Urges timely services and faster clearances
Porvorim: Chief Minister Pramod Sawant on Monday directed government officials and heads of departments to clear pending files without unnecessary delays, warning that inaction and prolonged delays in decision-making create scope for corruption allegations and undermine public trust in the administration.
Speaking at a programme organised to mark Vigilance Awareness Week 2026 at the Secretariat in Porvorim, Sawant instructed officials to
forward files to the concerned Heads of Departments (HODs) or secretaries and, wherever necessary, to the minister concerned, instead of keeping them pending. He said decisions should be taken by the competent authority and officials must not hold up files unnecessarily.
“We are here to ensure ease of doing business, not to create hurdles,” the Chief Minister said, urging the departments to streamline their procedures and improve the delivery of public services.
Sawant said he was not suggesting that every government-related task could be completed
within a day, but stressed that timely disposal of work would reduce public grievances and allegations of corruption. He asked officials to examine how work in their respective departments could be streamlined over the next eight days.
The Chief Minister also expressed concern over the behaviour of some peons in government offices, alleging that they sometimes act as if they are in charge and treat members of the public arrogantly.
“In some offices, peons have become bosses. They tell people that the heads of departments are not free and will not meet them,” he said, attributing such behaviour partly to the frequent transfers of department heads while the support staff remaining in the same offices. He directed HODs to address the issue and ensure that staff
members behave properly with citizens visiting government offices.
Sawant said even if a small section of the government employees is engaged in wrongdoing, it could adversely affect image of the entire administration. He said that citizen satisfaction, speedy service delivery and transparency must be the priorities of every department.
The Chief Minister said satisfaction of people visiting government offices should be an important measure of administrative performance. He cautioned officials against bureaucratic hurdles and internal rivalries, and called for simpler procedures and more efficient functioning.
Referring to vigilance complaints, Sawant said many cases involving government employees did not originate from ordinary citizens but stemmed from disputes among serving or retired government staff. He urged employees not to adopt a vindictive attitude towards colleagues or use vigilance complaints as a means of settling personal scores.
The Chief Minister advised government employees to first take their grievances to the concerned departmental secretary and approach him directly if the matter remained unresolved.
Sawant also said several reforms had been introduced over the past seven years, adding that the administration must continue to focus on making government services more accessible and responsive to the public.
Earlier, the Chief Minister inaugurated the Vigilance Awareness Week 2026, being observed under the theme ‘Probity for Prosperity’, at the Seminar Hall of the Secretariat.
Chief Secretary Dr V Candavelou administered the Vigilance Awareness Week pledge to senior bureaucrats.
Director of Vigilance Amarsen Rane, secretaries and under secretaries to the government, heads of various government departments, officials and staff of the Vigilance Department attended the programme.
