THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: State government's flagship housing scheme LIFE Mission - being implemented at a humongous budget exceeding Rs 4,000 crore - has been clouded by illegal appointments even while key posts remain vacant.
It is learnt that the induction of PS Jayanthan as programme manager (finance) and subsequent regularization of the post was done in violation of norms and provisions laid down by the government order issued in 2017.
The order issued by local self-government department (LSGD) in 2017 enlisted eight posts for LIFE Mission which also included six officials under category-III. It was clearly mentioned in the order that the staff so recruited shall have experience in rural, urban, panchayat departments and Kudumbashree or in development activities. Jayanthan - who was reportedly accepted in the mission at the behest of a senior LSGD official - is the husband of an additional secretary (LSGD) whose work is closely linked to LIFE Mission.
Even as allegations of nepotism and collusion between LSGD officials surfaced around the appointment, Jayanthan - who retired as joint secretary from finance department - was inducted and regularised with retrospective effect without notification or interview, it is learnt. Three of the six posts for programme managers are lying vacant and LIFE Mission has recently notified about filling a post.
Files accessed by TOI reveal that on Jayanthan's request, the mission was forced to recruit an accountant to assist him.
Jayanthan has been drawing a salary of Rs 60,000/month for almost a year.
The accountant draws Rs 35,000/month.
LIFE Mission - which reels from severe fund crunch and has a Rs 4,000 crore loan from Hudco - has been functioning without a finance officer for a year. The finance officer post has been lying vacant since June 2018 when a staff (who had served as FO) resigned. It is pointed out that instead of filling the post through formal notification, LSGD regularized a non-existent post for PS Jayanthan and then recruited an accountant to assist him. Two support staff were earlier forced to terminate services by citing that the order did not include their posts.
LSG minister AC Moideen said he was unaware of the recruitment. "I don't know anything about this, I will look into it," he said.
TOI had recently reported the appointment of deputy mission director in AMRUT being implemented by LSGD at a contract pay of Rs 75,000/month with hardly a year left for the project to wind up. The appointment was done concealing previous decisions and in violation of central guidelines. U V Jose, CEO, LIFE Mission - who took charge recently - could not be reached for comments.
It is learnt that the induction of PS Jayanthan as programme manager (finance) and subsequent regularization of the post was done in violation of norms and provisions laid down by the government order issued in 2017.
The order issued by local self-government department (LSGD) in 2017 enlisted eight posts for LIFE Mission which also included six officials under category-III. It was clearly mentioned in the order that the staff so recruited shall have experience in rural, urban, panchayat departments and Kudumbashree or in development activities. Jayanthan - who was reportedly accepted in the mission at the behest of a senior LSGD official - is the husband of an additional secretary (LSGD) whose work is closely linked to LIFE Mission.
Even as allegations of nepotism and collusion between LSGD officials surfaced around the appointment, Jayanthan - who retired as joint secretary from finance department - was inducted and regularised with retrospective effect without notification or interview, it is learnt. Three of the six posts for programme managers are lying vacant and LIFE Mission has recently notified about filling a post.
Files accessed by TOI reveal that on Jayanthan's request, the mission was forced to recruit an accountant to assist him.
Jayanthan has been drawing a salary of Rs 60,000/month for almost a year.
The accountant draws Rs 35,000/month.
LIFE Mission - which reels from severe fund crunch and has a Rs 4,000 crore loan from Hudco - has been functioning without a finance officer for a year. The finance officer post has been lying vacant since June 2018 when a staff (who had served as FO) resigned. It is pointed out that instead of filling the post through formal notification, LSGD regularized a non-existent post for PS Jayanthan and then recruited an accountant to assist him. Two support staff were earlier forced to terminate services by citing that the order did not include their posts.
LSG minister AC Moideen said he was unaware of the recruitment. "I don't know anything about this, I will look into it," he said.
TOI had recently reported the appointment of deputy mission director in AMRUT being implemented by LSGD at a contract pay of Rs 75,000/month with hardly a year left for the project to wind up. The appointment was done concealing previous decisions and in violation of central guidelines. U V Jose, CEO, LIFE Mission - who took charge recently - could not be reached for comments.
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