Recruitment process in Kalahandi in limbo for 12 years

The Pioneer, 14th November, 2008

PNS BhubaneswarEverybody from top to bottom seems to be shedding crocodile tears for the KBK region. But when it comes to fulfill the basic needs of the people in the State's most backward area, no body bothers. This is evident from the fact that at least 50,000 of posts are lying vacant in these undivided districts of Kalahandi, Balangir and Koraput (KBK). For years together, these vacancies are not filled up, thanks to the whims and fancies of the bureaucracy, which plays havoc on the lives of common men. Sample the case: In the year 1996, the then Collector of Kalahandi Satyabrat Sahu found that there were large-scale vacancies which were needed to be filled up. So, the Kalahandi district administration notified for recruitment of Junior Clerks. More than 1,000 young aspirants applied for 60 posts and sat for the examinations. Sahu organised the recruitment process in the most transparent manner. Honest IAS officers like present Director of Agriculture Arabinda Padhee, who was then the Sub-Collector of the district, and Director of Mission Sakti Usha Padhee, the then APD, were given the charge of the recruitment process. After the written tests, the successful candidates were invited for type test. The entire process was transparent, said a senior IAS officer involved in the process. The list was finalised, but all of a sudden, it was alleged that there were irregularities in the recruitment. The then Revenue Divisional Commissioner (RDC) Jagadananda Panda asked the district administration to stop the recruitment process until further orders without bothering to visit the district to find out the real causes of the allegations. Panda allegedly issued the orders on the complaints of a Congress leader. Thereafter, nobody bothered about the tribal boys and girls, who, with high expectations, still wait for jobs in the Government. Till date, the RDC's order stands as it was and the recruitment process is yet to be finalised and is kept in abeyance, revealed a case record. In the absence of the green signal from the authorities, the district administration is not opening the files and all the documents are left sealed in the Treasury, said the source. Meanwhile, with the blanket ban order on recruitment by the State Government in 2000, the fated of the young candidates have been sealed. A petitioner has filed a case in the State Administrative Tribunal (SAT), which has issued notice to the Kalahandi district administration over the issue.