Secretaries, senior officials must meet people not associated with govt: Cabinet Secretary T V Somanathan
In a recent communication to central government secretaries, Cabinet Secretary Dr T V Somanathan said he has learnt that secretaries to the Government of India and other senior officials are reluctant to give appointments to people who are not government officials but would seek a meeting in connection with the work of their ministries.
He said that meeting visitors can provide insights into the current situation in the field, help identify or clarify miscommunications or misunderstandings about government policies or intentions, introduce new ideas, and offer opportunities to rectify mistakes.
Somanathan said this while acknowledging that senior officers, at times, are unable to give appointments due to their busy schedules.
He also specifically mentioned that secretaries and other senior officials can even meet such people in their office who are receiving some benefit from, or are contractors of, the department.
According to Somanathan, they can also meet people from trade unions, political parties, or NGOs, and those from the Indian or foreign private sector, or a chamber of commerce.
They can meet people facing law enforcement actions, investigations, or contractual disputes with the department, including those matters that are sub-judice or under arbitration.
He, however, mentioned that such meetings should only be held in their offices and not in social settings, clubs, or hotels, adding that if required, another official can also be present in such a meeting as a precaution.
Speaking about the matter, a senior government official admitted that there is indeed reluctance in meeting people not associated with the government among senior bureaucrats in the central government.
'Often officials try to ensure safety for themselves and avoid having a meeting with those from outside the government to avoid a situation which they fear can backfire later on them in some other context,' the official told The Indian Express.
'As a result, some genuine people seeking meetings on critical or relevant matters are affected,' the official added.
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