G.O. on SC, STs direct recruitment scrapped

By Our Special Correspondent

CHENNAI, DEC. 15. While the Dalit outfits are clamouring for implementation of reservation rules in government recruitments, the State Adidravidar Welfare department has silently scrapped a G.O. which provided for direct recruitment of SC\STs to fill up vacancies in all categories of government postings.

In a move that is bound to raise the hackles of the SC\ST outfits, the State Adidravidar Welfare department has rendered the G.O. no. 44 ``inoperative'' through a letter sent to all heads of government departments, official sources said.

In his letter no. 15684, dated July 28, to all the State department secretaries, the Adidravidar Welfare department Secretary, Mr. P. Kolappan, has asked them not to take further action on GO. no. 44.

Interestingly, the GO no. 44 was passed on May 20, 1998 based on a Supreme Court ruling and following a Cabinet decision to rectify the anomalies in filling up vacancies in government departments and public sector undertakings, particularly in the Group `A' posts.

When contacted, Mr. Kolappan said he was not aware of the letter which had virtually withdrawn the G.O. no. 44. While the SC\STs are in excess of the stipulated 19 per cent reservation in the lower level posts in government services, it is in the senior positions, particularly in Group A, where their presence is woefully meagre.

According to the white paper submitted by the Government, only 475 as against the stipulated 825 SCs find representation in the Group `A' in the government departments. As for STs, there are only 17 employees in the Group `A'.

In the Group `B', the shortfall in reservations, as per the white paper, is about 7,721 in the case of SCs and 953 for STs. In all, the total backlog in reservation for SC\ST in government departments and the public sector undertakings exceeds 27,500, according to the white paper submitted in the Assembly this year.

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Section  : Southern States
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