The State government decision to constitute district-level committees (DLCs) chaired by the respective district in-charge Ministers to finalise the transfer of employees and postings has raised many eyebrows.
While the government claims that the decision was taken to do away with the system of effecting transfers at the whim and fancy of officials, many believe that the move will institutionalise ‘political interference’.
Late on Monday night, the government issued guidelines to be followed in transfer of employees between May 18 and May 31, effectively giving just 13 days to completing the process.
A request by employees’ associations seeking time till June 5 was turned down by the government as the schedule would clash with the ‘Nava Nirmana Deeksha’ beginning June 2 and the ground-breaking ceremony for the new capital on June 6. Though political interference in transfers is not a new phenomenon, what has come as a surprise to bureaucrats is the decision that district in-charge Ministers will chair the DLCs.
Some senior officials feel that the move will diminish the say of department heads on employee transfers and institutionalising political interference. Defenders of the new policy say having DLCs, comprising the Collector and the HoD in each district, governing the transfer process would give a boost to collective decision-making and check unilateral decisions by individuals.
Instead of MLAs and Ministers currently pulling strings from behind the scenes, the DLC system would ensure transparency. Any violation of norms would attract attention as these things would be watched keenly at the district level, they say.
The guidelines make it clear that every employee who has put in five years at one place would be transferred without exception.
Those with two years of service would be transferred either on administrative grounds or other reasons such as disability, spousal factors, medical treatment and etc. after verification of claims.
These norms would, however, not apply to revenue-earning departments such as Commercial Taxes, Prohibition & Excise, Stamps and Registration, Education and Health. Separate guidelines and a time schedule would be issued for the departments later, the GO has mentioned.