Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan often tells that every file that is born in government offices is a life. While files are getting piled up, the complaints and grievances of the public are not getting relieved. Nearly three lakh files are pending in the Secretariat alone in the last three years. File settlement yajnas take place from time to time when files get piled up. One such yajna was launched on Wednesday. The government intends to settle arrear files within three months and start things off on a new slate. Inaugurating the yajna, the Chief Minister said that the Cabinet would evaluate the progress each month. His suggestion that the need for such a file settlement yajna should not arise in the future was noteworthy. The essence of what the Chief Minister said is that the newly born files should not become arrears when the officials go after the arrears files. It requires the full cooperation of the officials. The officials will not be able to settle arrears files by working mechanically. Files up to seven years old are awaiting settlement. Most of these can be easily settled if the department heads think so.

Most of the pending files are related to the public administration, finance and law departments. More staff can be deployed in these areas if needed. Special arrangements should be made for processing files containing complexities. At one point, concessions had been announced in the case of various certificates to expedite the availability of government services to the public. Sometimes a delay may occur in issuing orders after the cabinet decisions. Authorities may have to shrug their hands out of helplessness in front of the service seekers by the time these orders reach the lower level. Such things should not be happening in today's fast-paced world. Delays in the procedures can be avoided by notifying any decision or order to the concerned offices immediately.

Forty-one per cent of the arrears files in the Secretariat are related to property disputes and building disputes. Despite having strict building rules and regulations, there is no justification for piling up so many applications. Most of these will have to be settled at the lower level. If the rules and regulations are complicated, they need to be rewritten. Laws that are meant to hurt people must be repealed.

Heads of departments and their subordinates should make sure that the files do not pile up. The public is forced to frequently visit government offices to avail services as these officers are reluctant to do their job properly. Those who are constantly clamouring for their rights must also be ready to fulfil their duty as public servants with sincerity.

May the three-month file settlement yajna be a fresh start. It is when government services become available without delay that people are impressed with governance. The government should be able to make officials think and act that way.