During the two-hour long meeting with officials of the personnel department held recently, Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar took stock of the vacancies, promotions and retirement-related issues pertaining to different government departments. Accordingly, 2009 new permanent posts have been sanctioned in almost 45 different departments and corporations. The CM directed all heads of departments to start the recruitment process immediately.
In view of the forthcoming Lok Sabha elections and the election code of conduct in force, the state government intends to fill up the existing vacancies on priority basis. This would also be an occasion for politicians to create and maintain the vote bank by providing jobs to candidates of their choice. In the process no importance is being given to one’s educational qualification, knowledge of spoken or written language (especially English), knowledge and experience of work, valid employment exchange registration, proficiency to work on computers, etc.
One doubts whether there is any government notification thereby providing the right for the MLAs and Ministers to prepare a list of their own candidates for filling up the government posts. In the absence of such notification, recruitments made by them would be nothing but a illegal affair to be condemned by one and all. The Governor and The Chief Secretary of Goa should take a serious note of this sensitive matter and issue a circular on immediate basis thereby barring politicians from selecting their own candidates for recruitment in these departments. Of course, such selection must be made strictly on merit basis and not on influence which is a common trend in present times.
Politicians who ought to interfere with the recruitment process should be taken to task without any discrimination. Indeed, efficient candidates who are really well equipped and have better knowledge/experience of official work should be selected for the vacant posts in government departments rather than the inefficient ones who ultimately get selected solely due to political patronage. I hope the Chief Minister of Goa Manohar Parrikar would take a serious note of this particular aspect and see to it that henceforth selection of candidates for the existing government posts is done solely on merit basis.
It is absolutely necessary that efficient candidates secure justice as far as the recruitment process is concerned.
