Government system

I had been to secrateriat for follow up of a file. If a file is submitted if respective people are responsible, there is no need to followup. In the recent two months for at least 30 times I had visited various offices and met people regarding the files. In the whole process my patience and persistence improved. At the same time I started accepting every kind of person I met.

One of the persons who is supposed to put up the file and submit to his officer was very hostile without any reason. First time when I met him in his chamber. He was looking at some files at that time. I went to him and wished him good morning and introduced about my self. His looks were intense, as though asking me who are you? Who has permitted you to come here? If you have submitted a file so what? And so on. Over all the ambience was very cold. Finally they said that there is a lot of time for the visit, so why you are in a hurry. Explained them that preparations need to be done ahead, so we need permission from the Government ahead.

Me their superior officer to disucss about the file. He said that due to recent reorganisation of the state into Telangana and Andhra Pradesh roles and responsibilities are being divided among the staff and there is some clarity required to assign the task to the personnel.

Next time visited again to disucss the matter with the responsible person regarding the file. Again met with the same hostile environment, his colleage answered that the “file is in submission”. Asked again how long it will take, the replay is same at least thrice for any question “file is in submission”. When asked their superior officer regarding the file, he does not have much control on them, says he has assigned them the task and it will take time.

Meanwhile someone said that for a file to move, as learnt in physics friction should be less, so a lubricant is required. So, one day again with courage I was forced to ask them if they require any libricant for the movement of file. Because I was loosing valuable time by visiting almost every alternative day. I am unable to too my regular tasks. On that day I waited for them to tell what they wanted to put up the file. Finally in the evening they called me to say, we dont require anything but we are putting up the file by tomorrow and the file will go to the finance department.

I went to finance department and met the responsible officer and discussed with him the details. He was kind enough and without much delay, he has put up the file to his superior officer and the file was sent back to the orignial department. A memo was sent requesting details of the people who are going abroad. But our office did not get the copy of the memo. Again I visited the same officers regarding the memo, they only said that it was sent and were reluctant to issue a copy of the memo to me. Again next day visited their officer and in turn he ordered them to give a copy. I went to them for the memo, they were very angry because we complained their superior. Every office has similar persons, so even after getting the memo, the copy of original memo was delivered to us after a week which we already got it.

Within a day furnished all the details as per the memo and submitted the file again in the department. Because of so many interactions with the officers at secrateriat, they are now less hostile and atleast speaking to us. This time there is no delay from them in sending the file to finance department. From finance department it came back to the original department and now again I had difficulty to communicate with the officers. They sent the file to services section, which is located in the building where Chief Minister's office is present. It is difficult to enter into the premises. With a request to the security, I could meet the responsible officer. Thinking that now we are loosing so much time and involving a known person with in the secretariat for follow up was a good idea. We found one officer who has the responsibility for followingup of files, who worked with us department and he is on deputation. He said that he would follow up, but requires me to accompany him. I went to secrateriat one day, called him he said that he would be sitting in a block. After reaching that place I tried calling him for exact location, he stopped lifting his calls. I was worried. He pretened to be busy a person so he stopped lifting the phone. People's ego, arrogance and stupidity is sometimes a result of position. They thing they are their special privilages to be so.They never know that rather gaining respect with position they are are loosing everything and becoming inhuman. If they learnt these characterists from their political leaders who often do, I think we are falling in a loop of abyss in leadership. One day he was so sincere and visited every office and followed up regarding the file and in the evening, he requested for two Tablets one for his own use and one for his boss. I said ok, please send us a request, we will arrange to send one officially. That is the last day he met us and never again lifted his phone to attend our call. Good we got to understand his intentions.

Now finally the file has reached the original department. As there is not committee, we decided to meet our responsible officer to tell the matter and urgency of decision to be taken. Met the personal secretary, most often they think they are bigger then their boss and whole system. Asked us to wait for some time and come after half an hour. We returned back as per his suggestion, there were people in a meeting. So he asked us to wait, and we waited for for about two hours it was about 6 pm by them. Many others were also waiting. After the meeting, we gave the visiting card for meeting the officer. The personal secretary without consulting his officer says that sir will be angry if I send you inside to meet him, so go and come later. He were surpriced by his reply, and were waiting, suddenly the officer asked all the waiting people to come in, he was an IAS officer and was so gentle, he asked us the problem, simple he gave a solution with in a minute. Our ordeal at the secrateriat has ended. Now I got to understand how a government system is working. I got exposed to corruption, favours, angry faces for no reason, looking good, authority, selfishness and quasi leadership aspects. There is need for human beings in the systems. Human being after getting into a system, most often they are loosing humanity.