‘Balancing fiscal discipline after Ladki Bahin roll-out will be a challenge'

Hindustan Times

20 hours ago

MUMBAI: She was the state's first woman chief secretary, who retired from the post on Monday and handed over the charge to Rajesh Kumar, from the 1998 batch of IAS officers. Through her one-year tenure, Sujata Saunik, of the 1987 batch, has walked the fine line between executing her administrative duties and the Mahayuti government, whose stakeholders have been often known to express opposing views. Mumbai, India - June 30, 2025: Ex chief secretary of Maharashtra Sujata Saunik at Mantralaya, in Mumbai, India, on Monday, June 30, 2025. (Photo by Anshuman Poyrekar/ Hindustan Times) (Hindustan Times)
Saunik spoke to Yogesh Naik about temporary setbacks when she was superseded twice in the past, her contributions to the government, what it meant to be an administrator for 38 years and legacy.
Excerpts from an interview:
You were the first woman chief secretary of Maharashtra. How do you look back on your term; what were your key achievements?
It has been an honour of a lifetime to serve Maharashtra as the first woman chief secretary. Our state has both complex governance needs and immense potential. My tenure was marked by collaboration, crisis response and systemic reform. I focused strongly on digital governance, inter-departmental coordination and ensuring that welfare schemes, such as the Ladki Bahin Yojana, were implemented with efficiency and scale.
I also made efforts to streamline administration, build resilience in public systems and promote a data-driven, transparent approach to policy. Above all, I hope seeing women in leadership positions like mine inspires girls and young women to join the civil service and serve their country.
The emphasis on digital governance was important as the scale and scope of schemes have dramatically increased.
What were some of the major challenges you faced?
Balancing administrative continuity with political transition, coordinating with external agencies for shared goals, managing complex schemes across departments, and ensuring timely execution — they were both challenges and opportunities. Also, responding to natural disasters and heatwaves, while ensuring service delivery across sectors, kept the administration on its toes.
When the volume of schemes increases and delivery timelines shrink, we need to transform the way we work. The push for digital transformation became vital here – tools such as GIS mapping, Gati Shakti and project monitoring systems helped us track implementation in real-time and improved coordination between departments and agencies.
How has the Ladki Bahin scheme impacted the state's finances? Do you see its long-term economic effects on the state?
Every welfare scheme carries a financial implication. The Ladki Bahin scheme was a bold and compassionate step aimed at financial empowerment of women. In such matters, the challenge lies in balancing fiscal discipline with social investment. Over time, empowering women economically tends to have a multiplier effect — from health and education to overall family income.
What happens when the three parties in government have opposing views? How does the administration respond?
The role of the civil servant is to act as a bridge between the drafting of a policy to its execution. Our mission is to focus on implementation. Ultimately, the bureaucracy and the elected leadership work together for the benefit of the people and state.
Do you think the bureaucracy suffers due to political disagreements, especially within the Mahayuti alliance?
In a democracy, the institutions work according to the Constitution, which asks us to respect the public mandate. Our system is mature. The administration is trained to work with consensus and keep governance moving. We adapt, mediate and maintain professionalism.
There was an attempt last year to move you from the chief secretary's post. The CM and deputy CM stood by you; in fact even the PM took note of women officers' achievements. Your thoughts?
Let us focus on the positive message that younger civil servants can embrace. Officers should pursue their responsibilities with utmost dedication and integrity. My experience has reaffirmed that merit and seniority are valued; and I am very grateful for the support of the honourable Prime Minister, honourable chief minister, and both esteemed deputy chief ministers.
You were superseded twice, including once by your own husband. What were the difficulties you faced?
It wasn't easy personally or professionally at the time, but I chose not to let temporary setbacks define me. If anything, it was a time to remain even more steadfast in my goals and focus on delivering greater results. In the civil service, patience and perseverance are key. The greatest lesson one can learn is that time is the greatest equalizer. If you continue to relentlessly persevere in the face of grave adversity, your time will come.
Do you think political leadership in the state has historically hesitated in appointing women to key positions?
It is difficult to compare the present with the past, given that socio-cultural norms change with time and the number of women in civil service has increased dramatically since I joined. In my 38 years of service, I did not experience any hesitation from the leadership that appointed me to various roles. We see a growing acceptance that leadership can be gender-neutral and must be guided by capability and merit.
For the first time in Maharashtra's history, women officers held the top three positions – chief secretary, director general of police and principal chief conservator of forests. What changes did you collectively bring and how did it impact women in civil services?
It is a historic milestone for our state. More than mere symbolism, it signified trust in competence over convention. The appointment of women to these leadership roles sent a powerful message to the entire bureaucracy. We consciously worked towards creating a culture of inclusion, mentorship and integrity. We also encouraged young women officers to pursue leadership with confidence and merit, regardless of traditional barriers.
Your maternal grandfather was secretary to Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar. Your father was Punjab's election commissioner. What did you do to empower the underprivileged through your service?
Both looked upon their work as worship. They never turned anyone away unheard; and worked without fear or favour to anyone. I have therefore always believed in inclusive governance, based on mutual respect for each other's views and experiences. Legacy should not just be remembered — it should act as a spur to fuel better welfare for all.
You strengthened entry protocols in Mantralaya. Has it helped reduce corruption or middlemen? What about officers' behaviour towards citizens?
Our leadership proposed the initiative for crowd management and security, which were rolled out during my tenure. We launched the DigiPravesh App to allow convenient entry of citizens to Mantralaya for grievance redressal. This tech-driven solution will allow people to enter Mantralaya in an orderly fashion without disrupting vital government business.
As far as officers' behaviour goes, I have always encouraged all my colleagues to treat people with dignity. Technology enables transparency, but empathy must come from within along with a keen desire to solve people's problems.