Recruitment in ICDS and ASHA - SDOs/ BDOs may invoke proactive dislcosure under RTI to ensure transparency

We have completed the recruitment of ASHA under NRHM in the selected blocks and list is likely to be approved by the State Govt by October, 2009. It is yet to be finalised in two to three blocks. More than dozen high court cases were filed against the selection committees last year for lack of transparency and unjustified  & unfair interview marking to eliminate meritoriuos candidates or deprivation of deserving candidates. Complaints against the recruitment irregularties were mainly on two grounds :-

1. 
   
   At the time of application some of the candidates not generally the residents of the sevice area of the sub centre were allowed to apply and were selected also showing false documents or acquired documents. In some cases, to eliminate the candidate with high marks in Madhyamik, applications were wrongly rejected on residential status grounds. It is the residential status at the time of application which is important, but always confused with the permanent residence/ domicile in case of married women living with in laws, not with parents place which is located in the sub centre service area or vice versa.
   
   
   
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   Selection committee comprising of GP Prodhan, BDO's nominee, Health Supervisor, ANM conducts interview for 20 marks, while 80 marks is assigned for marks obtained in the MP (only compulsory subjects). It is found that some of the GP Prodhans and health personnel awarded zero or less than 1 mark out of 20 to the candidates having highest marks in MP examination so as to eliminate her from the selection. Even, marks as low as 0.001, 0.01, 0.04 were awarded by only two members out of four in several blocks, which is not only unjustified but against principles of natural justice.
   
   
   

It is suggested that Block level Health & Family Welfare Samity must do perform their duties sincerely while scrutinising the panels prepared by GPs. It is often stated that the selection committee at GP is well within their rights to award zero marks or near zero marks as per guidelines. It is true, but unethical and unfair to the deserving candidates. SDOs/ BDOs can issue advise to the selection committee and block samities to publish the panel showing the marks obtained by the candidates in interview and MP examination under proactive disclosure of RTI. Even candidates can be encouraged to seek such information under RTI. We must ensure trasnparency and fairness in selection.

1784 additional ICDS centres have been sanctioned in our district in August 2009. Recruitments shall take place by December 2009. Project level selection committee must ensure transaparency in selection process and disclose the present panel, vacancies. They must also publish the panel showing marks obtained in written and interview.

Rural Electrification - RGGVY needs involvement of Panchayat Bodies

Rajiv Gandhi Grameen Vidyutikaran Yojana (RGGVY) survey work is in progress throughout the district. As per the sanction accorded to the agency REC limited, 1222 moujas comprising of  3842 locations (villages, hamlets, paras etc) shall be covered against sanctioned cost of Rs 122 Crores. DPR provides household connection to 236000 BPL families.

Salient features of the scheme in Nadia district are as follows :-

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  Each BPL family as per RHS published in 2007 plus revised RHS published in August 2009 shall be provided with free electric service connection, meter, one bulb fitting by the agency.
  
  
  
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  No charges for installation of meter, electric poles, construction of plateform to fit the meter in case of semi pucca or kutcha houses etc is required to be paid by the BPL families.
  
  
  
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  Only the villages/ locations listed in the DPR shall be covered under RGGVY, the list is available with blocks and agency. If not available, copies can be collected from development section of Collectorate. The list can be downloaded from http://rggvy.gov.in/rggvy/rggvyportal/bcovered.jsp?stcd=19&dtcd=10
  
• BDOs must ensure that this information is available at all GPs also. It should be noted that all villages/ hamlets may not be listed in the DPR for reasons beyond our control at present. It has been decided that such missing or left out villages/ hamlets shall be surveyed separately and funds for electrification of such locations shall be provided by the state Govt. Similarly, locations with less than 100 population (not families) is also not covered under the scope of work of RGGVY. It is also covered under State budget. There are reports that some of the GPs are not allowing the survey unless locations not listed in DPR are also surveyed simultaneously. While their demand is logically justified, it is not possible for the present agency to take up the work as it is not covered under their MoU. WBSEDCL has indicated to finalise the agency for such left out work by November 2009.
  
  
  
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  All villages in DPR shall be surveyed to provide universal coverage of BPL families irrespective of total cost requirements/ DPR provisions. That means, actual household connections as derived from the field survey shall be taken up and required number of electric poles, transmission materials, wires etc shall be sanctioned to the locations. It is reported that in some of the villages agency people have trucncated their work as per  the DPR sanction, thereby not covering 100 % BPL families. Such complaints should be reported to us for redressal. However, if less more than two poles are required to cover only 2-3 BPL families in a village/ para, agency shall not provide service connection.
  
  
  
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  BPL list must have been publsihed by BDOs at all GPs and shall be used for the purpose. No BPL based on PDS ration cards/ GP certificate etc shall be allowed to identify the beneficiaries.
  
  
  
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  To ensure transparency the agency has been asked to furnish soft copies of draft drawings of each location to BDOs through email for onward transmission and display at all the GPs. Draft drawing covers map of the location area, electric pole, transformer locations, list of BPL families identified for service connection from the field survey. It is two to three page report for each location. GPs are at liberty to send their suggestion/ objections against such draft estimates within 15 days of its receipt, but prior to the commencement of the actual pole erection work by the agency vendors. BDOs has to monitor this social auditing and ensure proper coordination.
  
  
  
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  Additional transformers as per the load requirement shall be installed to take care of APL consumers and commercial requirements.
  
  
  
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  Our target is to complete field survey by end of October 2009 and vetting of drawing estimates by GPs by Middle of December 2009. The work of pole erection can commence from December 2009 and all electrification work is likely to be completed by October 2010 throughout the district.
  
  
  
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  Blocks must collect the list of villages not covered in the present DPR and furnish the consolidated report giving the number of BPL families so that the list can be sent to WBSEDCL for sanction of fund. Work of electrification in these locations shall be taken up shortly. Tender for such work is under process.
  
  
  
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  We have conducted meetings with all PRI bodies in the month of September 2009 and clarified all the issues involved. It is suggetsed to hold meetings at Block level with the project engineers of the agency to review the progress. Meetings at GP can take place only after the drawings are submitted to them. Under no circumstances the survey work should halt.
  
  
  
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  For any clarification BDOs may contact ADM Dev or DM Nadia.
  
  
  

IFMS Saral must be uploaded by 7th of each month - BDOs must check personally

We have issued several letters on the subject, requesting BDOs to switch over to IFMS software for maintenance of monthly accounts of Panchayat Samity and also to upload Form 27 on www.wbprd.gov.in  on time. While going through the uploaded Form 27, it is noticed that most of the BDOs are not uploading the Saral form on website, while some of them have not yet started IFMS despite repeated directions. It is time and again clarified that treasury verification is not required before uploading the data. Therefore, delay in uploading on this account should not be done.

• In four blocks IFMS has not yet been started. BDOs may see the status from the website. No bill shall be allowed to be passed by treasury from October 2009 onwards if Form 27 is not uploaded.
• There are certain scheme balance shown in the cash book without any expenditure for last few months, more than a year in some cases. Decisions of Panchayat Samity if required must be expedited and fund should be spent.