Fund crunch hits Karnataka government's recruitment drive
BENGALURU: Financial constraints seem to be slowing down the state government’s move to fill a large number of vacant posts in various departments.
In the run-up to the 2023 Assembly elections in the state, the Congress party promised to fill all vacant posts without any delay if it comes to power.
To implement the Seventh Pay Commission’s recommendations, the government needs Rs 20,000 crore annually. It had promised to implement the commission’s recommendations from this month. This is likely to make matters worse for the government, which has to fund its ambitious guarantee schemes and also many development projects.
Senior officers in the government admitted that the recruitment drive will be affected. However, proposals submitted by various departments have been approved depending on their requirement, they said.
Of the 7.7 lakh sanctioned posts, 72 departments have 5.2 lakh employees. In all, 2.50 lakh posts are vacant in various departments, including Agriculture, Home, Urban Development, Health, Tourism, Education, Food and Civil Supplies, Power, Water Resources, Excise, Medical Education, Rural Development and Panchayat Raj. Employees have been recruited to some vacant posts on a contract basis.
‘Vacancies may not be filled soon’
Sources in the government told TNIE that on an average, 200 proposals are received every year from various departments. Each proposal will have a request to fill several vacant posts. “Most of the proposals are from the Health, Education, Police and Medical Education departments. We have to keep in mind the financial implications. In most cases, we give approval only for a few posts in departments where staff shortage is severe,’’ the sources said.
“If recruitments are made to all vacant posts, we will be obliged to pay as per the Seventh Pay Commission’s recommendations. As such, the government has to mobilise Rs 52,000 crore for its guarantee schemes. It has to clear contractors’ dues running into several crores and other pending bills. This means, vacant posts may not be filled soon,’’ sources in the Finance Department said.
CS Shadakshari, president of the Karnataka State Employees’ Association, said the government will be able to give better administration if it fills vacant posts in all its departments. “Ours is a long-pending demand to fill vacant posts so as to reduce the work pressure on employees of various departments,” he added.