Bihar home department makes 1st move to remove dead wood from government offices

The committees will meet every year in June and December to deliberate on the proposals to retire identified 'ineffficient' officials.

In keeping with Nitish Kumar government’s announcement in July last year to compulsorily retire inefficient government employees over 50 years of age, the state home ministry, headed by the chief minister, has taken the lead and set up high-level committees to implement the order in its own jurisdiction.

Chief Minister Nitish Kumar said Bihar was ranked 23 in the country on the number of crimes reported and added that the law of the land was followed in the state. (ANI )

The first committee to be headed by the additional chief secretary of the home department will deal with Group-A employees. The committee also comprises secretary, special secretary and the home department’s chief vigilance official.

The second committee, to be headed by secretary of the home department, will identify the dead wood from amongst the Group B, C and D employees. It will also comprise joint secretary-cum-chief vigilance official and the additional secretary.

The meetings of the committee will be called every year in June and December to deliberate on the proposals to retire identified officials in the light of the notification issued last year by the general administrative department (GAD). All the offices and directorates under the home department have also been asked to set up such committees at their level.

Last year, GAD had asked the departments to hold a yearly screening committee meeting to review performance of officials and employees above 50 years of age, to find those unfit to discharge their duties or to remain in service.

The notification stated that the decision on compulsory retirement would also take into consideration the work done by the employees in the past years. However, it had generated a lot of political heat ahead of elections, with the Opposition making it a big issue. It remains to be seen how other departments act on the notification issued last year.

Taking a serious note of poor results in matric and intermediate exams in 2017, the government had announced to compulsorily retire non-performing headmasters, teachers and education department officials above the age of 50 years. However, it was not implemented on the ground.