New Delhi, Oct 20: Central services employees, represented by Central Secretariat Service Forum (CSS Forum) on Friday met Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) Science & Technology; MoS PMO, Personnel, Public Grievances, Pensions, Atomic Energy and Space, Dr Jitendra Singh and expressed their heartfelt gratitude to the Minister Incharge Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) for starting the trend of mass promotions, saying this has completely cleared off the large backlog of stranded promotions which had been accumulated over several decades.
The employees expressed heartfelt gratitude for the minister’s role in instituting mass promotions, a historic step that entirely cleared the backlog of promotions accumulated over several decades.
The delegation members, representing a wide spectrum of Central Services employees, conveyed their immense satisfaction and gratitude for this progressive step. This initiative, which sent waves of happiness across the employee community, had a profound impact on their morale. Such an unprecedented and sensitive move by the government, in their view, had not been witnessed since India’s independence.
Dr Jitendra Singh, responding to the employees’ expressions of gratitude, underscored Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s unwavering commitment to ensuring abundant government job opportunities. The Rozgar Mela series, initiated under PM Modi’s direction, aimed to provide 10 lakh government jobs, reflecting the government’s earnest efforts to address employment concerns.
The minister also emphasized PM Modi’s dedication to fostering a work-friendly environment for employees, where motivation and productivity are paramount. He revealed that he was personally distressed to learn about employees in the lowest rungs of administration spending their entire 30 to 35-year service tenure without securing a single promotion. Dr Singh stated that he had discussed the issue with senior officers in the Ministry, leading to innovative means to prevent future stagnation at the middle and lower rungs of the administration.
Dr Jitendra Singh’s sensitivity to the concerns of employees resonated deeply with the delegation. He acknowledged the pain and disheartenment employees experienced when superannuating in the same grade due to delayed promotions. Over the past nine years, the government, under PM Modi’s guidance, meticulously reviewed longstanding stagnation issues in various Central Ministries. These issues, rooted in pending court cases, lack of vacancies in higher grades, and other personnel concerns, were actively addressed.
In the last year alone, about 9,000 mass promotions were executed, and prior to that, the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) granted 4,000 promotions over three years. The government focused on bringing ease of governance and objectivity into the empanelment process. Technological advancements were harnessed, minimizing human interfaces and ensuring an unbiased and efficient promotion process.
The CSS employees’ mass promotions are particularly significant as they have been executed after several rounds of high-level meetings chaired by Dr Jitendra Singh in the last few months. Legal experts were consulted in anticipation of pending writ petitions, underscoring the government’s commitment to transparency and fairness in its decisions.
Furthermore, the government has streamlined bureaucratic procedures by eliminating over 1,600 obsolete rules, thereby enhancing efficiency and expediting outcomes for the public. This strategic move reflects the government’s holistic approach to governance, focusing not only on providing effective public service but also on empowering employees to perform optimally.
The CSS Forum delegation also raised demands for the recognition of CSS Day and Cadre Restructuring. Dr Jitendra Singh, while appreciating the dedication and hard work of CSS Officers, assured them of the government’s unwavering commitment to address their concerns and enhance their working conditions.
