), Home, Urban Development and Administrative Reforms departments should ensure that at least one officer of the rank of the Deputy Secretary and above, well-versed with the affairs of the department should be present along with the support staff,” the order said.
The order was issued after Delhi Ministers and some AAP MlAs reportedly told Kejriwal that they wanted to work on Saturdays, but bureaucrats were unavailable. The employees of the Directorate of Information and Publicity have been working every Saturday for last one month. Their weekly off on Saturdays has been cancelled since the AAP Government assumed power.
Even though Kejriwal is not directly responsible for any portfolio, the CMO has been keenly reviewing the functioning of each department in the city administration. Kejriwal, observers said, is keen on making the CMO the nerve-centre of the State Government, which would rope in the experts — both from among its ranks as well as from outside the party — to implement the AAP’s 70-point plan for Delhi. The observers said that the AAP, however, is also wary of the CMO becoming a centralised command centre breathing down the necks of other Ministers.