State relief for 5K staff who submitted fake caste certificates

In a major move, the state on Saturday decided to protect more than 5,000 of its employees from losing their jobs over submission of fake caste certificates by deciding

In a major move, the state on Saturday decided to protect more than 5,000 of its employees from losing their jobs over submission of fake caste certificates by deciding to create 5,298 supernumerary posts to accommodate all of them in the services. In a cabinet meeting on Saturday, the state also decided to double the Goods and Services Tax (GST) exemption limit for businesses dealing in goods to bring in uniformity.

HT Image

More than 5,000 state employees, many of whom have completed 15 to 20 years of service, are accused of submitting fake scheduled tribe (ST) community certificates to get government jobs.

A supernumerary post is created for accommodating a permanent officer, till he is absorbed substantively in a regular permanent post. It should be created for a definite period sufficient for the purpose in view. In 2017, the Supreme Court had ruled that the jobs of employees who submitted invalid caste certificates could not be protected at any cost. It had also directed states to initiate action against such employees. Following this, the erstwhile government had sought information of all such employees, but no action was taken against them. “We have decided to protect them by creating supernumerary posts and accommodating all of them. Departments have been asked to complete the procedure. The state cabinet has also decided to form a ministerial committee to decide their salary and other issues,” said a state official.

The cabinet has also decided that the service providers and suppliers of both goods and services with a turnover of up to ₹50 lakh would be eligible to opt for the GST composition scheme and pay a tax of 6%. The state will make an amendment to the Maharashtra Goods and Services Tax Act, 2017, a bill for which will be moved in the winter session of the state Legislature, said a senior finance department official. “In all 22 provisions, approved by the state cabinet on Saturday, will be made in the Act. The Centre has already started the implementation by issuing a notification. As GST has components for the state and the Centre, we decided to bring uniformity,” he said. The state also approved the formation of appellate tribunal on the lines of national bench of GST Appellate Tribunal. “All interstate disputes related to GST will be referred to the tribunal,” said an official.