The Gujarat State Government reappointed 568 retired government employees over the last two years, including 31 Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officers. The state government cited these appointments as ‘necessary administrative requirements.’
Official data states that 369 retired government employees were appointed to government positions in 2022 and 199 in 2023. Of the 31 IAS officers, 18 retired officers were allotted post-retirement postings in 2022, while the rest 13 were allotted postings in 2023.
The Gujarat administration provided these figures during the three-day assembly session in August as part of an unstarred list of questions.
Tushar Chaudhary, a Congress Khedbrahma MLA, requested data on the number of government officials appointed after retirement during the previous two years and the reasons for those appointments.
In addition to retired IAS officers, the state also assigned Class 1 officers with the ranks of additional secretaries, joint secretaries, chief city planners, and deputy secretaries, as well as officials from non-LAS secretariat cadres. Additionally, the government gave retired Class 2 and Class 3 rank officials and employees various post-retirement roles.
According to official data, two Class 4 employees were also awarded post-retirement appointments within two years. The state government frequently appoints or retires IAS officers to various positions, including leaders of state public sector enterprises. In addition, several government statutory agencies have nominated retired LAS officials.
According to MLA Chaudhary, junior-level officers’ advancement prospects are diminished when retired government officials and employees are appointed. He enquired about the government’s actions to resolve the matter. The government responded that it frequently fills open posts by directly hiring and promoting officials and staff members and that this procedure is continuous.
S Aparna, a retired IAS officer previously the secretary of chemicals and fertilisers in the Government of India, has also been appointed to a key government position this year. He is now the head of the recently renamed Gujarat State Institution for Transformation, affiliated with NITI Aayog.
R B Brad, the GPCB chairman, was reappointed for a three-year term after retiring on August 31 this year. Mukesh Puri, an IAS officer who retired earlier this year, has been named MD of SSNNL for two years.
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