In digital era, ‘lal fita’ gone, but ‘red tapism’ stays

LUCKNOW For the past two years, the massive bureaucratic machinery in India’s most populous state has not procured the small red thread used to tie files in government offices. This thread, dating back to British rule and commonly known as the ‘Lal fita’ or ‘red tape,’ eventually gave rise to the term ‘Lalfitashahi,’ or ‘red-tapism’ in English, symbolizing the sluggish movement of files from desk to desk in government offices.
The e-office system, which generates digital files, has replaced the physical file wrappers, improving efficiency. Over 95% of files in the state secretariat are now digital, as about 18-19 lakh files are active on the system at any given time. However, some departments, like the confidential section, still rely on physical files due to heavy document uploads.
Ravindra Naik, Principal Secretary of the Secretariat Administration Department, confirmed that nearly all files are now online, except for departments requiring exemptions. No paper file wrappers have been ordered in the past two years due to this shift.
On an average the state secretariat used nearly 3 lakh file wrappers in a year about two years ago. Its use is less than one third and the state secretariat has not made any procurement of file wrappers in the past two years.
Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath announced the paperless initiative for the state secretariat in March 2018. Following its implementation, the government extended the e-office system to departments, directorates, and divisional and district offices.
Uttar Pradesh has over 90 departments, each headed by senior officials, with directorates coordinating with district offices either directly or via divisional offices. The state government aims to make these offices fully digital. On July 4, 2023, it directed all such offices to implement the e-office system by December 25, 2023, marking Good Governance Day. However, progress has been slower than expected.
In an order dated June 12, 2024, the state chief secretary criticized the lack of progress, noting that some offices hadn’t even nominated designated employees for the transition. He instructed departments to stop using physical files and create new ones only as e-files. “Many departments have not completed the implementation of the e-office. Such a situation is not acceptable,” the chief secretary said in his order.
“The e-office requires digital signatures and proper data mapping, which takes time,” a senior officer explained, emphasizing that full implementation across all levels will take a while.
Former IAS officer Rohit Nandan acknowledged that the e-office system has reduced red tape by tracking file movements and pending statuses. “With e-office, one can know which file is pending with whom and for how long. This way the e-office has cut the red tape to some extent,” said Rohit Nandan.
However, others involved in the process noted that red-tapism persists and will only end with a change in mindset across governance levels.
It is noteworthy that the Uttar Pradesh legislature has already adopted the National e-Vidhan Application, making its operations paperless. The use of technology has also enabled video conferencing for official meetings, reducing unnecessary travel and enhancing efficiency.
The origin of red tape
Though red tape literally wrapped paper files, it came to symbolize delays caused by excessive paperwork. The term is believed to trace back to the 16th century, when England’s King Henry VIII sent numerous petitions to Pope Clement VII seeking annulment of his marriage. These petitions were tied with red tape, becoming a metaphor for bureaucratic processes.
Another view links the origin to the administration of Spanish King Charles V in the 16th and 17th centuries, where important documents were bound in red tape. This practice gradually spread to other countries, embedding itself in bureaucratic traditions worldwide.