NEW DELHI: With increasing instances of bureaucrats failing to join central deputation even after opting for the posts, the Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions has started taking stringent action, including debarment from deputation and foreign assignments, against such officers.
This year, the Centre has debarred five officers after they refused to join the central deputation.
The ministry on Sept 9 took action against Guru Prakash, a 1997-batch IRSE officer, after he refused to join as the chief vigilance officer (CVO) with the Ministry of Heavy Industries at Bengaluru.
Prakash was appointed as CVO, HMT Ltd at Bengaluru under the Ministry of Heavy Industries order dated May 13, 2022.
However, he did not join the post within the prescribed time period. Therefore, he has been debarred from all kinds of central deputation (including the Central Staffing Scheme) for a period of five years from the date of issuing orders of his appointment.
“Further, the officer would also be debarred from being given cadre clearance for being deputed on foreign assignments/ consultancies abroad during the period of debarment,” said a senior government officer.
Earlier this year, similar action was taken against four other officers Akhilesh Kumar Jha, a 2003 batch IPS officer from Jharkhand; Shyam Kumar Verma, a 1994 batch IRSSE officer; Mahesh Deoram Akhande, a 2002 batch IRS officer; and Priya Ranjan Parhi, a 1997 batch IRTS officer.
All these officers were appointed as CVO at various ministries and departments, but they refused to join the assignments, leading to their debarment from central deputation and foreign assignments and consultancies abroad.
In June this year, the government had invited nominations for deputation to the posts under Central Staffing Scheme and for the posts of chief vigilance officer in Central Public Sector Enterprises as well as in other organisations under central ministries and departments.
These deputations were for 24 places across the country.