THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: With the transfer of powers like appointment, promotion, transfer and disciplinary proceedings of government employees to the Administrative Officers (AO) under the Public Administration Department of the Secretariat, the heads of the departments will be left without power. The heads of the departments are the most senior officers or IAS officers. AO and Senior AO posts are available except in revenue and cooperation departments.

Administrative Officers (AO) are officers from Under Secretary to Deputy Secretary, Joint Secretary to Additional Secretary and Senior Administrative Officers (Senior OA). With this, those from the under secretary level will have to be promoted as deputy secretaries or joint secretaries to carry out other administrative matters under their purview.

Other Duties of AOs

• Preparation of seniority list before January 1
• Convening of departmental promotion committee by December
• Sanction of pay increment, leave, service book, pension and family pension to non-gazetted employees.
• Right to Information Officer
• Compassionate appointment
• Employee affairs and cashbook supervision
• Authority of documents to be submitted to Treasury
• Reporting vacancies to PSC
• Character test of employees, grant of higher grade, fixation of appointment, grant of seniority
• E Office, Punching, Civil Rights Document
• Administrative performance reports

Departments in the Secretariat- 44