Centre blocks KCR's 50k recruitment drive
Chief Minister's decision to create two more districts in 2019 (Mulugu, Narayanpet) are yet to be approved by the union home ministry
Hyderabad: An “inordinate delay” on the part of the Central government in approving and notifying two newly formed districts in Telangana has blocked the K. Chandrashekar Rao-led state government’s plans to take up recruitment drives to fill over 50,000 vacancies in various government departments, said a top official on condition of anonymity.
Chief Minister K. Chandrashekar Rao had on December 13, 2020, announced the intent of the government to fill over 50,000 posts within three months. However, it has not made headway even after more than two months, the senior official pointed out.
Chandrashekar Rao had increased 10 districts in Telangana to 31 in 2016, besides augmenting the two zones into seven zones. Mr Rao also created two multi-zones in 2017, all of which decisions the state government sent to the union home ministry for approval.
Post the approval from the ministry of home affairs, it was later sent to President Ramnath Kovind for his final approval. President Kovid approved the zonal changes in May 2018, after which, the Centre issued a gazette notification immediately.
However, the Chief Minister’s decision to create two more districts in 2019 (Mulugu, Narayanpet), taking the total districts to 33. It was done to fulfil a poll promise ahead of 2018 Assembly polls, due to strong demands from local people. This affected changes in zones by shuffling districts. But these changes are yet to be approved by the union home ministry, post which, it would also require the Presidential nod.
Unless the President puts his stamp of approval, the sanctioned posts in recruitment drives, which are distributed among all districts, zones and multi-zones, the state government cannot go ahead with its recruitment drive. If it does go ahead, it would only land in legal tangles, a legal expert said.
The Chief Minister brought a new zonal system in Telangana, according to which, 95 per cent of all government jobs sanctioned for a given zone are reserved for locals.
This local status of a candidate is decided based on her or his school study from class I to VII. Based on these certificates, a candidate is considered a local for jobs. Those who have studied for four years in a particular district/ zone from class I to VII are treated as a local of that particular district/zone.
The seven new zones created were Kaleshwaram (zone-1), Basara (zone-2), Rajanna (zone-3), Bhadradri (zone-4), Yadadri (zone-5), Charminar (zone-6) and Jogulamba (zone-7).
| Kaleshwaram (Zone-1) | comprises Asifabad, Mancherial, Peddapalli and Bhupalapally districts. |
| Basara (Zone-2) | comprises Adilabad, Nirmal, Nizamabad and Jagtial districts. |
| Rajanna (Zone-3) | comprises Karimnagar, Siddipet, Siricilla, Kamareddy and Medak districts. |
| Bhadradri (Zone-4) | comprises Kothagudem, Khammam, Mahabubabad, Warangal Urban and Warangal Rural districts. |
| Yadadri (Zone-5) | comprises Suryapet, Nalgonda, Yadadri Bhuvanagiri and Jangaon districts. |
| Charminar (Zone-6) | comprises Medchal-Malkajgiri, Hyderabad, Rangareddy and Sangareddy districts. |
| Jogulamba (Zone-7) | comprises Vikarabad, Mahabubnagar, Gadwal, Wanaparthy and Nagarkurnool districts. |
This apart, Chief Minister Rao created two multi-zones.
| Multi-zone-1 | comprises Kaleshwaram, Basara, Rajanna and Bhadradri zones. |
| Multi-zone-2 | comprises Yadadri, Charminar and Jogulamba zones. |
All these zones and multi-zones were created by taking 31 districts into consideration, which has the central nod.
However, the two districts the Chief Minister created later – Mulugu and Narayanpet - in 2019, and sent proposals to the ministry of home affairs, seeking to amend the Presidential Orders, taking the total 33 districts into consideration, is still pending.
This apart, Rao also included the Vikarabad district in the Charminar zone, following a demand from the locals. This also requires an amendment to the Presidential Order. Vikarabad is currently in the Gadwal district.
Due to lack of Centre’s approval, the state government could not take up any major recruitment drive since 2018, the official confided.
The vacancies to be notified in new job notifications should be distributed among all districts and zones to provide 95% reservations for locals. Unless the Centre approves the two new districts and minor changes in zones, the state government cannot go ahead, he said.
The state government had on Thursday again written to the union home ministry to approve the new districts and zones, to enable it to take up recruitment drives.