New Delhi: The Modi government seems to be facing pushback from government officials in its attempt to purge corrupt and non-performing employees.
Last week, the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) issued its third reminder asking ministries and government bodies to furnish the names of employees who are seen as incompetent or face corruption charges.
Earlier letters, written in June and December 2019 seeking monthly lists, elicited few replies.
The government intends to compulsorily retire employees seen as deadwood by invoking Fundamental Rules 56 (J) and Rule 48 of Central Civil Service (CCS) Rules 1972, which allow forced ouster of staff in public interest.
In its latest communication, dated 8 January, the DoPT said it had received inputs from only 18 of over 100 government ministries and departments.
“It may be appreciated that this all-important exercise is to be carried out on top priority and on a regular and continuous basis,” the letter stated. “It is unfortunate that the inputs are not being received promptly from a large number of cadre units delaying the process.”
It set 21 January as the new deadline.
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‘Fear of arbitrary use’
Sources in the DoPT said most ministries had not been forthcoming in providing the details sought by the government, and this was not going down very well with the administration.
“The inputs that are being requested are not of very senior officers either, but they are still not providing the details,” an official said. “That is why there are repeated reminders from the DoPT.”
Speaking to ThePrint, a government official working in one of the ministries yet to respond said the resistance was driven by fear that the provision for compulsory retirement might be used arbitrarily.
“If it becomes routine practice for the government to remove people they label as deadwood or corrupt, there would be no control over who is removed,” the official added.
There is another reason as well. “There are informal networks between all officers across services,” the official said. “Even if they are asking for details of somewhat junior officers, those officers are connected to senior officers, and there is obvious resistance in removing them.”
However, the DoPT official quoted above said the government was “very serious” about its attempt to remove corrupt and under-performing officials.
“It would be naive to think that procrastination can stop this government from doing what it has set out to do… This has been an important part of their agenda — it is important to remember that.”
The Modi government, which has initiated several reforms in the bureaucracy since its first term, has repeatedly expressed its desire to eradicate corruption by weeding out guilty officials.
So far, the government has removed several officers from the Indian Revenue Service (IRS) on grounds of corruption, non-performance, sexual harassment, etc, but has yet to make headway with other services.
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I have vedio for asking bribe for me govt. Job I have Paid also money for job koi help kar skta hai to kindly mail me Ministry of Defence mai working hai govt. Employee
History demonstrates :We have Scandinavian, Singapore, Finland experience.
History also demonstrates we had USSR, Italy , China – where individuals of opinions contrary to the government of the day – were removed from service as being “corrupt ” or “deadwood”
?? What is to be made out of the present predicament ??
No point showing opinion which is motivated by our political loyalty .
“IF THERE IS A WILL THERE IS A WAY” AS IN EVERY PROBLEM LIES A SOLUTION. In this modern innovative age WHY blame excuses for JUSTICE to REACH OUT TO THE COMMON PEOPLE. Why no action taken for Ex-Serviceman 6286018 P.K.Chandranwho is deprived of his basic Legitimate Pension after servinf the National Emergencis and been invalided by an Army Medical Board in Military Hospital, Jabalpur. Despite bringing to the notice of the Highest Office of the nation, when dragged to his Septuagenarian Age with Geriatric Diseases. SHAME TO THE INDIAN ARMY, MINISTRY OF DEFENCE, Disband the worthless Department of Ex-Serviceman’s Welfare under the Ministry of Defence. INTERNATIONAL COURT OF JUSTICE IS ONLY LEFT TO BE APPROACHED. SHAME TO THE INDIAN GOVERNMENT on National Governance.
If any public servant is not a sycophant he/she becomes deadwood in Indian governmental departments.It is very difficult to survive for rightous employee in India.Caste,creed,community and linguistic biases are huge in Central govt and it’s organisations and many efficient persons do not rise in carrier due to all these factors practiced in central govt and it’s organisations.Partisan actions are rampant in govt and nobody can progress in govt job if he/she does not have God fatherDeclaring somebody inefficient is wrong because straightforward and right people get sidelined in Govt job in India.
Good decision, govt must brings changes to it’s appraisal system. There is should strict rules for corruption.
Singapore did something like this, has created a public administration that is as clean as Scandinavia. That is because PM LKY himself was no Suharto. Few will believe the Indian government system, including its political subsystem, is attuned to that level of pristine probity. In an otherwise praiseworthy initiative such as this one, selectivity is impermissible. A single dodgy regime favourite casts an unflattering light on what is being attempted. Start with the investigative agencies.
Why does Modi govt not expel its anti social, criminal netas who keep barking and doing unproductive activities? It is a move to cleanse those who are Anti-Modi.
Why don’t he expel Arabic followers like you.
First We need to clean our country from Arabic followers.
Now, the option is to treat such of those officials who refuse to furnish requested information as incompetent and non-performers and send them home. The league of the corrupt is so strong that they can block even a determined PM.