In a significant move to overhaul administrative processes, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma declared on Monday that the transfer of government employees in the state will soon become fully mechanised. This initiative is designed to eliminate bureaucratic delays and minimise human intervention in transfer decisions.
Ending Manual Intervention in Transfers
Speaking at an event in Guwahati where he distributed appointment letters to newly recruited health sector employees, CM Sarma outlined the new system. He stated that transfers will be entirely managed by a computerised system, a shift expected to gradually reduce the influence of ministers and Members of the Legislative Assembly (MLAs) in the posting of government officials.
The Chief Minister explained that the state government has already developed a dedicated portal to facilitate mutual transfer requests between employees, allowing them to swap positions without direct government involvement. The automated system will only approve a transfer if a genuine vacancy exists, ensuring that critical positions, especially in healthcare, remain filled where they are needed the most.
Focus on Health Sector and Alarming Health Data
Addressing the newly appointed doctors and healthcare workers, Sarma urged them to serve diligently in their initially posted locations instead of immediately seeking transfers closer to their homes. This appeal comes as the government tackles staffing challenges in remote areas.
During his address, CM Sarma also highlighted a pressing health concern: the alarming rise in cerebral palsy cases among children in Assam. He revealed that health camps conducted across the state screened approximately 30,000 children, identifying nearly 6,000 affected cases. To combat this and other medical challenges, Sarma stressed the urgent need for constructing more medical colleges and recruiting an adequate number of healthcare professionals to ensure high-quality medical care is accessible statewide.
Mass Recruitment Drive in Health Sector
The event itself marked a major recruitment drive, with Chief Minister Sarma personally handing out appointment letters to 3,420 candidates selected for various technical and non-technical positions within the state's health department. This large-scale induction aims to strengthen the public health infrastructure of Assam.
The move towards a transparent, software-driven transfer mechanism is seen as a key reform to improve governance, ensure equitable distribution of staff, and curb potential malpractices in the posting process. The focus remains on deploying human resources efficiently, particularly in essential services like healthcare.
