In a U-turn, Telangana government to continue zonal system

HYDERABAD: Taking an U-turn on its decision, the state government on Saturday decided to go back on its proposal to scarp the zonal system in the state.  In a major decision, chief minister K Chandrasekhar Rao has decided to continue the existing zonal system for employment and education and also to increase zones in the state in accordance with the newly-formed districts.Initially, the state government thought of scrapping the zonal system (which was in place in combined AP through Presidential Order, Article 371) after bifurcation of combined Andhra Pradesh. Most of the employees’ unions too supported the same. However, after an initial study, the government has decided to continue the zonal system and increase the existing zones further.

Accordingly, Chandrasekhar Rao, after a review on the subject on Saturday, constituted a committee with ministers and officials to prepare proposals on the new zonal system. The committee will suggest the posts which comes under which cadre, total zones required for the state and decide the posts like district, zonal, multi-zonal and state cadres. The committee of officials and ministers suggested to the chief minister to continue the zonal system and the four cadres. Earlier, the state proposed to cancel zonal and multi-zonal posts and continue only district and state cadre posts. 

“We have to form new zones. Currently, there are only two zones in Telangana state. This number should be increased. We have to finalise which districts come under which zone considering all the 31 districts. The committee will give their report and it will be discussed in the state cabinet,” Rao said.

For this exercise, the state needs to amend the Presidential Order. “We will propose that a new Presidential order is required for the newly formed Telangana state. I will personally go and meet Union home minister and see to it that the new orders are issued soon,” Rao added. He wished that every appointment made by the state government should be done in tune with the Presidential Orders. Public Sector Undertakings like Singareni, RTC, Transco and energy departments too should come under the purview of the Presidential Order.

District-cadre posts based on new districts: It was also decided that the district-cadre posts would be based on new districts. Rao said notification for cadre posts should be based on new districts as they are formed for the benefit of locals. “When the state government proposed to scrap the zonal system, all the employees supported it. But, Telangana Udyogula Sangham (TUS) suggested to the government to continue the zonal system. We are thankful to the CM for his decision to continue the zonal system,” TUS president A Padmachary told Express.

A senior bureaucrat told Express that if the zonal system was scrapped, Nalgonda youth would grab the posts of Adilabad and Bhupalpally districts, which were backward. Continuation of zonal system would help unemployed youths in tribal and backward districts will get their due share in employment, the official opined.

New committee formed
The committee formed on Saturday to prepare proposals for the new Presidential Orders include deputy chief minister K Srihari, ministers Harish Rao, Pocharam Srinivas Reddy, Etela Rajender, chief secretary SP Singh, senior officials SK Joshi, Suresh Chandha, Ajay Misra, BR Meena, Rajiv Ranjan Acharya, Adhar Sinha and DGP Anurag Sharma