Finmin not to insist on Dec 31 deadline for downsizing

happy new year to all government employees —especially those attached to ministries that had caught the attention of the expenditure reforms committee. the finance ministry has decided not to insist on the december 31 deadline imposed on them to comply with the recommendations of the k p geethakrishnan committee which involved large scale downsizing across government departments. after much huffing and puffing by i&b ministry officials and a one on one meeting between the i&b minister, sushma swaraj and finance minsiter yashwant sinha last week, the finance ministry has now demanded that the ''erring'' ministries present a clear-cut action plan for ''right-sizing'' within a timeframe of one or two years. but it has not relented on the basic spirit of cutting flab, and therefore a freeze on most vacancies is likely to be enforced. sources in the finance ministry told et, that the i&b and finance secretaries had met last week and it was agreed that an action plan could be drawnup within the framework of the erc recommendations. ''but we do realise that we are dealing with a human problem here and harsh deadlines may not serve the larger cause,'' sources said. which is why an ''attractive vrs package'' is being worked out and a scheme to reduce surplus staff (after 'restructuring that would render a maximum number surplus) would be put up before the cabinet in january. ''we will meet with individual ministries for stock-taking in january. we are not soft-pedalling on any of our recommendations...after all the department of economic affairs has itself implemented the erc suggestions, even sacrificing the special secretary's post,'' sources said. the ministry has laid out some parameters to facilitate speedy implementation of the erc report. one, no fresh recruitment would be allowed. two, restructuring has to be done immediately, to the extent possible making room for ''career'' aspirations of employees. if it is not possible to rehabilitate them in the same department, fresh opportunities within the cadre could be looked into. the erc, headed by former finance secretary, k p geethakrishnan, was set up following finance minister yashwant sinha's budget speech of 1999-2000. he had downsizing as the means to achieve an accelerated growth rate of the economy. looking into specifics, the erc then submitted six reports on various ministries including i&b, department of economic affairs, ministry of steel, ministry of petroleum and natural gas, department of chemicals and petrochemicals, fertilisers, heavy industry, posts, supply, public enterprises and so on.

Finmin not to insist on Dec 31 deadline for downsizing

HAPPY New Year to all government employees —especially those attached to ministries that had caught the attention of the Expenditure Reforms Committee. The Finance Ministry has decided not to insist on the December 31 deadline imposed on them to c...

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