Protest against integration of Directorates with Administrative Departments

22.08.2019

Today at 11.30 A.M., nearly 800 OSS Cadre Officers gathered at the PR Lawn of the Lokaseva Bhawan to protest and to have a discussion on the Resolution issued by Government n GA & PG Department yesterday regarding integration of Directorates with Administrative Departments.

         The President and the General Secretary along with other executive members of the Odisha Secretariat Service Association (OSSA) were present in the protest. They discussed different aspects of the said resolution and its detrimental effects on the service conditions & interests of the employees of Odisha Secretariat Service (OSS) Cadre. It was resolved in the meeting that a memorandum citing how this decision of the Government will deleteriously affect the dignity & work culture of Odisha Secretariat Service and also different technical/practical/legal difficulties will emerge in future. The protest will be intensified further unless appropriate corrective steps are taken by the Government. 
All the officers of the cadre irrespective of the rank line expressed their deep concern as the decision has been taken keeping the stakeholders in dark. It is apprehended that this decision may adversely affect the future of the newly joined highly qualified OSS officers i.e. the Asst. Section Officers who have preferred the cadre as a cadre of choice due the job profile.  

In order to streamline the functioning of Directorates and speed up the process of decision making, State Government has decided to integrate the different Directorates with their respective Administrative Departments to function as composite Departments with immediate effect.

Government in Department of General Administration and Public Grievance brought out the notification in this regard on 21 August. Resolution

Key Points of the Resolution:

According to notification the integrated Department shall function in the premises of the respective Administrative Departments/Directorates as may be decided by the Administrative Department keeping in view availability of space and public convenience.

There will be single file system through OSWAS and every proposal referred by the Directorate shall not be required to be re-initiated or re-examined de novo in the Department.

The sections such as Office Establishment, Issue and Accounts, Cash etc. common to both the offices shall be appropriately reorganized and Officers such as DDO and Establishment Officer and staff may be utilized accordingly in the composite Departments to ensure better efficiency avoiding duplication of work and wastage of time.

Surplus staff, if any, shall be surrendered to the pool being managed by the Administrative Reforms Cell of DoGAPG for redeployment and vacant posts at the lowest level shall be abolished as per the guidelines of Finance Department.

The concerned staff will continue to remain in their respective cadres and will avail service benefits in their own cadre hierarchy.

Recruitment in the level of Junior Assistants in the HoD Cadre will not be held until further order.

On account of promotion, death, resignation or otherwise, the base level posts in the Heads of Department will stand abolished and in lieu of that, as per requirement, the same shall be filled up from Secretariat Common Cadre meant for Heads of the Department (HoD)

This is to be done in keeping in view the administrative necessity in due consultation/concurrence with Finance Department.

The Administrative Department shall take necessary steps to make budget provisions for the composite Department. Necessary budget provisions for the integrated Department shall be made from the next financial year in consultation with Finance Department.

OSWAS system operative in the State Secretariat shall be modified to integrate the Directorates with the Departments immediately and Directorates will submit only electronic files after due scanning of existing files.