BHUBANESWAR : At a time when the Covid-19 pandemic has triggered one of the worst job crisis, re-engagement of retired officers and extension of their services by the government have shattered hopes of thousands of unemployed youth in the State.
In blatant disregard to the austerity measures and ban on engagement of retired government employees, consultants and outsourcing staff, several departments have sought approval of the government for re-engaging retired officers mostly from the Odisha Administrative Service (OAS).
The Home department is reported to have moved the General Administration department for further extension of a retired additional secretary who was hired as officer on special duty (OSD). Ironically, the former additional secretary got the appointment as OSD in the Home department on July 7, 2020, the very day the government announced a series of fiscal compression measures to tide over the Covid-triggered economic crisis.
“There is no need of an OSD in the department as all the sanctioned posts are filled up. The department has a special secretary, four additional secretaries and three joint secretaries. All of them are competent enough to do the job assigned to the OSD,” said sources in the department.
This is despite the fact that the government recently created additional 40 special secretaries, 90 additional secretaries, 35 joint secretaries and other posts in OAS for better administration and delivery of services.
Similarly, the Planning and Convergence department has recently hired the service of an additional secretary shortly after his retirement.
The retired officer, who belonged to the Odisha Finance Service, had been promoted to Indian Administrative Service (IAS). Rehiring service of the retired OAS officer is contrary to the expenditure realisation measures of the Finance department. What is surprising is that the Chief Minister being the Minister of the General Administration department should not approve such appointments that violate the orders of his government.