Inside The Secretariat: The State Of Waiting

The Big Transfer Shake-Up

Long-pending transfers in Gujarat’s administrative and police machinery are likely to be cleared by the end of this month. The exercise to realign the administrative machinery has gained momentum ahead of the Vibrant Gujarat Global Summit (VGGS) scheduled for January. Dozens of posts are vacant across the government, forcing several officers to hold additional charges. The police department is facing a similar situation, with additional charges being assigned even at important and sensitive positions due to the shortage of officers. Against this backdrop, the General Administration Department and Home Department have started the process of transfers at the senior level. This time, the list is expected to include not only senior officers but also junior IAS and IPS officers. Ahead of VGGS, the government may face the larger challenge of getting the right “working combination” of officers in place rather than simply filling vacancies.

Growth On Borrowed Money

Gujarat’s fiscal question is no longer simply how much debt the state carries, but how fast that debt is growing. According to information placed before the Assembly, the state’s debt rose from ₹3.74 lakh crore to ₹4.30 lakh crore in just one year. The government also paid ₹52,699 crore in interest over two years. Debt is therefore no longer just a balance-sheet figure; it is becoming a structural pressure on the budget. The sharper question is this: if government revenues continue to grow, why does borrowing also keep rising? With tax collections from GST and petroleum products increasing, the policy test is whether revenue growth is actually reducing dependence on debt. For the bureaucracy, this is where the real fiscal test begins. Borrowing itself is not the problem—the use of borrowed money is. If debt finances productive infrastructure, economic capacity and future revenue, it can support growth. But if borrowing increasingly funds recurring expenditure, today’s fiscal space can become tomorrow’s interest burden. The real measure of fiscal health is not just Revenue Growth, but whether Revenue Growth is outpacing Debt Growth.

Visitors Wait, Officials Meet!

A striking issue has emerged in Gujarat’s administrative system: directions issued at the highest level are often not being followed on the ground. Year after year, the General Administration Department (GAD) issues instructions that ministers and departmental officials should not schedule meetings on designated days meant for meeting members of the public. Yet, the practice continues. The government exists to serve the people, listen to their grievances and facilitate their resolution. Monday and Tuesday have been designated for this purpose, but ministers and officials are often found occupied in meetings in their chambers instead. The Chief Minister and Chief Secretary have repeatedly issued directions on the matter, and the GAD has also issued circulars, yet meetings on these designated days continue. On several occasions, visitors who travel from distant parts of the state are left waiting for hours, only to find that officials are unavailable to meet them. There have also been instances when ministers are absent on these two crucial public-facing days. As the saying goes, the gap between “the instruction was issued” and “the instruction was implemented” is the real test of administrative efficiency.

Four Years, No Chairperson!

Vacancies in the posts of chairpersons and directors of public sector undertakings or heads of urban development authorities may sometimes remain pending, but when the Chairperson’s post in the Gujarat State Commission for Women has remained vacant for four years, it raises questions about administrative priority and process. With around 150 complaints reportedly received every month, files may continue to move, but the absence of a full-time Chairperson can affect the decision-making process. Leelaben Ankolia served as Chairperson continuously for 11 years, with her tenure ending in 2021, after which the post fell vacant. The government’s current term is nearing its end, yet the position has still not been filled. Gujarat may have policies and slogans for women’s empowerment, but the Chairperson’s chair at the Women’s Commission remains “under construction”! What makes the situation more striking is that women’s commissions have been constituted across all 28 states and 7 Union Territories, with Chairpersons appointed in most of them. Amid repeated emphasis on women’s dignity and empowerment, a chair left vacant for four years is more than just an unfilled post—it is a small but telling example of administrative priority in practice.

Vigilance Under Strain

Despite drawing hefty salaries and allowances, many government officials continue their corrupt practices, adding to the workload of investigative agencies. Complaints before the State Vigilance Commission generally remain around 10,000 a year. However, the 2025 report recorded only 8,100 complaints, largely because several applications were returned seeking additional information. The Urban Development Department has remained at the top in corruption-related complaints for the past few years. The Revenue Department, which held the No. 1 position for years, has now moved to second, while the Home Department retains the third position. The Commission also noted that 48% of ACB traps are failing, largely due to delays in obtaining prosecution sanction from the government. -- "The report reaches the government, but neither is it seriously studied nor are effective steps taken. As a result, officials engaged in corrupt practices continue to get a free hand.”

Biofuel Board Stuck In Files

Gujarat had envisioned biofuel development years ago and framed a policy, yet the Biofuel Development Board is still nowhere to be seen. The Centre’s 2018 policy encouraged states to create dedicated boards to promote the sector, and states such as Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh, Uttar Pradesh, Karnataka and Uttarakhand have already put such mechanisms in place. Gujarat, however, is still waiting for its own board. In the race for industrial growth, an emerging economic opportunity appears to have remained stuck in the administrative pipeline. The irony gets sharper when heads of different government departments are asked when the board will be formed. The standard response is reportedly: “It is not our subject.” The policy exists, the opportunity exists, other states have moved ahead—but in Gujarat, even finding the department responsible for the board seems to be a challenge.

The Long Wait For OTS

When government money is stuck, meetings are held, but recovery does not necessarily move at the same speed. A recent case involving the Gujarat State Financial Corporation shows why. The corporation has to recover ₹3,097 crore in principal and interest from 9,746 units, but its hands are tied as no One-Time Settlement (OTS) policy is currently in force. Interestingly, the corporation’s Board of Directors passed a resolution in August 2025 to introduce a settlement scheme, but government approval is still reportedly under process. The Legislative Assembly’s Committee on Public Undertakings had also directed the government to take a decision within three months, yet the approval letter has still not reached the corporation. Meanwhile, old dues are getting older, businesses are shutting down and recovery cases are reaching courts, while the interest burden continues to rise. The longer the decision takes, the harder recovery could become. The corporation is ready to recover the money; the only thing still pending is the government’s green signal.

Tourism Meets Liquor Brake

Gujarat, which follows a prohibition policy, has granted significant liquor relaxation in GIFT City to boost international business and attract investors. However, the government has been unable to take a similar decision to attract tourists at major tourist destinations across the state. A proposal was prepared at a Tourism Department meeting to consider relaxing prohibition at select major recreational and tourist destinations, excluding religious places. However, with the Assembly elections due next year, the proposal has effectively met an early end. A senior official said that since 2027 is an election year, the government does not want the issue to become a political controversy and is therefore not keen to move ahead with it for now. According to sources, the proposal had considered Surat Diamond Bourse, the Statue of Unity, Sasan Gir, the Dhordo desert region in Kutch, hotels hosting international events, and selected coastal areas for liquor relaxation.