Overriding norms, retiree hold office at Works dept

Is PWD ridiculing government rules?  

 By Paojel Chaoba

IMPHAL | Sept 5

The state government had decided to remove all re-engaged retired employees except for a few who have been screened by a committee and approved for re-engagement. Only five individuals having vast experience and technical knowledge were approved for re-engagement at the public works department.

 At present, however, a retired person who is not approved nor screened by the committee is holding office as deputy secretary of the public works department till date. Deriding the government’s re-engagement process, the works department has retained one Th. Amalkumar Singh as deputy secretary. Sources mentioned that the said official retired on December 31, 2013.

It may be recalled the state cabinet in a meeting held on April 3 last decided to do away with re-engagement of government servants by giving one month’s notice as per the contract agreement. A committee was also set up chaired by the chief secretary, principal secretary (Finance) and the commissioner (Department of Personnel) to identify the need based engagement in respect of technical posts.

The committee met the government heads of departments concerned on April 6, 2017 and scrutinised the need of re-employment on a case to case basis. After threadbare discussion, the committee decided to recommend for discontinuation of all re-engagements after retirement except for those cases whose services have been deemed indispensable in dealing with matters which require vast experience and knowledge of the subject.

As per recommendations of the committee, only five individuals were approved for re-engagement in the works department.

They were identified as senior division accounts officers O. Manihar Singh, Ch. Nabakumar, N. Kumarjit Singh, L. Shyamjai Singh and L. Thoiba Singh. These are the five approved engagements and re-engaged as there is acute shortage of experienced staff in the PWD accounts section. Their extension is till December 2017.

Commissioner of finance department Vivek Kumar Dewangan had intimated the works commissioner on May 11, 2017 that any case of re-engagement which was not brought to the notice of the screening committee shall be deemed terminated with effect from May 31, 2017 onwards.

A compliance report was sought by Dewangan from the works department for necessary pay implementation by May 20, 2017.

A permission from the chief engineer was sought by Th. Amalkumar for an e-tender process on August 24, 2017. The question is as per notification of VK. Dewangan, all retired and re-employed personnel would be terminated by May 31, 2017 except for the named five individuals.

But, Th. Amalkumar continues in office till date. On what capacity is the retired person attending office and under whose authority? Who is providing salary for him? These are some of the questions raised from a certain concerned source.