In ‘corporate’ West Bengal,probation for govt employees now means half pay

The new order,1832-F (P) was signed by finance secretary Harikrishna Dwivedi and dated February 1. The order being followed till then had been issued on June 25,1979,by the then Left Front government.

If the probationer fails to clear the examination,the new order says,the probation period might be extended. And in case he or she fails to clear the test or does not perform in accordance with the satisfaction of the employer during the period of probation,he or she “might be discharged”.

Since the government came to power in May 2011,the chief minister claims,she has created about 1 lakh jobs. The government currently has 10 lakh group-C employees. Employees are divided into groups A to D,with C including posts such as upper division clerk,lower division clerk and personal assistant. So far,groups C and D employees used to be recruited by the State Public Public Service Commission. Now,they will be recruited by the newly formed State Staff Selection Commission.

Finance department officials say the new moves are aimed at increasing efficiency of employees. Various employees say it is aimed at cost-cutting,with half salary for three years.

“There was a concept earlier that once you get a government job,you will never lose it unless you get implicated in a corruption case,” a finance official said. “Now,you will have to pass the test to prove you are fit for the job you have been taken into. Private offices follow these rules stringently. Why can’t government employees follow it?”

In fact,in the Congress governments after Partition,there was no rule for compulsory confirmation of employees after three years. There were cases of employees never getting confirmed during service and being denied pension after retirement. The Left Front order of 1979 changed that.

The coordination committee of government employees,affiliated with the CPM,hinted at moving court. “They are depriving the employees of their basic rights. This thing,I believe,will be challenged in court,” says Ananta Banerjee,secretary of the committee.

According to the CPM-backed union,the government wants to leave the recruits at the mercy of the ruling party. “The government has been in power for two years but there has not been a great surge in new enrolment in Trinamool-backed unions. The new move is a ploy to pressure the new employees. A condition of joining their unions will be dangled before them when the time of confirmation comes,” a CPM union leader said.

The government also plans to introduce a bill in the assembly session that will fix accountability of employees who render “public services” to the general public. Called the Lok Parisheba Adhikar Bill,it follows a trend already implemented in some states such as Bihar.

It will fix a time-frame for rendering public services such as issue of various certificates and reports,with a fine of Rs 250-1000 on those who delay that. “On so many occasions,people are made to move from one counter to another,over months,to get things like birth a or death certificate,or a mutation certificate. That will stop now. Officials will have to issue them within a time-frame,or they will have to pay a fine,” Mamata said at Writers’ Buildings after a meeting of the state cabinet.