With the biggest ever mandate in the state’s recent political history, CM Devendra Fadnavis has embarked on an ambitious mission—bureaucrats will be held more accountable and will have to deliver in a time-bound period.
Fadnavis realised that the all-powerful bureaucrats are never questioned for dismal performances. In the words of the late “degree wizard” Shrikant Jichkar, once they come out of the IAS academy, irrespective of their performance, bureaucrats get time-bound promotions and retire peacefully. After retirement, they secure plum assignments, with perks and facilities on a par with the chief secretary.
A week after he took over the reins of the state, Fadnavis felt that like elected representatives, bureaucrats should be held more accountable. In his first meeting with senior bureaucrats, he made it clear that he is keen on a clean, transparent and result-oriented administration at all levels. At the second meeting, he proposed the concept of a 100-day action plan. Then, he convened a separate meeting of all departments; there was a brief brainstorming session and he asked them to prepare a vision for 100 days.
For most of the bureaucrats, the concept was challenging since it was for the first time that a CM had asked them to come with such a plan. Now, every bureaucrat will have to do homework to draft a plan and present it before the CM. So far, only the rural development department has come up with a 100-day plan on providing affordable houses to the poor and economically weaker sections.
It is expected that Fadnavis will also insist on 100-day plans from little known departments, such as tribal development, social justice, employment guarantee, dairy development, textiles, relief and rehabilitation, and labour, and post high profile bureaucrats in these departments.
Big disappointment
Radhakrishna Vikhe Patil and Girish Mahajan—Fadnavis’s trusted aides—are sailing in the same boat. Their colleagues feel it would have been better had they not been included in the cabinet expansion. Vikhe Patil and Mahajan had expected plum portfolios, but Fadnavis, instead, split the sought after water resources department to accommodate them. Vikhe Patil is in charge of irrigation projects in western Maharashtra and Marathwada, while Mahajan will look after the rest of Maharashtra.
It was the first time that a CM split the department despite there being no such demand. It was expected that owing to Vikhe Patil and Mahajan’s seniority, Fadnavis would allocate one additional portfolio to each so that there would be no loss of reputation.
Vikhe Patil and Mahajan have been elected to the assembly for the seventh consecutive term. A few years ago, both had been frontrunners for the CM’s post. When Maratha activist Manoj Jarange’s agitation was at its peak, both had stepped in to pacify him, but that did not impress Fadnavis enough to get them plum assignments.