The Karnataka government has directed departments facing shortages of field inspectors to engage authorised third-party agencies for scheduled inspections, audits and certifications, in a move aimed at clearing backlogs and completing regulatory checks within stipulated timelines.
The order, issued by Harsha Gupta, Principal Secretary, Department of Praja Seva, will initially cover departments where staff shortages have delayed routine inspections, according to an official release issued on Wednesday. The decision was based on recommendations of the Karnataka Administrative Reforms Commission-2.
The departments identified include Legal Metrology, which conducts annual inspections and stamping of weights and measuring instruments; the Food Safety and Drugs Administration, which inspects food businesses, restaurants, medical stores and pharmacies; and the Department of Factories and Boilers, which carries out safety inspections and annual certification of industrial boilers.
The government has clarified that outsourcing inspection work will not transfer statutory enforcement powers away from officials. Government officers will retain exclusive authority to collect food and drug samples, seize goods and initiate prosecution, the order said.
Reports and audit findings prepared by the authorised agencies will be used by government officials to identify establishments considered high-risk and focus enforcement activity on them. The arrangement is therefore intended to separate routine inspection support from actions that carry statutory consequences.
The order also sets out safeguards for the proposed system. Departmental officials will conduct random spot checks to verify the accuracy of reports submitted by private agencies. Agencies found responsible for negligence, irregularities or lapses may face strict action, including blacklisting, according to the government’s direction.
The departments concerned have been asked to prepare time-bound action plans covering the empanelment process, eligibility criteria for agencies and measures for early implementation. These plans are expected to set out how private inspection agencies will be selected and monitored, although the release did not specify the number of agencies to be appointed or the precise timeline for completing the backlog.
The decision places additional responsibility on government departments to maintain oversight even as they use private capacity to address staffing gaps. In the sectors covered by the order, inspections are linked to everyday public safety: weighing and measurement standards affect consumers, food and drug checks affect public health, and factory and boiler inspections relate to workplace safety.
Implementation of the system will be reviewed at the Karnataka Development Programme progress review meeting chaired by the Chief Secretary. Principal secretaries of all departments have been directed to prepare the required action plans.
