Govt has bad news for bureaucrats

Government officials opting for deputation to public sector companies to avail of better perks and other benefits would now have to stay put in their respective firms.

Coming down heavily on the practice of bureaucrats opting for temporary posting in public sector companies, the government has said deputing officers, including those belonging to defence services, to state-owned companies was not permissible.

It has, however, allowed government officials to join public sector undertakings on immediate absorption basis.

Railways would be the hardest hit by this directive, as all the key posts in the PSUs under the ministry are manned by officers on deputation.

In fact, the notification stresses that the directive would apply to all central PSUs, including those under the Ministry of Railways.

"The practice of deputation was hampering development of cadre of managers in particular PSUs. The notification would address that situation," sources said.

The government has also said employees of one PSU can join another PSU on a permanent basis.

The notification, however, allows for deputation of bureaucrats to the posts of chief executives and regional chiefs, who require continuous liaison and co-ordination with the state governments and where the expertise acquired in the government is needed for organisational efficiency.

"The list of central PSUs in which the posts of chief executives and regional chiefs, could be exempted, should remain restricted and should not normally be enlarged," the notification said.

The Department of Public Enterprises would draw up the list of such PSUs with the approval of the Appointment Committee of the Cabinet.

The notification, however, exempts the posts of chief vigilance officers, chief security officers and others in security set up of central PSUs.

It, however, lays down that security personnel, other than chief security officers, will not be taken on deputation where the Central Industrial Security Force is deployed.

The notification also says that security personnel taken on deputation from specialised forces will not be deployed in the corporate and administrative offices or the residential areas of central PSUs.