Odisha Govt Issues Guidelines for Engagement of Retired Public Servants
The Odisha government, on Thursday, released new guidelines for the temporary engagement of retired public servants across various departments. The move comes in response to concerns over the routine rehiring of retired officials without adequate justification.
In a resolution issued by the General Administration and Public Grievance Department, the state government outlined the conditions under which retired officials could be re-engaged. The resolution noted that in 2014, the government had approved the reappointment of retired officers to address urgent needs and increased workload in certain departments.
However, the government observed that many departments were rehiring retired employees on a routine basis, often for regular tasks, without a clear or pressing need. The new guidelines aim to streamline this process and ensure that re-engagement of retired personnel is justified and limited to essential circumstances.
The guidelines stress that retired officials should only be reappointed in cases of unavoidable necessity and should not be relied upon for routine functions that can be handled by regular staff. Departments have been instructed to critically evaluate their need for such appointments, ensuring that the practice aligns with government policies on efficiency and optimal resource use.
These guidelines are expected to bring more transparency and accountability to the engagement of retired personnel, ensuring that the practice is used only in cases of genuine need while preventing unnecessary reappointments. The government hopes this will reduce dependency on retirees for routine work and improve overall administrative functioning.