Question : ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF VIP LETTERS

(a) whether VIP references including from Members of Parliament are not being acknowledged by various officials of the Ministers/ Ministries/Subordinate offices;

(b) if so, the details thereof along with the existing guidelines in this regard;

(c) whether the Government has taken any action against the erring officials and if so, the details thereof;

(d) the number of such letters received, during last year and the current year and the action taken by the Government in this regard; and

(e) the result/outcome thereof?

Minister of State in the Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions and Minister of State in the Prime Minister’s Office. (DR. JITENDRA SINGH)

(a),(b) & (c): Guidelines laid down in the Central Secretariat Manual of Office Procedure (CSMOP) for handling the communications received from Members of Parliament (MPs) specify that such communications should be attended to promptly and acknowledged within 15 days, followed by a reply within the next 15 days. In cases where delay is anticipated, an interim reply should be given indicating the possible date for a final reply. It is the responsibility of each Ministry/ Department of the Government of India to follow the instructions laid down in the CSMOP in this regard and no centralized data is maintained.

(d) & (e): No centralized data is maintained.