EVERY professional whether a doctor, engineer, lawyer or any other ‘expert’ to be an integral part of the power-centred bureaucracy.

Every district has multiple functionaries in sectors like health, education, fisheries, wildlife, agriculture, etc. The subordinates of each department report to their respective department heads in the district.

Unfortunately, all of these departments are in turn subservient to officers of the district management group, now renamed district administration group.

This is why in our country t assistant and deputy commissioners visit hospitals instead of the district health officer to inspect facilities.

It is the district management officer who carries out the functions of the district education officer and oversees education affairs. It is the AC and the DC who levys penalties on hotels and food outlets instead of the food authority. Similarly, there are multiple other functions of a district whose powers have been assumed by officers of the district management cadre. This phenomenon has made autocrats of this government organ.

If the government is serious about ensuring better governance and resolving the issues faced by the people, it should immediately put in place a proper mechanism that ensures that administrative powers are exercised by the relevant department.

Basit Anwar
Besham, Shangla district

Published in Dawn, February 16th, 2020