1st  Kerala ARC

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Constitution of the Committee

A well organised and efficient administrative system is essential for the proper working of Government in any modern State. Any system however satisfactory cannot hold good for all time. It has to be reviewed periodically and remodelled to suit the changing conditions. In their Proceedings No. P (S) 427111/57/PD dated 15-8-1957 the Government of Kerala, therefore, ordered the constitution of a Committee with the following members, for examining the working of the present administrative machinery, assessing its adequacy and suggesting measures for improving its efficiency

1. Sri E.M.S. Nambudiripad, Chief Minister Chairman

2. Sri Joseph Mundasseri, Minister for Education Member 

3. Sri N.E.S. Raghavachari, I.C.S., Chief Secretary to Government do

4. Prof. V.K. N. Menon, Director, Indian Institute of Public Administration, New Delhi do

5. Sri H.D. Malaviya, formerly Editor, Economic Review, New Delhi do

6. Sri P.S. Nataraja Pillai, Ex-Minister, Trivandrum do

7. Sri G. Parameswaran Pillai, Retd. Chief Secretary to the Government of Travancore do

Sri H.D. Malaviya was appointed as full time member of the committee. Sri. K.S. Menon, I.A.S. was appointed as full time Secretary to the Committee and Sri V. Ramachandran, I.A.S. as Under Secretary to assist him.

Terms of Reference

• To review the working of the administrative machinery as at present organised and the systems, procedures and precedents under which it functions with a view to assessing their adequacy for a democratic Government in a welfare State.
• In the light of the above, to suggest measures calculated to improve the efficiency of the administrative to enable it to cope with developmental activities in a welfare State.
• To suggest measures for the co-ordination of the activities of the different Government departments and for the avoidance of overlapping in such activities.
• To suggest measures for decentralisation of powers at various levels with a view to expeditious despatch of Government business.
• To suggest methods for democratisation of the organs of Government at the various levels with a view to effective participation of local self-governing institutions or other representative bodies in the administration.
• Generally to make any other recommendation arising from the above matters.

Recommendations

1. Constitution of Village Panchayats, with sufficient administrative and financial resources, to plan and implement schemes and, to control the staff assigned to them from various departments. Panchayats were envisaged as having a three-fold purpose - of autonomous functioning in certain areas, of acting as agents of government, particularly in running schools, hospitals etc., and as advisers. At the village level, the revenue staff was to be integrated with the panchayats.
    
2. Combining revenue and development functions at the taluk level under the Thahsildar and constitution of a Taluk Council consisting of representatives from the Panchayats and Municipalities with a non-official Chairman. The function of this Council was to be advisory, for proper co-ordination.
    
3. Setting up of a non-official Council at the District level, either by including existing people’s representatives with the Collector as Chairman or through direct election of members with a non-official as the President. This Council is to have an autonomous area of functioning, besides co-ordination of the Panchayat and Taluk Councils.
    
4. Higher delegation of powers to heads of department and their subordinates, with freedom to exercise the delegated powers for improved management. O & M units to be set up in the major departments.
    
5. Secretariat work to be confined to framing of policies, laying down rules and procedures, financial control, general direction and evaluation. Secretariat to have reduced strength with decentralisation and to be regrouped into nine departments.
    
6. In the services, economic backwardness to be a condition for reservation of jobs. Direct recruitment for intermediate levels and all new recruits to be given practical and institutional training with a period of probation. Greater weightage to be given to seniority for promotion at lower levels and to merit for promotions at higher levels. Incentive award system to be brought into force along with provisions for stringent anti-corruption measures.
    
7. Every effort to be made to control expenditure, with close scrutiny for creation of new staff. Creation of the post a Financial Assistant or Adviser in all the major departments, all belonging to the common cadre.
    
8. The Minister to be responsible for framing of policies taking the advice of the Secretary; to leave implementation of policies to the Secretary who is to be delegated the necessary authority.
    
9. Proper arrangements to be made for visitors to meet officers.