SC stays GIC transfer policy for development officers

THE GENERAL Insurance Development Officers Association has won an important victory in the Supreme Court against its management who had introduced a new incentive scheme and transfer policy for development officers.

THE GENERAL Insurance Development Officers Association has won an important victory in the Supreme Court against its management who had introduced a new incentive scheme and transfer policy for development officers.

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In its decision on January 24, the Supreme Court has stayed the controversial transfer policy and told the lawyers of both the sides to sit together and find out a mutually acceptable solution within six weeks.

Association secretary for Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh, Yogendra Bhatia said that under the policy, the development officers were told that they could either take VRS, or get absorbed in the administrative staff, but if they wanted to remain as development officers they were liable to be transferred outside the State.

Bhatia said that nature of work of development officers is such that they would be unable to give results immediately in a new place. Moreover, if they were transferred to a new location, it would also affect the existing clients of development officers.

Bhatia said that the incentive scheme and transfer policy had been passed through a gazette notification in 2003, following which the association in various parts of the country had approached their respective High Courts who had granted stay. The insurance companies then approached the Supreme Court.

Bhatia said that the decision has come as a major relief to all development officers, but in the intervening period of the 8000 odd development officers throughout the country, 1,300 have already taken VRS and around 2,000 have joined the administrative staff.