A department-level review will lead to compulsory retirement of non-performing employees, as part of efforts by the Kamal Nath government to improve the efficiency of the government machinery.
The general administration department has issued directions to all other departments that "in order to improve the government functioning, all non-performing employees must be removed from service."
The department had said in its July 6 order that "all employees who have attained the age of 50 and have completed 20 years of service will be subject to a performance review. Those employees whose performance is found to be incompetent will have to take compulsory retirement. In the coming 30 days all departments have to conduct the review and subsequently the process of removing non-performing employees will be initiated."
The general administration department has asked all department heads to monitor the performance review process and inform it of the results within 30 days.
Sources said the state has about 10 lakh government employees, of which five lakh employees have completed 20 years of service. Government rules state that compulsory retirement requires a minimum age of 50 years and 20 years of service.
Workers Union President Sudhir Nayak said: "Performance review after the age of 50 years and 20 years of service is nothing new. It is part of procedure that all governments apply from time to time. Such decisions only make a government unpopular."
A government representative said: "The idea behind the move is to improve governmental efficiency. The government wants employees and officers to discharge their responsibilities properly and that the public must not be inconvenienced. Those who do not discharge their duty have no right to remain in service."
But sources said sending an employee on compulsory retirement is not easy as all employees undergo a character assessment every year. Under the Right to Information, employees can view their character assessments, so officers are reluctant to give negative feedback on the employees.
So the question is that without any negative comments in the character assessment, on what grounds will an employee be given compulsory retirement, they said.
They said all those employees will come under the purview of compulsory retirement whose performance is deemed unsatisfactory, incompetent, suspicious or those who have lost their utility. This will require supporting feedback in their character assessment over several years.
( With inputs from IANS )