Bizarre would be the appropriate word for the reasons behind deputation of a majority of officials working at hospitals and Primary Health Centres across Jharkhand, however, institutional apathy exposed by the explanations are even more weird. The report submitted by district administration to the office of the Chief Secretary pointed out that most of the deputations were effected on the grounds of ‘services of a particular official not required’ due to the presence of more staff in the same rank doing similar work or official.
The report submitted by Ranchi district administration said that a majority of deputations were done to address the mismatch in the requirement of human resource needed for the functioning of a facility albeit with administrative consent. “Deputations have been made at significant places but there was no vacancy there. Few deputations were made on the basis of representations given by an employee. Nonetheless, we have recommended retaining about 80 per cent of the employees working on deputation,” said Deputy Development Commissioner of Ranchi, Rahul Kumar Sinha.
Interestingly, services of 13 doctors deputed at Sadar Hospital was not required at places of original posting and absence of 22 workers including medical and non-medical currently working on deputation at the hospital from the places of their posting did not affect routine operation. Notably, Sadar Hospital requires about 26 doctors to provide medical assistance.
Skeletons are likely to tumble out of health department’s closet as the deputation story is bumbling towards one major embarrassment for the department especially in the wake of the findings of the reports of respective deputy commissioners submitted to the office of the Chief Secretary till Monday evening. The report submitted by district administrations also points at immature people management at the department’s end as it allowed the culture of temporary posting without sensing the need to create additional posts.
“We will now seek requirements of posts in each district and based on the response, we will cross check it with the existing norms for creating posts. But as of now wherever there is a need to retain employees we have decided to continue with the present arrangement,” said Director-in-Chief, Directorate of Health, Sumant Mishra.
Fate of government hospitals like Sadar Hospital at Ranchi hangs in balance as the decision on cancelling all deputation had reduced the number of doctors needed by almost half. The decision issued by CS Sajal Chakraverty had led to much hue and cry thus forcing the top bureaucrat to set up committees in all districts headed by deputy commissioners to look into the necessity of deputation and staffs working at places away from their place of posting.