Shillong, Aug 26: The Meghalaya Cabinet has approved the subsuming of 708 permanent posts of Border Wing Home Guards (BWHG) into the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), while allowing the recruitment of an equal number of new volunteers to fill the resulting vacancies in the BWHG battalion.
The decision follows a court ruling mandating the government to regularize 708 individuals who were earlier appointed as volunteers.
“Once made permanent, these personnel were no longer eligible under the central government’s volunteer-related funding, which applies only to part-time or volunteer posts,” Chief Minister Conrad Sangma said.
He said the cabinet decided to transfer the 708 permanent employees to the SDRF, as their salaries are already borne by the state government. This move frees up 708 volunteer posts in the BWHG, which can now be refilled under the central government-funded scheme, he added.
Sangma said 708 new volunteers will be recruited under central funding, and the government will ensure that future policies prevent similar situations of mandatory absorption into permanent service.
The cabinet also approved the proposal for framing of SoPs and grant of one-time age relaxation concerning the recruitment to government sanctioned posts presently occupied by ad hoc appointees appointed after December 31, 2007.
As per the Supreme Court, ad-hoc appointments made before December 31, 2007 could be regularised directly.
About 1,500 posts will be filled through exams and interviews to be guided by the SoP. A one-time age relaxation will be granted to eligible long-serving ad-hoc employees, allowing them to appear for the exams fairly.
“This will ensure compliance with legal directives while giving deserving employees a fair opportunity,” the Chief Minister said.
The amendment to the Meghalaya Fisheries Service Rules 2017 was also approved by the cabinet.
The decision removes the clause that disqualified employees with less than five years of service remaining from being considered for promotion. This clause, which was not present in any other department, was deemed unfair as it denied long-serving employees their rightful advancement. With its removal, the Fisheries Department will now follow the same promotion criteria as other departments, ensuring a fair and consistent process for all eligible employees.
