Taking cognizance of massive irregularities in reservation roster points in NHAI, the National Commission for Scheduled Caste (NCSC) has sought appointment and promotions details of the last 18 years from the authority.
About 50 NHAI employees belonging to the SC/ST/OBC have alleged that they are deprived of their constitutional claims and entitlements. “Even after 18 years of its existence, NHAI does not extend any such benefits to its employees resulting heavy flow of representations and petitions from the officers belonging to these categories,” said a NHAI source.
NCSCs chairman Pl Punia has directed NHAI to bring all records of the last 18 years relating to the case. NHAI Member (Administration) Narendra Kumar, IAS, was summoned by the Commission last week. NHAI on July 1, 2013 finally created a dedicated cell for SC/ST/OBC and initiated training to officers on roster maintenance from now onwards.
As per Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) guidelines, it is mandatory for all Government offices, attached offices, Public Sector Undertakings (PSUs) and Autonomous bodies to invariably maintain reservation roster for SC/ST/OBCs and to extend roster benefits in promotion and career progression. As per another related DoPT instructions, the reservation benefits such as seniority etc is to be granted even from retrospective effect.
The matter came to highlight, when appointment of four Personal Assistants (PAs) without roster regulations in place was done and later declared null and void by the then NHAI Chairman Brijeswar Singh in 2009. An another case a regular SC employee of being aggrieved by the fact that four junior PAs, were ‘unconstitutionally’ promoted to the post of Assistant Manager in absence of Reservation Roster, petitioned before the Commission either to promote him with all consequential benefits or revert the four junior PAs.
lok Sabha MP Pradeep Tamta has also written a letter pointing these irregularities to NHAI Chairperson RP Singh. Tamta expressed “grave concern” of the violation of mandatory roster maintenance in extending reservation benefits to the SC/ST/OBC officials. The MP has cautioned to bring the matter to the notice of the Parliamentary Committee for the Welfare of SC/STs and rake up the issue in Monsoon Session, sources said.
“It is surprising to note that whereas Government has directed to the offices including attached offices to implement the Reservation Roster under the Reservation Policy of the Government and also issued instructions from time to time to take special measures/
recruitment drive for this under represented section in all organisations, the blatant violation of the same is of grave concern,” Tamta said.