What are the functions of Chief Secretary of Rajasthan? The Chief Secretary of the state enjoys the senior most position held in the civil services of the state and union territories of India. Chief Secretaries are the administrative head of state governments and also members of the Indian Administrative Service (IAS).
Chief Secretaries are assisted by Additional Chief Secretaries or Special Chief Secretaries, depending on the state, and Principal Secretaries, who are the administrative heads of departments they are assigned to.
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In the union territories, which are governed by Administrators, Chief Secretaries are absent. In these territories an Adviser to the Administrator is appointed by the Union Government. However, the union territories of Delhi, Jammu and Kashmir and Puducherry, which have been granted partial statehood, do have Chief Secretaries. In Delhi, Jammu and Kashmir and Puducherry, the Chief Minister chooses the Chief Secretary and is appointed by the Lieutenant Governor.
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The functions of Chief Secretary are as follows:
Adviser to the CM: Chief- Secretary acts as an advisor to the CM. Being head of the permanent executive branch he strives for a sound administration.
Secretary to the Cabinet: Chief-Secretary acts as a secretary to the state cabinet. Chief Secretary is the administrative head of the cabinet secretariat and attends the meeting of the cabinet and its sub-committees.
Head of State Cabinet Secretariat: State Cabinet Secretariat whose functions include Secretarial assistance, implementation of decisions, policy coordination and providing information is headed by Chief-Secretary.
Head of Civil Services: Chief- Secretary acts as the head of the state civil services. Important cases pertaining to appointments, transfers and promotion of senior state civil servants go to his/her desk.
Coordinator of Civil Service Efforts: Chief Secretary ensures inter departmental coordination. Chief Secretary advises the secretaries on inter departmental difficulties. He is the chairman of coordination committees which are set up for resolving inter-departmental disputes.
Residual Legatee: The chief secretary also acts as the residual legatee, that is, he looks after all those matters which do not fall within the purview of other secretaries.
Practice MCQs
1. Which department has a civil servant as its head?
(A) Divisional Commissioners
(B) District Collectors
(C) State Council of Ministers
(D) Secretariat Department
Answer: D
2. Who is referred to as the executive head of Secretariat?
(A) State Civil Servants
(B) Chief Secretary
(C) Chief Minister
(D) District Collectors
Answer: B
3. Who is the principal advisor to the Chief Minister on all matters of the State administration?
(A) District Collectors
(B) State Civil Servants
(C) Chief Secretary
(D) Divisional Commissioners
Answer: C
4. Who is responsible for preparing the agenda for the Cabinet meetings and keeping records of its proceedings?
(A) Chief Secretary
(B) Secretary to the State Council of Ministers
(C) Divisional Commissioners
(D) District Collectors
Answer: A
5. Who acts as the chairman of co-ordination committees set up for inter-departmental disputes?
(A) State Civil Services
(B) Secretariat Department
(C) Chief Secretary
(D) State Council of Ministers
Answer: C
6. Who served as the First Chief Secretary of Rajasthan?
(A) Salauddin Ahmad
(B) K. Radhakrishnan
(C) Rajiv Mehrishi
(D) C K Mathew
Answer: B