Complaints of mounding files are something that people have been hearing about ever since government offices came into existence. Files are yearning to break out of red tapes. Rulers also now and then remind us that each of the pending files are not just files but lives. But file piles are growing bigger and bigger and not smaller.

In the secretariat itself there are more than one and a half lakh pending files. This was disclosed by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan itself. Now what comes to one’s memory is the chief minister’s speech made at a meeting convened for Secretariat employees, within hours following the swearing-in ceremony.

The chief minister then reminded employees of their responsibility and the need to show empathy towards people’s life problems.

Behind each file, there will be cries of helpless people for finding solution to their problems. If there is no solution, the applicant should be informed about it. And, delaying files will be injustice shown to the applicants.

This speech of the chief ministers was received with loud applauds by the officials and on the tables of those same officials are seen 1.54 lakh pending files. The chief minister’s words has brought out this truth.

Huge accumulations of pending files show that old habits die hard. Rulers will come and go. As freshers, they will say may good things and they will also sincerely try to give a push to governance but the pace of governance slows down as the bureaucrats are not effectively made part of the attempt.

Most number of pending files are scene in local self-governing body institutions – 33705.

Many of these files can be disposed at lower levels but old customs makes it mandatory that files should get the green signal from Thiruvananthapuram.
Though there are much talks about e-governnce and claims of complete transition to this new system, people are yet to get the benefits of this. There is no substance in the claim that there will be delay in files that should be resolved diplomatically. If officers work promptly, many of these files can be settled.

The weakness of totally politicised Civil Services also affects the efficacy of government offices.

Departments like Revenue, Education and general health are closely related to the general public. Hence slow file movements in these departments give lots of hardships to people.

There were times when adalats were held to dispose files but it has been some time since something was heard about it. Even at this time of e-governance, people and officers can sit together and take actions to dispose the files. However, even in this e-age, having to wait for months to know the decision on an application is a big shame.