No advertisement for Haryana CM Fellows: RTI reply

A Samalkha-based RTI activist, PP Kapoor, had sought information from the government about the recruitment of these associates. The government had forwarded his application to Ashoka University, which said, “There was no advertisement of CMGGA (chief minister good governance associate) programmes. Only the press releases were published in the newspapers.”

Kapoor had also sought information regarding the caste of the CMGGAs. “We have not collected this data,” the university replied. Kapoor has also questioned the process of recruitment. “Why did the government not give advertisements in newspapers? It would have given everybody a fair chance to apply for the fellowship. These good governance associates have access to government files,” he said.

In an MoU signed by the Haryana government and Ashoka University, each CM fellow will get a remuneration of Rs 50,000 per month. “Applications for selection of fellows will be sought through public advertisement. Interested applicants will be required to submit their applications as per format notified by the state government,” said the MoU.

Kapoor has alleged that the application format was not notified. In response, the university replied, “Applicants had to submit the online application form as notified in the press release.”

Gupta, however, said, “The remuneration has to be paid by the university or other sources under the concept of Corporate Social Responsibility and not by the government. So, there was no need of reservation as these were not government jobs.”

The CM Fellow on good governance acts as eyes and ears of the government and it facilitates, monitors, analyses and provides oversight to selected high-priority programmes and interventions of the Haryana government. They will also support the DCs in effective implementation of these programmes. One of the roles of the CM fellows is to work closely with the office of the DC and the CMO.