Chennai: More than 20 Government Orders (GOs) prepared in the Housing and Urban Development Department on the eve of the election date announcement have reportedly been kept in abeyance, as a senior official is said to be reluctant to issue them.
The department oversees key agencies including the Tamil Nadu Housing Board, the Tamil Nadu Urban Habitat Development Board, the Chennai Metropolitan Development Authority (CMDA) and the Directorate of Town and Country Planning (DTCP). Any new decisions related to these bodies typically require a GO routed through the Housing and Urban Development Department.
According to the report, ministers concerned had instructed officials to clear pending files and issue GOs before the election schedule was announced. Officials worked late for about a week, resulting in over 20 draft GOs being readied, with ministerial approval and serial-number allocation completed.
However, after the election date was announced on March 15 and the Model Code of Conduct came into immediate effect, the senior official reportedly hesitated to release GOs linked to matters such as building approvals, creation of new posts and appointments. As a result, the orders have been put on hold.
A senior official was quoted as saying that similar last-minute GOs during previous administrations had led to problems in the housing sector, and in some cases officials faced suspension, prompting the current secretary to avoid issuing the orders now.
