Even though file settlement yajnas have been conducted several times in the secretariat, 15 lakh files are still pending. A piece of detailed news related to this was published in 'Kerala Kaumudi' the other day under the title '15 lakh lives in limbo: Secretariat drowning in lakhs of backlogged files'. This report was given by reminding Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan's statement that every file is a life. To be exact, there are 14,78,000 pending files. All departments have files to settle. The most pending files are in the departments of Revenue, Health, Police, Local Self-Government, General Education, Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes, Higher Education and Public Administration.

Officials cite several reasons why the files could not be disposed of on time. It is pointed out that the file review slowed down ever since the ministers' offices and staff got busy preparing for the Nava Kerala Sadas. This cannot be considered a valid reason because Nava Kerala Sadas was conducted for the first time. Files were pending even before that. Therefore, we need to find out exactly what is the delay in adjudicating the files. Only when the cause is found can the treatment be effective. Centralization of power is one of the main causes of delay in file disposal.

A fundamental change is needed in the current way that all files must be seen by everyone at the top. Officials at the grassroots level should be given the right to take decisions that do not involve financial responsibility. Similarly, the system of imposing fines on officers who delay files should also be implemented if the files sent to any department are not returned by the specified day. The practice of writing unnecessary questions and flipping the file up and down, fearing that the responsibility will fall on one's own shoulders if a decision is made, is something that has been going on for years. It is not uncommon for a file to be disposed of within days if there are influential people behind the file.

The majority of the pending files are of the type that can be resolved if the bureaucratic and political leaders jointly work together. It has been a practice for many years for officials to delay file settlements during elections. It is a practice not to take a decision in the name of elections even in cases where the Election Commission has granted exemptions. Two yajnas were held as per the instructions of the Chief Minister but the mountain of files is still not contained. Now the Chief Secretary has started the process to conduct a third Yajna as per the instructions of the Chief Minister. The yajnas conducted in 2019 and 2022 did not achieve the target. It is hoped that the third Yajna will lead to the achievement of the goal.