Kick the butt if you want a government job in Rajasthan

Consumption of tobacco in any form will deprive you of government jobs in Rajasthan. In a first of it kind decision, the Rajasthan government has asked all the power companies and related PSUs to take written undertaking from applicants that they do not consume tobacco.

The orders are applicable to the direct appointments made by the three state-owned power companies which deal in power transmission, distribution and generation in Rajasthan. Highly places sources informed that in the coming months, similar instructions may be given to all government departments in the state. 

According to orders issued by the state government, power companies have to take undertaking along with the application forms for the various posts. If an applicant doesn’t give the undertaking, he will be treated as disqualified.

Officials said that once undertaking is given, it will stand valid for the entire service tenure of the applicant. Once the person is selected and he is caught smoking or chewing tobacco in duty timings or on the office premises, government will have full authority to take strict action. 

However, the orders do not mention what kind of actions can be taken by government in such cases. “It’s a good initiative. In government offices, specially in canteens and outer premises, we find people smoking or chewing tobacco. Once the orders are strictly implemented, officers of power companies will become tobacco-free in the coming years.

Besides, it will also improve the health of the people,” said a senior official of a power company.

Earlier in 2012, a state-level committee for tobacco control recommended that no person should be offered a government job if he or she consumes tobacco. A circular in this regard was issued on November 2013, but the new state government held it and started working on the proposal again. 

Similar steps were taken earlier in the Gehlot regime with an objective to declare all government officers and all education institution as tobacco-free zones. Several new rules were introduced in the state that included heavy penalty on smoking at public places.