Raipur, Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai on Wednesday directed departmental secretaries and heads to accelerate capital expenditure and enforce a strict timeline for project completion, while also mandating biometric attendance in the Secretariat from December 1.
Presiding over a high-level, marathon review meeting at the Mahanadi Bhavan Secretariat, CM Sai used the occasion of Mahanavami to motivate officials to work with greater coordination and team spirit to build a progressive Chhattisgarh.
The Chief Minister instructed officers to prioritise accelerating capital expenditure, ensuring greater transparency in governance, promptly resolving public grievances, and completing construction projects on time with strict quality control.
Sai stressed that capital expenditure projects are vital for strengthening the state’s infrastructure and public welfare, noting that the state’s Silver Jubilee Year is being celebrated as the “Atal Nirman Varsh.” He highlighted that the current budget provides an 18 per cent higher allocation for capital works.
He gave clear instructions for the timely granting of administrative approvals for budgeted works, prompt issuance of tenders for sanctioned projects, and immediate commencement of work without delay. He specifically directed departments with lower capital spending to immediately identify and rectify bottlenecks, urging them to fully utilise the next two months, following the monsoon’s close, to complete all construction-related paperwork.
He also stressed the importance of improving and maintaining roads for smooth transportation and directed strict action against any irregularities in procurement made through the Government e-Marketplace (GeM) portal.
To instil greater discipline, CM Sai announced that biometric attendance will be enforced in the Secretariat for all officers from the Deputy Secretary level upwards, effective December 1. He said officers must arrive at the office on time to set an example for their subordinates. Chief Secretary Vikas Sheel confirmed this implementation detail.
The Chief Minister praised the implementation of the e-Office system, stating it has significantly enhanced transparency and fulfilled the pledge of good governance. He instructed the few remaining departments to make e-Office mandatory by December 2025.
Furthermore, CM Sai directed all secretaries to patiently listen to public grievances and ensure effective redressal. He mandated that in-charge secretaries must visit their respective districts at least once every two months to conduct detailed reviews of scheme implementation on the ground.
The meeting was attended by Chief Secretary Vikas Sheel, Additional Chief Secretaries Manoj Kumar Pingua and Richa Sharma, Principal Secretary to CM Subodh Kumar Singh, Secretaries to CM P Dayanand and Rahul Bhagat, along with all departmental secretaries and heads.