The Gujarat government on Wednesday approved the creation of 28 additional Section Officer (Class II) posts in the State Secretariat, increasing the sanctioned strength from 606 to 634 as part of an effort to improve administrative efficiency and speed up the disposal of government files.
The decision, taken through a resolution issued by the General Administration Department (GAD), is aimed at addressing the growing workload in the Secretariat and ensuring quicker implementation of policy decisions. The government said the additional officers are expected to help departments process files more efficiently, allowing government services and public works to be completed in less time.
Under the revised cadre structure, the new posts will be distributed across 26 government departments and 19 offices, including the Chief Minister's Office (CMO). The restructuring also provides for temporary posts and a deputation reserve for certain key institutions, including the Chief Minister's Office, the Gujarat Vigilance Commission and the Gujarat Subordinate Services Selection Board.
According to the government, the cadre strength was reviewed in view of increasing administrative responsibilities and the rising volume of files handled by the Secretariat in recent years. The expansion is intended to ease decision-making across departments and ensure that administrative processes are completed within prescribed timelines.
The move follows a series of promotions within the Secretariat cadre earlier this year. The state government promoted 86 Deputy Section Officers (Class III) to the post of Section Officer (Class II), increasing the availability of supervisory officers responsible for processing and examining government files.
"The combination of newly-created posts and recent promotions is expected to strengthen the Secretariat's administrative capacity as the state handles a growing number of development projects, new government schemes and expanding departmental responsibilities," officials emphasised.
The government added that the increased staffing is intended to improve the pace of file disposal and enhance the overall efficiency of government administration.