Personnel and Administrative Reforms
Introduction:

The Personnel & Administrative Reforms Department is the Cadre Controlling Authority for IAS, WBCS (Executive), West Bengal Secretariat Service and Assistants & Typists in the West Bengal Secretariat. The attached Offices of P&AR Department are (i) Administrative Training Institute (ii) Resident Commissioner, West Bengal at New Delhi (iii) Vigilance Commission (iv) West Bengal Information Commission and (v) Lokayukta, West Bengal. Allotment of fund for development of infrastructure in district and sub-divisional level is another key function of this Department. It acts as Nodal Department for implementation of two important Acts, viz. 'The Right to Information Act, 2005' which is a Central Act and 'The West Bengal Lokayukta Act, 2003

Major Decisions and Achievements of the Department:

'The upper age limit in case of recruitment of group ' C' and 'D' categories of employees in government jobs has been raised from 32 years to 40 years in case of General Category, to 45 years in the cases of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes candidates and 43 years in the case of Other Backward Class candidates.

'Staff Selection Commission has been constituted by the State Government vide Notification No. 320-PAR(Genl.) dated 20.02.2012 to recruit non- PSC Officers and Staff for Regional Offices. It has started functioning from 01.03.2012 'In pursuance of decision taken at all-political party meeting held on 3rd and 19th August 2011 State Government has accorded in- principle approval for bifurcation of 4 (four) districts viz. Jalpaiguri, Paschim Medinipur, Bardhaman and North 24 Parganas. Concurrence of High Court on the proposals is awaited.

'For better and single point delivery of various citizen centric services State Government has approved the proposal for creation of a separate Civil Administrative Unit for Kolkata. Concurrence of Kolkata High Court has been obtained.

'For better co-ordination in development and Law and Order administration a proposal for reorganisation of the limits of Sub-division and creation of two new sub-divisions namely Jhalda and Manbazar in the District of Purulia has been given in-principle approval by the State Government. Concurrence of Kolkata High Court to the proposal is awaited.

'The Vigilance Commission has been strengthened by turning the one-man Commission to a three-man Commission so that it may become more effective and accountable. One of the main activities of the Commission will be to probe into various complaints under the provisions of the Anti Corruption Act 1988.

An Anti Corruption Branch under the direct control of P & AR Department has been set up vide Notification No. 655-P & AR (Vig.) dated 02.08.2012 to strengthen the anti-corruption machinery of the State Government.

'From 1st December' 2011, 11 (eleven) departments have got a separate Drawing and Disbursing Officer (DDO) in respect of the Secretariat-Establishment for smooth and speedy functioning of various works related to Pay & Accounts by separating the D.D.O. from Accounts Officer West Bengal Secretariat. From 1/4/2012 it has been extended to 34 more Departments.

E-office and e-governance on pilot basis has been taken up by the Department. North 24 Parganas district has been included for implementation of Quality Management System, "Sevottam" by Department of Administrative Reforms and Public Grievances Government of India.

"The West Bengal Civil Service (Executive) Recruitment Rules, 1978 has been amended in order to enhance scopes for promotion from feeder services to WBCS (Exe.) Cadre.

WBCS (Exe.) Officers will not depend solely on the result of recruitment examination conducted by PSC. At the induction level training the Officers will be subjected to assessment for another 200 marks and taking into consideration the scores of both PSC and induction level examination the final merit list will be prepared.

'Resident Commissioner, West Bengal has arranged for online reservation facility for tourists, planning to visit various destinations in West Bengal. A Media Centre has been opened at Banga Bhavan for an exchange of information. A web page titled 'Media reflection' has been created to collate all the news items pertaining to West Bengal in the print media. The centres emergency contact No. (toll free) is 1800-11-3300.

'Administrative approval for Construction of a new Training and Hostel Block for ATI has been accorded with an estimated cost of Rs. 1136.57 lakh.

'Setting up of 3(Three) Regional Training Centres in the Districts of Darjeeling, Coochbehar and Howrah has been taken up.

Two years' Child Care Leave has been allowed to the women employees of the State Government.

Shifting of State Secretariat from Writers’ Buildings, Kolkata to Nabanna, Howrah.

Creation of Alipurduar district comprising of 6 Blocks (from erstwhile Jalpaiguri district).

Functioning of WBSSC; amendment effected increasing age limit of chairperson from 62 years to 65 years. WBSSC has conducted 5 recruitment exams so far.

Syllabus of WBCS (Exe.) and etc. Examination has been suitably modified. Introduction of SPARROW for IAS officers.

Centre for excellence inaugurated at ATI for helping aspirants in Civil Services Examinations of UPSC.

Process of re-organization of the offices of WBIC, Principal Resident Commissioner, WBSSC started.

Promotion of officials in CCW being done regularly every month; thus the gradation list regularly being updated on monthly basis.

Rules of a Common Cadre for Group ‘D’ employees drafted; details are being worked out.

Initial draft placed for LDE (Limited Department Examinations) for WBSS cadre, starting from the post of Registrar.

Training of newly recruited LDCs and other officials including newly appointed Assistant Secretaries on regular basis at ATI.

SRMS (Service Record Monitoring System) for WBCS(Exe.), WBSS and CCW to go online – under process. Same regarding IAS to be inaugurated soon- with reference to leave application and asset statement.

AIS Pension data fully computerized.

Introduction of Bio-Metric system of attendance.

Tagging of NIC and IT Personnel to WBCS Cell and C.C. Wing – to effect better coordination and fast, smooth transmission of data regarding transfer and posting.

Change of syllabus in English and Bengali for Departmental Examinations for All India Services and State Service officers conducted through ATI, and prescribed by PSC, WB, on the anvil.