Department of Personnel: A helpless lot before lower-level staff

Jaipur: A special service, known as the Secretariat Service, is in place in the Rajasthan Secretariat which oversees the working of lower-level staff like peons, LDCs, UDCs, SOs, Assistant Secretaries & Deputy Secretaries. The ‘world’ of these government servants is confined within the walls of the Secretariat, however, within the Secretariat, the staff can be transferred to various departments or from one section to another within a department. Notably, for ‘good governance, it is needed that these staff members undergo regular transfers. But, surprisingly, the regular transfers aren’t being done as the DoP isn’t carrying out its responsibility in this regard.

There are half a dozen ‘creamy’ departments related to public dealings, where one secretariat service staff is posted for years. Not just that, some individuals have been serving on one chair for years, without ever moving from the post. These departments include Medical, PWD, PHED, Revenue, Water Resources and Mines where right from ‘babu’ to Section Officer, the secretariat service staff are ‘perched’ for the past several years. Such is the situation that even after promotion, these individuals do not let go of ‘their’ departments. It is rather funny that although the Deputy Secretary, Secretary, ACS and even ministers of these departments change, those working on the lower-level, like ‘babus,’ SOs, and Assistant Secretaries are carrying on for years.

Under the BJP government, when even an ACS failed to shuffle an LDC from the department, it then came on to the CMO to get the job done! But the situation hasn’t changed in the current government. In fact, one Assistant Secretary, in Medical Department, has made his chair his ‘home’ and for the past five years, the officer hasn’t moved out, even after a promotion! It is this officer, who deals with service matters of doctors & CMHOs and thus, he carries out the file work with complete ‘whims and fancies’. Who is to be punished & who is to be left sans punishment, is all in his hands. Even the Deputy Secretary and Secretary sign on his noting as it is. Therefore, aggrieved CMHO and doctors line up at his desk! The new minister, Parsadi Lal Meena, changed several ‘babus’ and officers of the department, but he gave a ‘lifeline’ to this officer. However, now troubled CMHOs & doctors are hoping to approach the CMO. Almost similar is the case with two Section Officers in PHED and Assistant Secretaries in Revenue & Water Resources. In fact, one ‘babu’ from the Revenue Department has been on his seat for the past 4 years! It is hence, obvious that under such circumstances, the corruption on the lower- level is rampant & those involved in such acts, share their ‘bread’ with ‘higher-Ups’. Everyone in the Secretariat knows which ‘babu’ is having a field day, & yet somehow, the DoP doesn’t know anything! Perhaps it may be that even the DoP feels helpless in ‘handling’ these individuals!