In a significant decision, the State Administrative Council (SAC) has focused on a slew of sops to be offered to the Government functionaries. Besides, a number of facilities meant for the Government employees, the SAC has taken some decision that are bound to benefit the ordinary people in one or the other way. Some reformative measures approved by the SAC would streamline the services and put an end to misusing the leniency showed by the Government in enforcing relevant rules. Various decisions taken by the SAC under the chairmanship of the Governor are contributive to the welfare of the people as well as obvious dire warning to the defaulters who have misused the privileges offered by virtue of their constitutional status.
The rationalization of retention of facilities like Government accommodation, telephone and vehicle as enshrined in the Standing Operating Procedures is not something new or novel. Actually rules of allotment and retention are there already in the business books of the Estate Department. However, certain specifications and clarifications were necessary to make the rules more implementable and effective. The SAC will claim credit for rationalizing something that was initially the condition under which these facilities were provided to the incumbents. The rules were there but the incumbents did not observe them and manipulated to circumvent the rules. Now, after the rules of retention of accommodation have been streamlined, the Estates Department will be armed with proper authority to handle the matter regarding the retention of Government accommodation by former politicians, Ministers, MLAs, MLCs, media persons and public figures who were given the privileges and facilities from the discretionary quota of the Chief Ministers. All of them will now be informed fully of what the rules stipulate after their tenure expires and they cannot enjoy the benefit of doubt and stay put in the Government accommodation for indefinite time.
However, while the SAC has defined the rules for retention for future, it has not taken any decision on those who have been continuing to occupy Government accommodation which they were not authorized to occupy. The SAC has not suggested any punitive action against them. Standing Operating Procedures floated by the SAC, though welcome no doubt, will make real sense only when these are implemented in letter and in spirit. People have apprehensions whether these procedural rules will be implemented in right earnest because in the past authorities have soft paddled on them. It is also true that allotment of accommodation to non-Government employees like politicians, media persons and others should not be done arbitrarily but there have to be fundamental guidelines for making such allotments to avoid chances of favouritism.
As regards several welfare measures like Cashless Medical Insurance facility, this is indeed an appreciable step because it will benefit the non-gazetted cadres of Government employees who were till now deprived of it and only gazetted officers were entitled. Nearly 20 lakh people connected with 3.5 lakh non-gazetted Government employees will come under medical cover. Employees of PSUs and autonomous organizations like universities will also be covered by this facility. Raising Employees Welfare Fund is truly a great favour to the body of Government employees for the reason that after the Government allocating corpus fund for this purpose, employees of all ranks from a chief secretary down to a class IV employee will contribute to it in accordance with the grade. This fund will be utilized for the welfare of the employees.
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