Employee strength in the Central government is estimated to go up by over 12 per cent as of March 1 next year, compared to the corresponding date of 2022, a budget document shows.

However, expenditure on pay, allowances, and travel allowances is estimated to increase by over 18 per cent in FY24 as compared to FY22.

Data given under the heading “Estimated Strength of Establishment and Provisions” shows actual strength in 56 central ministries and departments was a little over 31.69 lakh as of March 1, 2022, which is estimated to rise to over 34.45 lakh as of March 1, 2023, and then to 35.55 lakhs as of March 1, 2024.

Interestingly, this number is lower than what was shown at the time of the last general election, when strength in the interim budget of 2019-20 was estimated at over 36.15 lakh as of March 1, 2019, showing an increase of around 12 per cent over March 1, 2017.

Poll effect

Officials claim the process of new recruitment is picking up.

“You may call this the poll effect. Now proposal for recruitment getting not just faster clearance but also without heavy questioning,” a senior government official said. He felt that if this trend continues for some time, the gap between sanctioned strength and the number of persons in positions will shrink.

The last updated number about sanctioned posts and persons in position, as mentioned in the Expenditure Department’s Annual Report on Pay & Allowances of Central Government Civilian Employees, showed that, as against a sanctioned number of over 40.35 lakh, persons in position were at 30.55 lakhs on March 1, 2021.

Over 9.79 lakh posts were vacant, which means that on average, 1 out of every 4 sanctioned posts was vacant. These numbers are only for central government ministries and departments and exclude Union Territories.

Last June, Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, reviewed the status of Human Resources in all departments and ministries. He also instructed that recruitment of 10 lakh people be done by the Government in mission mode in next 1.5 years. This number appears to include both jobs at the ministerial or departmental level and CPSEs.

The issue of vacant posts has been regularly raised in Parliament. Last week, in a written answer, Minister of State for Personnel, Public Grievances, and Pension Ministry Jitendra Singh told the Rajya Sabha that recruitment for vacant posts is a continuous process.

Vacancies in various Central Government Ministries and Departments and their attached and subordinate offices are caused by the retirement, resignation, death, promotion, etc. of the employee.

Rozgar Mela events are being held across the country, and the new appointees are being inducted into various Central ministries, departments, CPSUs, Autonomous Bodies/ Public Sector Banks etc.

“This type of initiative is expected to continue to act as a catalyst for further employment and self-employment generation and provide gainful service opportunities to the 10 lakh youth over a period of about a year or so,” he said.

Pay Bill

Meanwhile, budget documents showed that the total amount spent on pay, allowance, and travel expenses by Central government Ministries and departments is on the rise. While actual expenditure in FY 22 was over ₹2.55 lakh crore, the budget estimate for FY24 has been pegged at over ₹3 lakh crore.

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