WBCS (Exe) Officers Treated as Hired Workforce in the State

In a letter addressed to all District Magistrates vide No. 855(19)-SE(Pry)/10M-87/2010, dated 11-11-2010 the School Education Department has asked for deployment of Executive Magistrates at all levels for conduct of DPSC election, for which DI of Schools has been appointed as Returning Officer. The Department has also instructed the Executive Magistrates to comply with 14-point requirements which are normally taken care of by the Sector Officers in a General Election. The DI of Schools will pay Rs. 300 to each Executive Magistrate to perform his 'election duties'.

The deterioration in the state administration has not been noticed ever before. A Department does not know about the duties and function of Executive Magistrate, neither does it know as to how can an Executive Magistrate be instructed. Its out an out a unprecedented, derogetory and illegal instruction. All WBCS (Exe) officers should bring it to the notice of the District Magistrate and deny it to get into all and sundry of internal departmental activities.

CONCEIVED AND THEN ABORTED?

Thanks to the Website manager for making the GO No. 3015-F, dated 13-3-2001 of Finance Dept (Audit Branch) under the 'Notification' tab of the website. Surprisingly, such an important GO never found a place before!

Para 4(1) of the GO reads: "....... Six additional posts of Special Secretary/Secretary in the revised scale No. 21 are sanctioned for WBCS(Ex.)......" Therefore, the State Government allowed the post of 'Secretary' for the cadre. But in spite of holding the charge of the I&CA Department, our President Shri Niloy Ghosh has not been designated as Secretary, he is known as the 'Special Secretary in Charge'!

On the eligibility of being Special Secretary/Secretary, the said GO continues: "completed 25 years of total service in the cadre including 3 years as Joint Secretary."

Therefore, the Government has to ensure that WBCS(Exe) officers have the opportunity to become joint Secretary within 22 years of service in the cadre. Otherwise, they cant have the scope of being selected as Special Secretary/Secretary, when they complete 3 years as Joint Secretary and simultaneously complete 25 years of service in the cadre.

The GO further says: "Govt. has also decided to fill up some of the posts of the District Magistrates by WBCS(Ex.) officers. Detailed Govt. order in this respect will be issued later on."

Once upon a time there happened to be 3 District Magistrates from the cadre. The number has again come down to and consolidated at 2. God knows, what should be the number to match with the word 'SOME' out of total number of 19 ! Common sense says, it should be about one-fourth at least. But the tragedy is that "Detailed Govt. order" has not been issued as yet.

We may therefore like to know:

1. Whether there was enough pursuation and negotiation with the highest authority in the State Government to realise the Govt. decisions.
2. Whether the issues were raised in the meetings of the Consultative Committee, if such important decisions of the Govt. were not translated into action. If 'yes', what was the outcome?

When the decisions already taken by the Govt about 10 years back have not yet been realised how much can we expect on where the PC remains either silent or takes a negative stand?

ARE THEY IGNORANT? ARE THEY BLIND?

The 6th CPC says (3.2.7): They (IAS) have an important coordinating, multi-functional and integrating role in the administrative framework....They hold important field level posts at district level..... at the start of their careers with critical decision making and crisis management responsibilities... It (the slight edge in the initial stages of their career) will ensure that IAS officers near the beginning of their career are given slightly higher remuneration vis-à-vis other services and act as an incentive for the brightest candidates to enter this service. This is essential as the initial postings of IAS officers are generally to small places, they face frequent transfers and the pulls and pressures they have to stand upto early in their career are much more intense. The slight edge in the initial stages of their career would, to an extent, neutralize these problems. The Commission, accordingly, is of view that the existing edge for IAS in the three grades viz. Senior Time Scale, Junior Administrative Grade and Non-Functional Selection Grade needs to be retained.
WHATS ABOUT THE WEST BENGAL CIVIL SERVICE (EXECUTIVE)?

Bhishmadeb Dasgupta