Appendix III

Copy of Archival Policy Resolution No. 4277/C.A., dated 03.07.1978

GOVERNMENT OF ODISHA

DEPARTMENT OF TOURISM & CULTURE AFFAIRS

(Cultural Affairs)

RESOLUTION

The 3rd July 1978,

The Committee of Archival legislation, which enquired into the matter of proper maintenance and management of the records of both the Union and the State Government and for grant of reasonable access to the records for purpose of research, made the following recommendations in the report of 1960

1. Steps be taken to amend the constitution by making suitable entry in the concurrent list to enable the framing of a single central law that would take care both of the Union and the State Archives.
2. Pending the amendment proposed, separate archival laws be enacted for the Centre as well as for each of the State.

While an amendment of the Constitution is not considered feasible at present, it is possible to have a common Archival law which will be applicable to the Union and such of the States as would accord their consent under Article 252 (i) of the Constitution. The Government of India proposed to undertake, in consultation with the State Government, suitable legislation in this behalf. Since such legislation would take time, it was not considered desirable to dealy action on the substantive recommendations of the Committee on Archival legislation. Government of India have issued a policy resolution No. F. 7-6/71-CAI (2), dated the 11th December, 1972 and have requested the State Government to take similar action in respect of their Archives.

Accordingly, with a view to defining and regulating the responsibilities of the various Departments of Government/Heads of Departments and All Offices of the State Government for proper custody, care and management of records in their possession, for selection and retirement of records of permanent value to the State Archives. Odisha, laying down the responsibilities of the State Archives in respect of the public records in its custody and all those with various Departments/Heads of Departments and other offices and prescribing the limit and conditions governing public access to the records retired to the State Archives, Government of Odisha have approved the measures set out below.

1. These measures will extend to the records of

   
   

   • (a) All the Departments of Government/Heads of Departments and offices sub-ordinate to them of the State Government,
   • (b) All Committees and Commissions set up by them;
   • (c) the Odisha Public Service Commission;
   • (d) such of the attached and subordinate offices of the Departments of Government as may be determined from time to time but not to the records of Odisha High Court and the Odisha Legislative Assembly or of autonomous bodies set up by the State Government including nationalized undertakings and enterprises.

   
   

   It would, however, be open to any of the above excluded bodies to seek the assistance of the State Archives in any matter coming within the scope of this Resolution and to retire their non-current records of permanent value to it, if they so desire at any time in consultation with the State Archives of Odisha. The term records for this purpose would include documents, rolls, codices, sheets, files, dossiers, microfilms, photographs, charts, plans, diagrams, maps, sound recording, etc.

2. The Departments of Government and other public offices coming within the purview of this Resolution will be responsible for the current and semi-current records, periodical appraisal and elimination of ephemeral records and for orderly and systematic transfer of records of permanent value to the State Archives.
3. The public record rooms holding semi-current records should be placed in the charge of properly trained, suitable and responsible full time staff.
4. Suitable training/orientation programmes should be organized by the State Archives of Odisha for the Officers in-charge of the public record rooms and their assistants, to enable efficient discharge of the duties entrusted to them.
5. Officers-in-charge of the record rooms of the public offices should be responsible for the proper maintenance and management of the semi-current records entrusted to their care, for compilation and periodic revision of retention schedules of the Departments, for appraisal and weeding of records in accordance with the procedure laid down for compilation and issue of Annual Indexes to records and for compilation and issue of the organizational History of Department and Annual Supplements to it.
6. Retention schedules, indicating the period for which particular classed or categories of records should be preserved, shall be drawn up by the Officers-in-charge of the record rooms in consultation with the State Archives and should be got approved by the Department concerned. The schedules should be revised once in five years to ensure that adequate notice is being taken of the changing and expanding activities of the Department. The authority given to the Record Officers to draw up retention schedules in consultation with the State Archives of Odisha should not however override the instructions contained in the Secretariat instructions and Odisha Record Manual (1964).
7. All records and files over 30 years selected for permanent preservation should be transferred to the State Archives subject to the following limitations:
   • (a) Files bearing any security classification should not be transferred to the State Archives.
   • (b) The Governor's Secretariat, the Chief Minister's Secretariate and the Odisha Public Service Commission may prescribe a period longer than 30 years for the transfer of their non-confidential records.
   • (c) Any individual file or record series may be retained by a Department or office beyond the stipulate period for any reason subject to the State Archives being appraised of the position.
   • (d)Classified files remaining untransformed to the State Archives at the end of the stipulated period should be appraised once in five years.
   • (e) File once transformed may be withdrawn from the State Archives by the Department of offices concerned for a stipulated period appraising the State Archives of the reason for taking such action.
   • (f) The Administrative Departments would have sole authority to decide on the consigning of particular records of the attached and subordinate offices to the State Archives.
8. Records pertaining to a body becoming defunct with no successor taking over its functions, should be transformed to the State Archives soon after the body is defunct.
9. No records more than hundred years old should be destroyed.
10. The Superintendent of State Archives will be responsible for the custody, proper care and management of all records received in the State Archives of Odisha.
11. Superintendent of State Archives may receive public records of any public office or organization falling outside the scope of this Resolution or papers of historical value with private institutions and individuals, subject to the conditions mutually agreed upon.
12. The Superintendent of the State Archives is requested to co-ordinate and guide all operations connected with public records in respect of their administration, preservation and elimination with a view to ensuring that records of permanent value are not destroyed and are transformed to the State Archives at the appropriate time.,/li>
13. The Superintendent of State Archives will render such advice and assistance as may be possible to offices and institution, falling outside the scope of this Resolution in respect of technical problems bearing on records management.
14. The Superintendent of State Archives will be responsible for attending to ancillary matters, such as Archival Commission and Committees, Archival Publications, Organizing Exhibitions and for developing general archival consciousness in the State.
15. The Superintendent of the State Archives will submit a report to Government every year on the management of public records with particular reference to the actual working of the record management system.
16. All non-confidential public records over 30 years old transferred to the State Archives will be open to bonafide Research Scholars, subject to such exceptions and restrictions as may be found necessary by the Departments concerned in consultation with the Superintendent of the State Archives.

ORDER :Ordered that the resolution be published in the next issue of the Odisha Gazette and circulated to all Departments of Government/all Heads of Department/all Collectors/all Revenue Divisional Commissioners/Member, Board of Revenue for information.

By order of the Governor

S. K. MOHAPATRA

Secretary to Government