UPSC Express

• Chief Secretaries (CS) are members of the Indian Administrative Service (IAS) and are the administrative head of state governments.
  
• The Chief Secretary is the senior-most cadre post in the state administration and the status of the Chief Secretary is equal to that of a Secretary to the Government of India.
  
• The Indian Constitution does not list the powers and functions of the Chief Secretary.
  
• The functions of CS are defined in the Rules of Business framed by each state government individually.
  
• Traditionally, the most senior IAS officer within a state is chosen as the Chief Secretary. However, there have been exceptions as well.
  

Roles and responsibilities of the Chief Secretary:

Exam preparation Books

• The chief secretary acts as the principal advisor to the chief minister on all matters of state administration.
  
• The CS also serves as a link between the chief minister and other secretaries of the state government.
  
• Thus, the CS functions as the central point of interdepartmental coordination.
  

Secretary to the Cabinet:

• The Chief Secretary acts as the ex-officio secretary to the state cabinet, and in that capacity he/she is known as the Secretary to the Cabinet.
  
• He is also the administrative head of the cabinet secretariat and attends the meeting of the cabinet and its sub-committees.
  
• Further, he/she takes steps for the implementation of the decisions taken in such meetings.
  

Head of Civil Services:

• The Chief Secretary is the ex-officio head of the State Civil Services Board, which recommends transfer/postings of officers of All India Services and State Civil Services in the state.
  
• Thus, the CS determines vacancies, appointments, transfers, placements, seniority, promotions and retirement of civil servants of the state.
  
• The CS initiates matters involving staff welfare and service conditions of state officials and is overall in charge of training and career management of civil servants of the state.

About: All-India Services (Discipline and Appeal) Rules, 1969

• The Rules contain various provisions for disciplinary actions including suspension and penalties, for members of the All India Services (AIS).
  
• Minor penalties under the Rules include withholding of promotion, recovery of financial losses from the officer’s pay, withholding of increment in pay
  
• Major penalties include compulsory retirement, removal or dismissal from service.
  
• The Rules also provide conditions for appeals against various forms of disciplinary actions taken.
  

About: All-India Services (Death-cum-Retirement Benefits) Rules, 1958

• As the name suggests, the Rules contain provisions for death and retirement benefits for members of the All India Services.
  
• It also contains provisions for withholding the said benefits, in case the concerned officer has been dismissed/removed or has resigned from the Service.
  
• For a person who has been dismissed/removed from the service, the State government can grant a compassionate allowance not exceeding two-thirds of the retirement benefits.
  
• A member of the Service who has been made to retire compulsorily (as a penalty)can be granted retirement benefits.