NEW DELHI, Aug 23:
A Parliamentary Standing Committee has castigated the Ministry of Labour and Employment saying that it was not serious enough to fill up the huge pending vacancies in Employees? Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) in general and OBC in particular.
The Committee said a number of bona fide candidates especially from OBC category were being deprived of opportunities.
The Committee on Welfare of Other Backward Classes in its latest report has asked the Ministry to expeditite the recruitment process by pragmatically resolving the issues with UPSC and other recruitment agencies and all the pending OBC vacancies may be filled up in a time bound manner.
It has noted that there was a huge gap between the sanctioned strength of 24,659 in the organisation and the actual strength of just 18,901 leaving a considerable shortage of 5,758 officials in all the category of officers and staff as on March 31, 2014 which include the shortage of 252 Group A officers, 1691 Group B officers and 3818 staff in Group C category.
EPFO has informed that the recruitment of 252 candidates including 63 candidates belonging to OBC category for the entry level post of Assistant Provident Fund Commissioner (APFC) in Group A is in final stage.
However, for Group B posts, the Committee find that no recruitment has taken place since 1998-99 leading to huge shortage of 1691 officers against which the EPFO is filling up only 543 posts of Enforcement Officers in Group B including 154 posts of OBC category through direct recruitment.
‘’It is further disheartening that in Group C category, which is facing the shortage of as many as 3818 staff, the EPFO is in the process of filling up only 1157 vacancies including 420 vacancies of OBC category,’’ the report said.
Regarding delay in recruitment, the EPFO has informed that the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) has sought some clarifications regarding recruitment in Group A and B category of posts and the Ministry of Labour and Employment is still firming up their views in this regard.
Even for Group C posts, the committee noted, it appeared that the Ministry was not sure about engaging a particular agency and is swinging between the Institute of Banking Personnel Selection (IBPS) and the Staff Selection Commission (SSC).
‘’In view of the foregoing, the Committee feel that the Ministry of Labour and Employment is not serious enough to fill up the huge pending vacancies in general and OBC vacancies in particular and a number of bona fide candidates especially from OBC category are being deprived of opportunities. The Committee, therefore, recommend that the recruitment process may be expedited by pragmatically resolving the issues with UPSC and other recruitment agencies and all the pending OBC vacancies may be filled up in a time bound manner.’’ The Committee has asked the Ministry to report about the action taken in this regard. Among the other recommendations for the Ministry is to appoint a separate Liaison Officer for OBCs in addressing the grievances of OBCs.
The Committee noted that OBC Employees? Welfare Association could also be involved in taking up the issues relating to the recruitment, welfare and grievances of OBCs in the organisation. (UNI)
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