Improving File Processing in Govt Offices: Inputs for Modi Govt 2.0

Many of you in the last 5 years have raised the issue of making file processing in Govt offices more efficient. With multiple submissions by LocalCircles, a handful of ministries of Central Government have moved to e-Office where file processing is electronic but majority of them are still on the paper file system and the processing is highly inefficient. Many of these affect how processing of state/local schemes happen. Below are some of your suggested changes. Kindly review them and if you have anything additional, please share.

You are also welcome to share the link of the post on other social media so more senior country leadership is brought up to speed of this critical need.

Solutions to improve File Processing in Govt Offices:

1. All paper submissions/pending files should be fed into the systems
2. Electronic files should be created for new cases/projects
3. As soon as a case is fed into a system, it should automatically assign to the related officer
4. Every file should have an owner who should be held responsible for timely processing
5. The system should show the number of pending cases/files against each officer’s name, which should also be visible to their seniors and head of department like Secretary and Minister or District Magistrate (District) and Chief Minister (State)
6. Each application should have a ‘maximum response time’ failing which the office should be held accountable
7. Automatic escalation should happen if file is not cleared within the stipulated time
8. A week before a case file is to reach its ‘maximum response time’ limit, the system should start displaying an urgent message against it and send a SMS trigger
9. An automatic penalty rating system to be established
10. Once a file/application is submitted, it should be made the offices’ responsibility to get back to the applicant
11. It should be made a rule that the files should be transferred to the second department on the same day as it is cleared from the first one
12. No file should move for more than 3 layers for decision
13. Timely file/case processing should be embedded into everyone’s KRA from Secretary
to Clerk with different weightage
14. Efficiency and results should be made the key to performance appraisals
15. Proper pest control measures should be taken for the file storage rooms
16. Electronic tracking of files/cases should be enabled and in cases where the customer is a citizen/business, they should have a tracking number
17. A clear set of instructions should be issued from the offices for the documents required for each set of work
18. CCTV cameras should be installed in Government offices to keep an eye on the
proceedings
19. Officers/peons caught taking bribes should be immediately suspended
20. Employees should be periodically trained on using computers for their daily work
21. Paperwork in Government offices should be reduced by replacing it with electronic
communication and approvals. more