Directions likely not to announce new vacancies for now
PANAJI
Following directions from the BJP central leadership, moves are reportedly afoot to scrap the Goa Staff Selection Commission (SSC) and revert back to department level recruitment process.
Multiple high level sources in the government confirmed that internal talks are ongoing to scrap SSC, pending which directions would be issued to the Commission, not to issue any new advertisements to fill-up the vacancies.
However, some sources also say that there is already a clause in the Goa Staff Selection Commission Act, wherein the government can pass orders, specifying the matters or particular class of cases or some circumstances; there the Commission may not be consulted while undertaking the recruitment.
The three-member Goa Staff Selection Commission was established by the Goa Staff Selection Commission Act, 2019. The Commission, since December, last year, started issuing advertisements for appointments of various subordinate services/ posts (Group “C” posts) across various departments.
The SSC – the brain child of the Chief Minister Pramod Sawant – set up to bring in much needed transparency in the recruitment process following allegations of ‘cash for jobs’, has now hit a major roadblock, with BJP central leadership dictating the Chief Minister not to go ahead with SSC recruitment but instead the same be carried out by each department.
The directions were issued to resolve the growing differences between Sawant and his cabinet colleague Vishwajit Rane, which were out in the open over providing employment to youth in the State.
Sources informed that moves have been started to scrap SSC but when will it materialise, will have to wait and see.
Another source, confirming the development, said that more than half of Sawant’s cabinet was against SSC when the Chief Minister had proposed it. “CM went against cabinet members and introduced SSC,” sources said.
It has also been learnt from sources that the government has kept a provision in the Act wherein in case of difference of opinion on recruitment between the departments and the Commission, the matter would be referred to the government for final decision. As per sources, close to 1,100 jobs were supposed to be advertised and filled through SSC in the coming one year but there was a lot of resentment among the Ministers and also MLAs – both from ruling as well as Opposition.
“Every MLA has promised jobs to their constituents and with SSC in place, that looked a bit difficult,” sources said, adding ‘the same issue, we guess, was raised before BJP high command’.
Sawant-led government is facing severe criticism or backlash from the Opposition and his own cabinet colleagues and MLAs over unemployment. Rane too had made a public statement that it is the duty of the government to provide 22,000 jobs – the statement that forced BJP leadership to intervene.
