JOIN USIn a bid to check arbitrariness in exercise of discretionary powers of ministers, the government today directed all ministries and departments to publicise regulatory parameters within three months to check such misuse.
The Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT), in its circular, has also asked the ministries to send a copy of existing guidelines within a fortnight in case they have already been framed.
"All ministries or departments which are yet to prepare appropriate guidelines in this regard are requested to do so within three months," the DoPT circular said.
The directive came on a recommendation by a Group of Ministers to tackle corruption headed by Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee after examining the proposal related to "relinquishing discretionary powers enjoyed by ministers at the Centre".
The government has accepted one of the recommendations of the GoM and in April told all departments to carry out an exercise for putting in place regulating parameters for exercise of discretionary powers and putting them in public domain so as to minimise arbitrariness in exercise of such powers.
The GoM, which was formed on January six last year included Home Minister P Chidambaram, Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar, Defence Minister A K Antony, Law Minister Salman Khurshid and Telecom and IT Minister Kapil Sibal as its members.
The government has already done away with discretionary allotment of gas pumps and issue of gas coupons besides discretionary funds at the hands of some ministries like Social Welfare among others.
The Group was formed to advise the government on matters including state funding of elections, fast tracking of all cases of public servants accused of corruption, ensuring full transparency in public procurement and contracts and, introduction of an open and competitive system of exploiting natural resources.
The DoPT has also asked all departments to confirm its directive compliance.