Current Structure:

Grama Secretariats:    11,162 units.

Ward Secretariats:       3,842 units.

Total staff:                 1,27,175 personnel.

Proposed Rationalization Plan:

Reorganize secretariats into three categories based on population size:

* Up to 2,500 population: 6 staff members (2 multipurpose, 4 technical).

* 2,501–3,500 population: 7 staff members (3 multipurpose, 4 technical).

* Above 3,500 population: 8 staff members (4 multipurpose, 4 technical).

KIRANMAI TUTIKA | AMARAVAT

The Andhra Pradesh government is set to rationalize staff and operations at grama (village) and ward secretariats to enhance efficiency and service delivery. Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu chaired a comprehensive review where proposals were presented to reorganize secretariats into three categories and implement staffing reforms based on population size and workload.

Currently, the state has 11,162 grama secretariats and 3,842 ward secretariats, employing 1,27,175 personnel. However, staffing levels vary significantly, with some secretariats operating with just four to six employees. To address these imbalances, the government plans to optimize resources by categorizing staff into multipurpose and technical functionaries.

Under the new structure, secretariats for populations up to 2,500 will have six staff members, including two multipurpose and four technical functionaries. Secretariats serving populations of 2,501-3,500 will have seven staff members, and those for populations above 3,500 will have eight. This reorganization will result in 3,562 secretariats with six staff members, 5,388 with seven, and 6,054 with eight, totalling 15,004 grama and ward secretariats across the state.

Roles for multipurpose functionaries in village secretariats include panchayat secretary, digital assistant, welfare and education assistant, and village women police officer. Technical functionaries will cover roles such as village revenue officer, ANM, survey assistant, engineering assistant, agriculture secretary, veterinary secretary, and energy assistant. Ward secretariats will have corresponding roles tailored to urban needs.

The Chief Minister emphasized integrating advanced technologies like AI and drones to modernize rural governance. “Aspirational Secretaries” will be appointed in each secretariat to promote technology adoption, spearheading initiatives like geotagging households and enabling tech-driven governance.

To support the new framework, existing staff will be retrained and redeployed to meet reorganized demands. Additionally, 15,000 new staff with technical expertise will be recruited. Partnerships with companies such as Google and Microsoft will ensure advanced technical training for secretariat employees.

The initiative aligns with the broader goal of leveraging technology to enhance governance and public services. The Chief Minister reiterated the importance of streamlining operations to make secretariats central to development activities such as value addition, marketing, and employment generation. He also stressed the need for accountability and performance-based rewards for staff.

By adopting this rationalized approach, the Andhra Pradesh government aims to improve efficiency, reduce redundancy, and ensure equitable resource distribution in grama and ward secretariats.