Govt jobs: Panel formed to look into proper representation to regions

* Committee entrusted with the task of finding out why number of candidates joining Government services is lesser in Nagpur, Amravati, Nashik, and Konkan divisions

Staff Reporter
Government of Maharashtra has constituted a cabinet sub-committee to look into representation to regions of Vidarbha, Marathwada, and Rest of Maharashtra, in Government jobs in proportion to their population size. This is a positive step for Vidarbha considering that Vidarbha’s representation in civil services selection has been merely 9-12 per cent.
Nagpur Pact, which came into force on September 28, 1953, had 11 provisions. Of these, one provision pertained to adequate representation to Vidarbha in jobs in Government establishments and public sector undertakings. The Point No 8 in the Nagpur Pact stated in clear terms, “In the matter of services under Government or Government-controlled enterprises -- of all grades -- recruitment will be in proportion to the population of the respective units.” However, it was not followed over the years. Vidarbha was the region worst-hit due to several factors, and maximum representation in Government jobs went to Western Maharashtra.
The cabinet sub-committee that has been constituted vide an order dated October 15, 2015, is headed by Sudhir Mungantiwar, Minister for Finance and Planning, and comprises Dr Ranjit Patil, Minister of State for General Administration, Skill Development, and Entrepreneurship. The committee has been entrusted with the task of finding out why number of candidates joining the Government services is lesser in Nagpur, Amravati, Nashik, and Konkan divisions than that in other divisions especially Western Maharashtra.
Also, the panel has been tasked to suggest measures on how to motivate more and more candidates from Vidarbha region and Nashik and Konkan divisions to appear for Maharashtra Public Service Commission (MPSC) examinations for recruitment in the Government services. The committee is expected to make policy recommendations, and submit its report in three months.
It may be mentioned here that the issue of ‘vast regional imbalance’ in selection of candidates for Government jobs was pointed out by Sudhir Thakre, retired Chairman of MPSC, not long time ago. A city-based activist Nitin Ronghe also had submitted a memorandum to Ch Vidyasagar Rao, Governor of Maharashtra, about injustice meted out to Vidarbha region in this regard. Thakre had pointed out that representation of Vidarbha in civil services selection was merely 9-12 per cent, which should have been much higher considering population of the region. Ronghe had urged the Governor to provide solution under Constitutional framework so that Vidarbha got its due share in Government jobs.
The High-Level Committee for Balanced Regional Development, headed by eminent economist Dr Vijay Kelkar, had pointed out in its report last year, “It is a wide perception that the best human resource remains concentrated in the Rest of Maharashtra. Officers are not willing to serve in Vidarbha and Marathwada. The posting in backward regions is often perceived not as a positive challenge but as a kind of disincentive.”

Division-wise selection of candidates in Govt jobs
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Revenue                         Average percentage of candidates
Division                           Qualified for            Selected
                                        interview                 finally
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Pune                                 49.44                    50.48
Nashik                             11.16                     10.04
Aurangabad                     21.78                     23.20
Konkan                             6.03                       6.40
Amravati                            8.18                       7.20
Nagpur                              3.38                       2.66
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(Figures for the year 2010-2013)
Employment of people in Government service
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Region                                                Persons employed in Govt service
                                  Class A     Class B     Class C     Class D     Class E*     Total
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Rest of Maha               44.9%      53.5%       55.4%       52.8%       24.2%       51.2%
Marathwada                19.3%      17.0%       16.1%       16.4%         9.9%       15.7%
Vidarbha                      26.7%      24.0%       25.2%       24.7%       16.7%       24.2%
Others                           9.1%        5.5%         3.3%         6.2%        49.2%         8.9%
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(Source: Kelkar Committee report, Annexure 6.8; data with State Govt, 2008)
(* Class E is of contractual/temporary workers)

(18-10-15)