'No Ban On Hiring For Govt Posts': Centre Clarifies After Rahul Gandhi Alleges Modi Govt Aiming "Maximum Privatisation"

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi hit out at the centre alleging that the Modi government's thinking is "minimum government, maximum privatisation".

A day after issuing a circular to cut official spending amid an economic crisis, the Union government on Saturday clarified that there is no restriction on the recruitment of people for filling vacancies in government jobs. In a Twitter post, the Ministry of Finance said that there is no restriction or ban on filling up of posts in Govt of India. "Normal recruitment through govt agencies like Staff Selection Commission, UPSC, Rlwy Recruitment Board, etc will continue as usual without any curbs, " Finance ministry said, adding that "circular dated 04 Sept 2020 deals with the internal procedure for creation of posts and does NOT in any way affect or curtail recruitment."

The clarification came a day after the Department of Expenditure issued a circular urging the administrative offices to curtail some non-developmental expenditures and rationalize priorities at a time when revenues have plummeted due to the pandemic and shutdowns. In an office memorandum, the department said, in the context of the present fiscal situation and the consequent pressure on Government resources, there is a need for further economy and rationalisation of non-priority expenditure, while protecting and preserving priority expenditure. In terms of the creation of posts, the notification said, "There will be a canon creation of new posts, except with the approval of Department of Expenditure, in Ministries/Departments, Attached Offices, Subordinate Offices, Statutory Bodies, and Autonomous Bodies." As per this earlier notification, the ban covered all creation of posts under powers which have been delegated to any organisation regardless of the source of such authority or power. "If any posts have been created after 01.07.2020 under delegated powers or authority, without the approval of the Department of Expenditure and have not yet been filled, then such posts shall not be filled. If it is deemed absolutely essential to fill them, proposals may be sent for approval of the Department of Expenditure," the official notice read. On this, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi hit out at the center alleging that the Modi government's thinking is "minimum government, maximum privatisation". Gandhi is a Twitter post in Hindi said that the Coronavirus pandemic is just an excuse and the intention is to make government offices "free" of permanent staff.