A researcher in one state government institution in Orissa recently received an invitation to spend a month in a top US university with all expenses paid by the US university. She/He requested permission from the head of his/her institution to take leave and make the trip. The head sent the request (WHY?) to the overseeing department in the secretariat. When the whereabouts of the file was inquired the secretary in charge of that department said that she has just put up the file to the Chief Minister’s office (WHY?). Now the file will probably sit among hundreds of files in the CMO’s office that are waiting for his attention.

This is an example of how even simple stuff are not being decided at lower levels and are being sent all the way up to the CM’s office. In this case, the head of the institution should have just made the decision.

The current Orissa government is at fault for directly or indirectly allowing/encouraging such passing the buck and/or for not empowering decision making at lower levels. Regardless of who wins the election this must change and the new government should encourage and empower decision making at lower levels.