Babu brigade bucks up: Study

Government employees have substantially enhanced their productivity and efficiency levels since India opened up its economy in 1991. Srinand Jha reports.

The BABUS have bucked up. Government employees have substantially enhanced their productivity and efficiency levels since India opened up its economy in 1991.

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Powered by global integration and accompanying factors such as access to technology, improved work culture and an emphasis on producing results, 58 per cent babus have raised their efficiency and productivity levels by 35-40 per cent, says a survey conducted by the Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India (Assocham). The remaining 42 per cent have improved between 12 to 27 per cent.

The findings are based on a paper titled ‘Comprehensive Analysis of Government Employees Manpower Productivity’. Views of 770 higher and middle-management executives from PSUs and government departments were elicited for the survey.

Assocham president Venugopal N Dhoot said the maximum productivity ratio was witnessed among 65 per cent infrastructure PSUs employees in organisations such as NTPC, BHEL, ONGC, Hudco, among others. The proof of higher productivity and efficiency are reflected in their balance-sheet of the last many years, Dhoot said.

Ministries which have enhanced efficiency by 24-35 per cent include finance, commerce & industry, railways, communication & IT, external affairs, civil aviation, petroleum & natural gas, power, IT, corporate affairs, I&B, tourism, science & technology, mines & steel, youth affairs & sports.

However, employees in PSUs like BSNL, Air India, Airports Authority of India among others and ministries like culture, parliamentary affairs, consumer affairs, food & public distribution and water resources fared relatively poorly, improving between 12-23 per cent.