Maharashtra Govt to reinstate suspended employees

 

* The decision has been taken as Government money is being wasted in the form of suspended employees getting 75 per cent of subsistence allowance without doing any work
* As many as 100 such cases are under consideration in Nagpur Division

By Kartik Lokhande 

Maharashtra Government has decided to reinstate the employees who were suspended for various reasons. The decision has been taken following a High Court order, and to avoid wastage of money in payment of 75 per cent salary to employees under suspension. As many as 100 such cases have come up for consideration before the division-level committee, in Nagpur Division.
According to sources in the administration, several employees have been suspended over the years on various grounds. These range from an employee being an accused in cases of murder or abetment to suicide, misappropriation of funds, dereliction of duty, molestation, bribery etc. However, as per the norms, employees get 75 per cent of Subsistence Allowance during the period of their suspension. In certain cases, even if charges are proved against employees, they go to court. As no further action can be taken till the matter is sub judice, employees continue to get 75 per cent subsistence allowance during suspension.
“These employees get payment without doing any work. Now, the Government has decided to clear the pending files and seek clear opinions whether a suspended employee can be reinstated on work. If some employees can be reinstated, they can be put to work and the Government’s money will not be wasted,” said an officer. A committee headed by Divisional Commissioner has been formed in each of the administrative divisions in Maharashtra. The committee will screen the proposals for reinstatement received from the respective departments, and recommend to the Government to reinstate an employee after proper scrutiny of the case papers.
As far as Nagpur Division is concerned, the committee under Divisional Commissioner Anoop Kumar received around 100 cases for scrutiny. In some cases, the employees placed under suspension for over eight years have received payment running into lakhs of rupees during the said period as 75 per cent of subsistence allowannce. However, sources said, most of the departments did not send the proposals with ‘clear opinion’ whether the employee concerned should be reinstated. “As a result, the administration has asked the departments concerned to submit the files with clear opinions in next meeting. A proforma also has been prepared and will be circulated to various departments,” said an official familiar with the issue.
As many as 37 of these cases were pertaining to Zilla Parishad (ZP) officials and employees including Upper Grade Headmaster, Gramsevak, Junior Accounts Officer, Village Developm Officer, Assistant Teacher, engineer etc. Y A Warthi, an Assistant Teacher with ZP School under Katol Panchayat Samiti, is under suspension since 10 years in a case of murder of a newborn baby. As the matter is at the level of the court, his departmental enquiry has not been conducted. So far, he is getting Rs 6,261 per month as payment from the Government, as per the norms. P M Bidwai, a Section Engineer with ZP’s Minor Irrigation Department at Aheri in Gadchiroli district, is getting Rs 15,921 per month since his suspension seven-and-a-half years. Suresh Kandalkar, an Upper Grade Headmasster with ZP School at Kajalsar in Chimur tehsil of Chandrapur district, was placed under suspension on January 16, 2010, following allegations of molesting a Class VI student. These and other such cases came up for scrutiny before the committee, and some of them are likely to be reinstated, said sources. 

(Published in The Hitavada CityLine on July 22, 2014)