Review Meeting Held to Ensure Time-Bound Implementation of Government Directives

 A few days ago, the Hon’ble Chief Minister of Telangana convened a review meeting with all Special Chief Secretaries, Principal Secretaries, and Secretaries. During the meeting, clear instructions were issued to lead their respective departments proactively, coordinate closely with Heads of Departments (HODs), and ensure completion of government-mandated tasks within stipulated timelines. It was also conveyed that a strict review would be undertaken after three months.

In continuation of these directions, Mr. CV Anand, Spl.Chief Secretary - Home, conducted a meeting today with the concerned HODs of departments including Police, Fire Services, Prisons, SPF, Prosecution, and Sainik Welfare. The discussions focused on key deliverables to be achieved by January 2026 and the corresponding plans of action to ensure timely execution.

The following priority areas were reviewed and emphasized:

• Implementation of e-Office across all departments, ensuring that all files are processed online, with dashboards at the departmental level and a master dashboard with the secretary.

• Vacating privately rented buildings and shifting offices to government-owned premises, in view of the substantial annual expenditure of approximately ₹500–600 crore on rent.

• Comprehensive verification of all employees: regular, contractual, and outsourced to certify that no ghost employees continue to draw salaries, in light of identification of around 6,000 ghost employees resulting in an estimated annual loss of ₹600 crore.

• Verification and declaration of all existing and newly opened bank accounts.

• Identification and highlighting of one flagship scheme by each department.

• Mandatory field visits by Secretaries and HODs at least once every week.

All officers were instructed to treat the directions with utmost seriousness and ensure diligent execution, in alignment with the timelines and expectations set by the government.

Role and Responsibilities of the Home Secretary: An Overview

 In recent months, there has been public interest in understanding the role and scope of work of the Home Secretary. Over the past two to three months, Mr. Anand has been discharging the responsibilities of this position. A brief overview of the duties and functions of the Home Secretary is outlined below.

The Home Department of the Government of Telangana is responsible for a wide range of subjects  A visual representation displayed in the Home Secretary’s chamber captures the breadth of responsibilities overseen by the department, symbolized by the Telangana State emblem at the centre.

 Matters relating to police service conditions, disciplinary appeals, budgetary requirements, and administrative proposals are routed through the Home Department for examination and processing.

In addition to the Police Department, several other important departments function directly under the administrative control of the Special Chief Secretary (Home). These include Fire and Disaster Management, Prisons and Correctional Services, the Special Protection Force, Printing and Stationery, the Directorate of Prosecutions, and Sainik Welfare. Each of these wings is headed by senior Indian Police Service officers, who submit proposals and policy matters to the Home Department for consideration and approval.

Within the Home Department, files are examined and processed in accordance with established business rules. Depending on the subject, proposals are circulated to departments such as Law, Finance, General Administration Department (GAD), and the Chief Secretary for their views and concurrence. Thereafter, matters are placed before the Hon’ble Home Minister, Deputy Chief Minister, or the Hon’ble Chief Minister for final approval, as applicable.

Policy matters concerning these departments are carefully examined from legal, administrative, and financial perspectives before decisions are taken. Whenever required, Government Orders relating to the Home Department are issued to give effect to such decisions.

This, in brief, outlines the  responsibilities of the Home Secretary.

Aerodrome Committee (Security) Meeting Held at RGIA

 An Aerodrome Committee (Security) meeting was held today at Rajiv Gandhi International Airport (RGIA). The committee is responsible for reviewing anti-hijacking procedures, response mechanisms, and overall aviation security preparedness. Mr.CV Anand,  Home Secretary, serves as the Chairman of this committee.

The committee comprises senior representatives including the Commissioner of Police, Cyberabad, and local heads of ISW, NSG, OCTOPUS, IB, BCAS, the Air Force, Revenue Department, CISF, Fire Services, the airport operator GMR, and the Information & Public Relations Department. 

The core mandate of the committee is to examine preparedness and response protocols in the event of an aircraft hijacking. During the meeting, compliance with decisions taken in the previous meeting was reviewed. It was decided to adopt a proactive approach by identifying potential negotiators from universities and trained psychologists and equipping them to handle hijacking situations. The committee also resolved to conduct mock exercises involving the coordinated movement of all stakeholders, undertake mock drills at the airport isolation bay as well as on the runway, and strengthen security infrastructure through installation of additional CCTV cameras and related systems.

Recaling his experience as Inspector General, Airport Sector, Central Industrial Security Force, Mr.Anand highlighted  the issue of hoax bomb threats and their impact such as flight cancellations and associated security challenges. Members were urged to remain proactive in ensuring timely compliance with all security measures and to complete pending works at the earliest, keeping in view the need for constant readiness to handle any eventuality.