Field officers of govt depts a confused lot

HYDERABAD: Field officers of various departments are in a state of confusion. While it is mandatory for employees to make field visits to inspect factories and establishments, field officials of the departments of industries, labour, employment and training and factories and boilers are, on the contrary, restricted from carrying out such tasks by the government.
As part of efforts to simplify procedures to promote industry in the state, the government has extended self-certification facility to industrial establishments.
This has reduced dependence on field-level inspections by officials about which there were numerous complaints from the industry.
However, senior officials complain that the government continues to evaluate the performance of the field staff for giving increments and promotions based on inspections. "There is a lot of confusion over the issue as the government orders are self-contradictory," a senior bureaucrat said.