Port Blair, Nov 12: Mr. G Bhasker, an active Social worker and an Former – General Secretary of the Andaman Nicobar Territorial Congress Committee, has taken up some genuine problems of Andaman’s educated unemployed youths with the Home Minster of India, Mr. Amit Shah, regarding getting government jobs in various Departments and Autonomous Corporation including Port Blair Municipal Council functioning under the Andaman and Nicobar Administration as well as Central Government offices.
In a letter addressed to the Home Minister, Mr. Bhasker added that the population of these islands is increasing every day along with the ongoing development in many sectors as per the present policy of the Government of India.
“After the devastating Tsunami of 2004, the islands population was reduced to 3.79 lakhs from the pre-Tsunami period. However, in a span of 16 years, the islands population has been surged to approximately 4.5 lakhs. Literacy rate in the islands is very high i.e. 86.63% as compared to other States and Union Territories on the mainland. Every year large number of students are coming out from the various Schools, colleges with degrees such as Medicine, Engineering, Architecture, MBA, and other Degrees, besides professional certificates like ITI, B.Ed., Diploma, Nursing, Paramedical courses like Lab Technician, Lab Assistant, Pharmacy, X Ray Technician, Dental Technician, ANM Courses, Dialysis Technician and the like. Thousands of the above categories of youths who have passed the courses are waiting to get government jobs under the Administration as other employment opportunities do not exist in the islands,” Mr. Bhasker added.
He pointed out that there are no private Factories and private companies in the islands like mainland of India which provide ample of job opportunities. As per our estimation, more than 12000 posts of various categories are lying vacant under various Departments of the Administration such as Revenue, Forests, Medical and Public Health, Education Department, Degree Colleges, Medical College, Polytechnic, Engineering Collage, Industries, Animal Husbandry, Agriculture , Pay and Accounts, Cooperative Department , Sports and Youth Affairs, Secretariat, PWD, Electricity, Police Force, Transport Department, Marine and Shipping Department, Port Management Board, Govt Press, Economic and Statistics, Municipal Council, Andaman and Nicobar Integrated Development Corporation (ANNIDCO), AIDS Control Society, Social Welfare Department etc .
“It has, however, been observed that recently few Departments have taken steps to appoint educated youths against vacant posts, but due to Covid 19 Pandemic, the action of the Departments is unduly delayed or selection is cancelled putting severe mental depression on the candidates who have applied for the posts. It has been reported that for want of sufficient staff in many departments their works are severely hampered specially in Revenue Department and Health Department but still action is not being initiated by the concerned Departments to fill up the vacant posts which is concerning the public and the unemployed youths,” he added.
Mr. Bhasker further added that Government servants who put many years’ service are also facing lot of hurdles in getting promotion to higher posts as authorities are not taking timely action for holding DPC. If eligible employees are promoted to higher posts, then the post held by them will become vacant against which fresh recruitment can be made easily so that educated unemployed youths will get opportunities in government jobs.
In this connection, Mr. Bhasker added that for the last over 25 years no direct recruitment to the posts of Tehsildar in the Revenue Department is made although vacant posts exist the reason of which is best known to the Revenue Department and Administration only.
Mr. G Bhasker mentioned the point at issue to the Home Ministers are
Though highly qualified eligible and competent candidates born and bought up have completed their entire school education in these islands available, A&N Administration used to appoint only mainland candidates against many vacancies held by various Departments under the Administration in the past. This action of the Administration has caused resentment among eligible candidates and the people of the islands. The matter has been taken up with the MHA and the Administration by the then Member of parliament and other Political Parties of these islands informing the concern and anguish of the local residents and unemployed youths.
In the year 1974 or thereafter, the Government of India, Ministry of Home Affairs after considering our grievances had issued certain guidelines and orders to the A&N Administration to issue a local certificate system to permanent residents and their children of these islands and on the basis of the local certificate being issued by the Tehsildar, employment in various Govt. Departments and autonomous organisations under the Administration in Group D, Group C and also Group B Non Gazetted posts was considered and given and no employment to mainland candidates was considered for job except UPSC nominee in Gazetted posts. It is to inform you that a large number of local youths got employment on the basis of such certificates. However, with great concern I am to inform that the aforesaid system has been discontinued in later period and administration started inviting applications from candidates from mainland also along with local and locally available candidates for government jobs which is against the earlier direction and orders of the MHA. For the last over 12 years many positions which Islands youths were supposed to get have been occupied by the mainland candidates depriving the interest and opportunities of local youths
Similarly, large number of promotional posts vacant in various departments like Revenue, Pay and Accounts Office, Shipping and Marine, Education, Health Department, Electricity, Agriculture, Animal Husbandry, Information, Publicity and Tourism are unfilled although eligible officials are available.
In view of the above, Mr. Bhasker requested the HM some action from the MHA taking into account the pathetic condition of the Islands unemployed youths and govt. Officials such as earlier Local Certificate system should be reintroduced for govt jobs in all the Departments and autonomous bodies under the Administration by the islands educated youths in Group D, Group C and Group B Posts (both Gazetted and Non-Gazetted) to solve unemployment among them.
All promotional posts lying vacant in various Departments may be filled up among the eligible employees as per existing recruitment rules by holding DPC in time and the resultant vacancies may be advertised publicly for direct recruitment from local candidates possessing local Certificates issued by the Tehsildar.
No mainland candidates should be considered for the vacant posts in various Departments under the Administration and autonomous bodies under the Administration to provide 100 % employment opportunities to the locals.
Since this is a Regional Issue, if need be, a separate legislation may be brought in parliament and make it a law so as to enable the local candidates to get 100% jobs ensured under Administration and autonomous bodies as the islands youths are not able to compete with mainland candidates who have ample of opportunities to undergo tuition studies for written examination to compete for various posts
