The Maharashtra General Administration Department, operating under the Chief Minister, has decided to limit the widespread hiring of Information Technology (IT) and non-IT consultants in government departments, corporations, and authorities. According to a government resolution (GR), each department can only hire a maximum of two IT consultants. Any additional consultant appointments must follow a specific process outlined by the concerned entities.
The GR highlighted a growing trend of appointing consultants, especially retired officials, under the guise of providing advisory services in various government departments, regional offices, corporations, and authorities. The new directive mandates that every department, corporation, and authority can have a maximum of two IT consultants. Those currently exceeding this limit can continue until April 30, 2026, but must comply with the new rule from May 1, 2026.
To ensure compliance, departments now require prior approval from the Directorate of Information Technology for any consultant appointments. The responsibility for adhering to these guidelines rests with department heads and office chiefs. The restriction on the number of IT consultants does not apply to specific offices like the Chief Minister’s Office, the Deputy Chief Minister’s Office, and certain IT-related departments.
The government’s decision follows Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis’ recent emphasis on transparency, strict timelines, and reliability in departmental operations. This move aims to streamline citizen access to government services and align with the vision of a developed Maharashtra. Fadnavis also directed the IT Department to implement the ‘One State, One Portal’ initiative to consolidate government services into a single accessible platform.
