Streamlining field administration
AN effective and orderly field administration can deliver public services discreetly and build up the image of the government with good governance. There are many problems besetting the administration at the field level, creating confusion about jurisdictions, responsibilities and allocation of businesses.
A few days back, as reported in a local daily, many upazila nirbahi officers submitted representations to the Ministry of Establishment for withdrawing from their present stations.
Under the new Upazila Parishad (Repealed and Re-introduction) Act, 2009, UNOs have been designated as secretaries of the upazila parishad instead of chief executive officers, marking a major shift in existing administrative norms.
Besides, the tussle between the chairman and the MP of the upazila, in some stations, is at a stage where the UNO might be the victim of tug of war. This has become more serious where the MP and the chairman are from different political parties. In a circular issued on May 4, by the local government division, the UNO will have no voting right, and can only facilitate decision-making of the upazila parishad.
The deputy commissioner is the chairman of the district law and order committee, but the chief judicial magistrate is not a member of the committee. Thus, the meetings headed by the deputy commissioner are useless exercises that cannot resolve pending issues or take any decisions thereon.
Sometimes, the superintendent of police also does not attend such meetings, knowing that the DC was a toothless tiger. Magistrates working with the deputy commissioner cannot reply to any question since they do not hold the responsibility of the court as trying magistrates.
Magistrates working at district and upazila level are not clear about their roles in maintaining law and order since judicial magistrates take cognisance of criminal offences. Executive magistrates exercise their power under 144 Cr PC and take preventive actions provided the situation demands so. But preventive actions are closely related with sensitive cases pending in the court.
There is a provision for a standing committee for law and order in the upazila parishad manual, but the government has very recently constituted a separate committee making the UNO the chairman, the MP the chief adviser, and the upazila chairman and vice chairman as advisers. There is confusion about whether the chairman's decision shall be final or the chief adviser's directives shall be mandatory in the eyes of the law.
UNOs are key players in some places, or secretaries in some places -- who point out rules but do not participate in decision-making -- thus generating confusion at the field level. The vice-chairmen are in total confusion about their responsibilities and roles in the upazila administration.
It is learnt that in some places upazila chairmen have occupied the offices of the UNOs considering their supreme jurisdiction over all areas. Some UNOs are apprehending that the tussle will start when the leasing out of hats, bazaars and water bodies comes up in few days.
It is learnt that a food procurement committee was constituted a few days back without the upazila food controller, even as a member of the committee. Later on, the upazila chairman was made chairman, the UNO the vice-chairman, and the UFC the member secretary. In fact, field level officers are very frustrated at seeing the failure of the government to understand the problems of field administration.
The list of transferred and retained subjects should be finalised right now to make the upazila parishads effective. The progress of work, including the finalisation of business rules of the upazila parishad, is not to the satisfaction of the people who want strong local government. This is causing frustration among them.
The circular of May 4, however, defined a parishad as a corporate body that can sue or be sued as a legal entity. The aforesaid circular highlighted the UNO as facilitator without indicating his domain of authority and jurisdiction. Of course, the circular does not allow interference of MPs in the day-to-day administration of the upazila parishad.
Field level administration is the key to the public service delivery system. It is difficult to win the confidence of the public with a shattered and confused administrative structure down below. It is, thus, high time to address the issues generating anomalies in the administration at the field level, and overcome those with clear delegation of authority and identification of responsibilities.
For this purpose, the government might consider constituting a commission urgently to identify areas of confusion and suggests measures to streamline field level administration vis-à-vis allocation of businesses among officials of various departments, with the deputy commissioner as chief coordinator of field level administration.
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