The Karnataka government has ordered departments facing staff shortages to appoint private agencies for field-level measurement, inspection and audit work, including checks involving weighing instruments, food and drug establishments, and industrial boilers.
The order follows a recommendation by the Karnataka Administrative Reforms Commission-2, which said staff shortages in departments responsible for field services were delaying citizen services and leaving routine inspections pending. The Department of Public Services said third-party agencies should be appointed to prevent such delays.
The new arrangement will initially be implemented on a priority basis in departments where staff shortages have resulted in a backlog of regular inspections. Private agencies and their personnel will be limited to conducting inspections, measurements and audits, according to the government’s explanation of the order.
The departments concerned will retain the authority to confirm the findings, conduct further checks and make surprise field visits to review the work carried out by the agencies. The government has stated that legal and regulatory control will remain entirely with government officials even when a private or third-party agency conducts the field inspection.
In the Legal Metrology Department, private agencies may be used for the annual inspection and stamping of weighing and measuring instruments. These checks affect shops, businesses and other establishments that use such equipment in commercial transactions.
The Food Safety and Drug Administration Department is listed for annual inspections of food businesses, hotels, restaurants, medical shops and pharmacies. The order, as reported, does not transfer the department’s enforcement powers to private agencies. The authority to collect food or drug samples, seize material and initiate legal prosecution will remain with government officials.
The Department of Factories and Boilers is another area identified for the system. Private agencies may conduct safety inspections and annual certification work for industrial boilers, while the department’s officials will retain oversight and regulatory authority.
The government has also said that action can be taken against private agency personnel who commit errors in these duties. Agencies found guilty of negligence, irregularities or lapses may face strict action, including blacklisting, according to the department’s statement.
The order therefore creates a division between field-level inspection work and statutory enforcement. Private agencies are expected to support departments with measurement, inspection and audit capacity, while government officials will remain responsible for verification, supervision, legal control, sampling, seizure and prosecution.
The move is intended to address delays caused by vacancies and pending inspections. The departments will have to determine the operational arrangements for engaging the agencies and ensure that government officers carry out the verification and enforcement functions specified in the order.
