EC recommends changes in Rectt Rules, staffing provisions; CS Kundra calls for uniformity

LEH: The UT Administration of Ladakh has recommended a series of amendments to Recruitment Rules (RRs) governing various departments, with a focus on standardising recruitment procedures, rationalising redundant posts and addressing staffing requirements across the Union Territory.

The recommendations were made at the 37th meeting of the Empowered Committee (EC), chaired by Chief Secretary Ashish Kundra here on Friday, which examined proposals concerning recruitment rules, pay levels, recruitment methods and the creation, inclusion and revision of posts across different departments.

The meeting assumes significance in view of the administration’s emphasis on bringing greater uniformity, transparency and consistency to recruitment procedures while aligning departmental rules with prescribed norms and guidelines.

At the outset, Administrative Secretary, General Administration Department (GAD), Rudra P. T. Goud, presented a comprehensive overview of the agenda items placed before the committee. Members subsequently held detailed deliberations on draft proposals submitted by various departments, including requests for framing new rules, amending existing provisions and incorporating posts into the recruitment pool.

The committee examined proposed notifications and amendments to Recruitment Rules, along with the justifications furnished by the respective departments. The discussions covered pay levels, recruitment procedures and the administrative requirements necessitating changes in the existing framework.

Particular attention was given to proposed changes in recruitment methods across departments, including School Education, the Power Development Department (PDD), Social Welfare and Agriculture, among others. The committee also reviewed existing, additional and revised posts proposed by different departments and considered provisions required to meet their specific administrative and functional needs.

Emphasising the need for a consistent framework across the UT Administration, Kundra stressed that Recruitment Rules must be standardised in accordance with prescribed norms and guidelines. He underlined the importance of addressing inter-departmental variations to ensure that recruitment procedures follow uniform standards.

The Chief Secretary also directed the concerned departments to maintain a separate schedule for residual posts and undertake a review and rationalisation of dying posts. The exercise is aimed at bringing greater clarity to staffing structures and ensuring that recruitment-related provisions reflect the actual administrative and functional requirements of departments.

The committee considered the proposals in detail and recommended various amendments to Recruitment Rules and related provisions. The recommendations followed deliberations on the submissions made by the concerned departments.

The meeting was attended by Divisional Commissioner Shurbir Singh; Commissioner Secretary Tsewang Tharchin; Administrative Secretary, Power Development and Mining Department, Himanshu Gupta; Administrative Secretary, School Education Department, Bhanu Prabha; Administrative Secretary, Public Works Department, Baseer Ul Haq Chaudhary; Administrative Secretary, GAD, Rudra P. T. Goud; Administrative Secretary, Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs, Rahul Sharma; Administrative Secretary, Rural Development Department, Nidhi Malik; and directors and heads of the concerned departments.