HYDERABAD: Employees from tribal communities are alarmed at the State government’s move to organise the local cadres and regulation of direct employment in agency areas through GO 317 issued on December 6 and allotments being made at a brisk pace.
Members of tribal organisations claim that the move would dilute the protection given to tribals under the Fifth Schedule, as there is no mention of agency area-specific allotment of cadres in the GO and that districts are being taken as the jurisdiction.
“Many plain area employees were allotted to agency areas in the past. We have been hoping they would go back to their native districts under the zonal system and 95 per cent allotment of the local cadre in districts as per the 2018 Presidential Order is implemented,” says G Janardhan, General Secretary, Adivasi Employees Welfare and Cultural Association (AEWCA).
However, as per GO 317, seniority is being considered in each of the erstwhile local cadres for the purpose of allotment of persons to the new local cadres, he pointed out.
“As per the ranking and seniority, many plain area employees working in agency areas would hesitate to go to their native districts because they would not be senior enough for their cadre posts there. As a result, they may opt to continue to work in agency areas and become locals. This would severely impact the prospects of new vacancies for generations of tribals,” Janardhan said. Certain special allowances are also given to employees to work in agency areas.