Tejas Navale

Pune: The much-anticipated wait has finally been over as the state's Goods and Service Tax Department, widely known as the GST Department, has finally made some important changes in its structure. In accordance with the latest restructuring, approximately 522 new positions have been created in this department under various divisions.

The interesting thing about this restructuring is that most of these posts will be filled on a contractual basis. Therefore, students who are preparing for the civil service have publicly expressed their displeasure over this government's decision.

For the past few months, the restructuring of the GST Department has been pending. The overhaul in the GST department was necessitated considering the increasing number of traders and businessmen under the purview of the act and the additional workload on the existing employees. Accordingly, the government has decided to create 522 new posts within the GST department.

The GST department is recognised as one of the most important departments of the state government as it contributes the most revenue to the government exchequer. As the overhaul in the department has been pending for a long time, many people have been eagerly waiting for it.

However, the recent restructuring has brought forth surprising revelations. While the government has introduced 522 new positions, it has concurrently reduced 515 existing posts within the department. Consequently, when considering the net total, only 7 positions have been added in this restructuring process.

Notably, the recent restructuring has seen a rise in positions held by senior officers, while positions for junior employees are being greatly reduced. This has led to speculation among employees that the restructuring, seemingly orchestrated by senior officials from Mantralaya, prioritises their convenience over the needs of junior staff, displaying a blatant disregard for their concerns.

Similarly, in this reorganisation, there has been no increment in the posts of State Tax Inspector and Tax Assistant, who are the backbone of the department. This decision has sparked criticism from young individuals who have been diligently preparing for competitive exams and aspiring to pursue careers in administrative services.

There is also speculation that the government is planning to fill all these posts on a contractual basis, furthering the government's intention of privatising government jobs.