KCR in a comfort zone

The creation of seven zones for purpose of recruitment to government jobs is a promise made to the people at the height of the movement for separate statehood for Telangana. K Chandrashekar Rao, while leading the movement at that time as TRS chief, had not only promised jobs to the youths but also gave a word that he would ensure that those who were local to an area would get jobs there itself.

In other words, a youth in Adilabad does not have to compete with his counterparts in Warangal where the competition may not be on level playing field. Though creation of jobs for youth is important, it is also vital that the youth get jobs created in their own district. This provides level playing field and thus help rendering justice evenly to the unemployed youth across the state.

Though it has taken time, KCR seems to have done it at last as reports indicate that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had consented to clearing the file relating to creation of zones. He had raised the issue a couple of time is earlier with the Centre but now it seems the file is through. In a couple of days, it would get the presidential assent paving the way for the youth to get jobs in their own districts or district close-by clubbed under their zone.

The Chief Minister has proposed seven zones for all the 31 districts and two multi zones for the purpose of recruitment to the government jobs. Those who are local to a zone would have access to 95 per cent of the jobs and the local candidature has been defined as prosecution of school education for four years continuously between first and seventh standard. The zonal system would also be applicable in promotions.

To begin with, the Chief Minister is planning to fill the posts of panchayat secretaries. After the advent of new Panchayat Act, 4,380 new panchayats have been created taking the total number to 12,741 in the state. But only 3,562 panchayats have secretaries. The Central guidelines are that for a panchayat to become eligible for Central funds, it should have secretary exclusively for it.

The Chief Minister had already given clearance for the appointment of 9,189 panchayat secretaries. Now that the zonal system is going to be ushered in, justice would be done to youth of all districts, preventing the possibility of youth from one district being appointed in another district. The Chief Minister had laid down that each newly appointed secretary would be on probation for three years and they would be regularised basing on their performance.

Apart from increasing political mileage to the Chief Minister which is very important in an election year, the clearance given to zonal system would also help in better implementation of Haritha Haram, ensure sanitation, effective tax collection, maintenance of drainage, street lights and preventing spread of communicable diseases whenever there are heavy rains or in the initial days of monsoon.

It was the youth who had helped turbo-charge the Telangana movement which had forced the adamant UPA-II to divide the state. More than anything what has given the impetus to the movement was promise of jobs to the youths. Now that the zonal system is also in place, the employment done hence forth would be homogeneous in nature across the state.