Locals to be appointed to govt service in naxal areas
The State Cabinet on Friday gave its approval to appoint qualified locals in the naxal-hit pockets of three districts - Udupi, Chikmagalur and Tumkur - to government service on an annual contract basis.
The move has been initiated following reluctance on the part of regular government employees to report to duty on being transferred to the naxal affected areas of these districts, Law Minister Suresh Kumar told reporters after the Cabinet meeting.
The government’s announcement comes as the by-election to Udupi-Chikmagalur Lok Sabha seat is expected to be announced by the election commission. The seat is vacant following Chief Minister D V Sadananda Gowda resigning as MP.
The scheme will cover 107 villages and 709 sub-villages coming under nine taluks of the three naxal-hit districts. The taluks include Karkala, Kundapur, Sringeri, Mudigere, Koppal, Hosadurga, Teerthahalli, Belthangadi and Pavagada.
Hindrance
He said hesitation by regular government employees to report to duty in these pockets was hindering administration and governance. A committee would be constituted under the chairmanship of Deputy Commissioners in the dist ricts to start the recruitment process, the minister said.
The DCs can appoint primary school teachers, primary health workers, nurses, midwives, forest guards, village assistants, anganwadi workers, bore-well mechanics and pumpset operators from among the local population on contract basis to be renewed annually.
It was left to the department heads to initiate action as per service rules against regular government employees for not attending duty.
Actual vacancies
The government has no statistics on the actual vacancies that need to be filled up as appointments would be made at the village level depending on the requirement, the minister said.
In another decision the Cabinet gave its approval for reimbursing Rs 141.37 crore fee dues to backward classes students, which has been pending for the last three years.
