BENGALURU: The State Department of Personnel and Administrative Reforms (DPAR) has proposed to scrap 542 posts in the Vidhana Soudha, Vikasa Soudha and MS Building, which house offices of various departments. The move is to streamline administration and cut costs. At present, there are 3,500 sanctioned posts in the three buildings, of which, close to 3,000 people are working.
However, according to DPAR officials, even these many employees are unnecessary as, in some departments, more than two people are working for the same post. This, over a period of time, has become additional expenditure. In May this year, a Cabinet sub-committee was formed nder Revenue Minister R Ashoka to look at bringing financial discipline by merging minor departments and cutting down unnecessary expenditure by removing additional posts.
In this regard, the DPAR is planning to scrap 542 junior assistant posts in the secretariat buildings. “Many of the departments housed in these buildings have more than the sanctioned posts of junior assistants. They are also delaying the movement of files.
With e-governance, we do not need these many people,’’ said a DPAR official. The official said of the 542 posts, many are lying vacant. “We will not recruit again. Existing staff will be either transferred to different offices or if any of them is due for promotion, they will be promoted. This will bring down the number,’’ said the official.
‘`1.7 cr can be saved monthly by scrapping some posts’
Sources from DPAR said Junior assistants who are recruited in different years get salaries between `25,000 and `32,000 per month. By abolishing these 542 posts, the state government can save `1.6 crore to `1.7 crore per month.Last month, DPAR abolished 12 Under Secretary posts in the Secretariat buildings. The government will save `8 lakh to `9 lakh per month with this.
Speaking to The New Indian Express, B Guruswamy, president, Karnataka Secretariat Employees Association, claimed that these senior posts were removed without conducting any study. Government order has been issued in this regard. We have opposed this and submitted a memorandum to the Chief Minister.’’
“Now, they are planning to scrap 542 posts . We understand that the government wants to bring e-governance. But that does not mean that they don’t need manpower at all. These junior post staffers are the real pillars of the Secretariat,’’ he said.
He blamed the bureaucrats for this ‘harsh’ step. “All they want to show is that they have reduced expenditure. Why can’t they cut down the number of vehicles they are using,’’ he questioned.
Guruswamy claimed the government was resorting to this step to outsource the jobs for lesser salary. The association said they will observe a Vidhana Soudha bandh if the government does not withdraw this decision.