Chief Minister's office sends back 570 staff on loan to ministers' offices

The Chief Minister's Office has decided to send back 570 employees working in the Mantralaya to their parent departments. All these employees, who had been posted in ministers' establishments on recommendation, on loan, or on verbal orders, will now have to report to their original departments.

These employees had been given temporary postings with a deadline of September 10. The deadline expired the previous day, and the government took a firm stance and sent all these officials and employees back to their parent departments the very next day. Since the decision came directly from the Chief Minister's Office, it is learnt that future appointments will now be made only after proper verification, rather than at anyone's personal discretion.

Orders had already been issued to withhold the September salaries of employees working in ministers' establishments who did not report back to their parent departments even after the deadline expired. As soon as the deadline ended, all of them were ordered to report to their parent departments immediately. There is talk that this list includes private secretaries of some ministers as well.

A total of 904 posts for officials and employees are sanctioned in ministers' establishments. Of these, 549 posts had been filled through deputation, while 355 posts had been kept vacant. With the 570 officials and employees who had been posted on loan now sent back to their parent departments, manpower at ministers' offices has reduced, and there is talk that some ministers are unhappy over this.

The staff strength limits fixed for the offices of the Chief Minister, Deputy Chief Minister, Ministers of State and Cabinet Ministers are likely to be enforced more strictly from now on, which points to a curb on excess manpower in ministers' establishments.

Earlier, ministers' offices used to appoint officials and employees of their choice. But there is now unease among ministers because limits will be placed on such appointments. Even so, political and administrative circles say opposition to the decision has been relatively limited because it came from the level of the Chief Minister's Office.

Going forward, appointments are likely to be made only after checking the eligibility, experience and the office's actual requirement of the person concerned, rather than according to a minister's personal preference. After the 570 employees were sent back to their parent departments, administrative circles are watching closely to see how much the pattern of appointments to ministers' establishments changes.

There is also discussion in political and administrative circles over whether the Chief Minister's Office will now play an even more important role in the process of appointments to ministers' offices. Since approval for an appointment may now be given only after checking the eligibility of the official or employee concerned and the office's actual requirement, all eyes are on whether the Chief Minister's Office will keep direct oversight over appointments to ministers' establishments in the Mantralaya going forward.