BHUBANESWAR: In blatant disregard to the austerity measures of the State Government, the Home department has re-engaged a retired officer of the Odisha Administrative Service.
The officer, Sribhusan Shukla retired in the rank of Additional Secretary on June 30 and was re-appointed as officer on special duty (OSD) on the very day the State Government announced a series of fiscal compression measures to tide over the Covid-19 triggered economic crisis.
The re-appointment order of Shukla was issued late on July 7 night, purportedly to avoid attention. He has been assigned the same branches he was dealing before the retirement.
This is despite promotion of three OAS officers against posts that fell vacant following retirement, including that of Shukla. However, the General Administration department did not appoint any of the three officers to the post previously held by Shukla.
“This is done deliberately by GA department to facilitate re-engagement of the retired officer,” sources familiar with the development said.
Rehiring service of the retired OAS officer is contrary to the expenditure realisation measures of the Finance department that issued a fiat against new engagement and engagement of retired government employees.
“There shall be a complete ban on creation of new posts except for Health and Family Welfare department. In case there is absolute necessity for creation of posts for modernisation of administration or effective implementation of development and we l fare programmes, the same shall be considered only against abolition of equivalent posts with concurrence of Finance department,” said the July 7 circular of the department.
It further said, “New engagement of consultants, outsourcing and engagement of retired Government employees shall be restricted and prior concurrence of Finance department would be required for the purpose”.
Getting wind of Shukla’s reappointment, a delegation of the Odisha Secretariate Service (OSS) had met Minister of State for Home Dibya Shankar Mishra a couple of days ago and requested him to stop the practice which not only blocks promotion but affects work efficiency of the employees.
“Similar attempts are being made by a powerful group of bureaucrats to give post-retirement benefits to a favoured few in coming days,” the sources added.