Maharashtra govt mulls corporate-style makeover for GRs, orders

Mumbai, Sep 7 (PTI) The Maharashtra government is planning to give its resolutions and orders a corporate-style makeover, replacing the dry black-and-white legal text with attractive presentations that may include bullet points, flowcharts, graphs, and colour layouts.

According to senior officials, several rounds of meetings were held on administrative reforms, and redesigning government resolutions (GRs) is part of this modernisation exercise.

"A GR is a legal document, but it is not meant only for interdepartmental decisions. Citizens also frequently access these documents, and many of them are shared on social media. We have observed that the present appearance is blunt, and the language is too legalistic, making it difficult for people to understand quickly," an official told PTI.

The government aims to ensure that people understand the background and intent of each decision easily.

Traditionally, GRs begin with a detailed preface of the decision-making process, but he said that the text-heavy style often creates confusion or misinterpretation.

"Some GRs issued in the last few months have already experimented with diagrams and flowcharts, along with information presented in the form of points. We are now seriously considering formalising such formats," the official said.

The move comes against the backdrop of Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis' push for efficiency in governance. From January this year, the state has launched its ambitious 100-day task programme and initiated a review of every department's performance, signalling a shift towards measurable and people-friendly governance.

The redesign of GRs is being seen as a complementary step in the same direction.

Officials further pointed out that the speed at which information spreads on social media has also changed the dynamics.

"Earlier, people found out about government decisions only through newspapers the next day. But now, once a GR is uploaded on the official website, it goes viral within hours, especially if it concerns the public. However, when the language is complex and the presentation dull, it creates confusion, which can sometimes cause unnecessary chaos," the official said.

To avoid misinterpretation, the government is exploring ways to make GRs not only clearer in language but also visually appealing.

The use of colour and better formatting is under consideration to make the documents more accessible.

If implemented, Maharashtra could become one of the first states to adopt a corporate-style presentation for its official resolutions, a step that will combine governance with design to better connect with citizens. PTI ND ARU