India, July 27 -- Cabinet Secretary TV Somanathan has asked senior bureaucrats to shed "playing safe" approach and delegate greater authority to junior civil servants, emphasising that excessive centralisation can slow government functioning, overwhelm senior officers and deprive subordinates of opportunities to develop as decision-makers.

In a communication to all secretaries to the Union government on July 21, Somanathan has made a case for building a "culture of trust" in government departments, saying officers are "often uncomfortable delegating important work because they fear subordinates may not perform it as effectively, could misuse their authority, or make decisions that may bring criticism to the government or organisation." ...