17 Municipal Corporations, One Transfer Policy? Gujarat Govt to Examine Employee Demand

Employees serving away from their hometowns across Gujarat’s 17 municipal corporations may get an opportunity to seek transfers closer to home, with the state government examining a proposal for a common inter-corporation transfer policy.

The Urban Development and Urban Housing Department has termed the proposal a policy matter and said appropriate action will be taken after considering various aspects.

Demand for Common Transfer Policy

A representation submitted to the Chief Minister sought a common policy with uniform rules for transfers between all 17 municipal corporations in Gujarat.

Under the proposed system, employees posted far from their hometowns could seek transfers to a municipal corporation closer to home, subject to vacancies and other eligibility conditions.

The representation pointed out that municipal corporations recruit candidates from different parts of the state through competitive examinations and merit-based selection. As a result, some employees have to work 400 to 500 kilometres away from their hometowns.

Apart from staying away from their families, such employees face additional expenses on rent, food and travelling home, the representation said.

Transfer Benefits Sought for Municipal Staff

Existing transfer systems: The representation cited transfer provisions in the Panchayat, Education, Police and Revenue departments, including inter-district and internal transfers.

Similar policy for municipal staff: It sought a comparable transfer mechanism for employees of municipal corporations, which function under the Urban Development and Urban Housing Department.

Priority categories: The representation proposed priority in transfers for:

• Women employees whose spouses are in government service
• Employees with disabilities
• Employees facing serious health-related circumstances
• Employees responsible for elderly parents

Conditions Proposed for Transfers

• Vacancy condition: Transfers should be allowed only when a vacancy exists in the same cadre.
• NOC requirement: Employees should obtain no-objection certificates (NOCs) from both the parent and receiving municipal corporations.
• Bottom seniority: Employees transferred to another corporation should accept bottom seniority in the new cadre.
• Minimum service period: A minimum period of service should be completed before an employee becomes eligible for transfer.
• Annual transfer window: Transfers should be processed during a designated annual transfer period.
• Roster and reservation rules: All transfers should comply with applicable roster and reservation provisions.
• Clear service rules: Detailed provisions should be framed to ensure clarity on seniority, service conditions and other employment-related matters after an employee moves between municipal corporations.

Experienced Staff Could Benefit New Corporations

The proposal argues that the policy could benefit municipal corporations as well as employees.

Employees posted closer to their hometowns could reduce their expenses on accommodation, food and travel and may need fewer leaves to visit their families.

The representation also said newly formed municipal corporations could benefit from experienced employees who have already worked in larger corporations and received specialised training.

Government to Examine Various Aspects

The government has not rejected the demand. The Urban Development and Urban Housing Department has described the matter as a policy issue and said various aspects will be considered before appropriate action is taken.

The response has renewed attention to the possibility of a common inter-corporation transfer policy covering Gujarat’s 17 municipal corporations, with municipal employees now awaiting the government’s next decision.