Panaji: The revenue department has constituted a common cadre for group ‘C’ employees operating in the three district collectorates under the administrative control of the department.The administrative reform applies to non-secretariat field offices, specifically covering the North Goa district collectorate, South Goa district collectorate, Kushavati district collectorate, and the directorate of settlement and land records (DSLR).The administrative shake-up comes after strong protests about corruption in mutation proceedings at the district collectorate offices, particularly South Goa. Lawyers and applicants had said that files would go missing, and clerks would often refuse to cooperate. The South Goa Advocates Association had also called for reforms in the directorate of settlement and land records.According to the official order, the newly established common cadre incorporates seventeen specific designations including awal karkun, circle inspector, talathi, head clerks, senior stenographer, junior stenographer, supervisor, head surveyor, field surveyor, draughtsmen, upper division clerks and lower division clerks. The revenue department has also included staff holders, drivers, bailiffs, and multi-tasking staff, said under secretary for revenue Agnelo D’souza in the notification.Govt has also reserved powers to notify additional group ‘C’ posts under this unified cadre from time to time.With the issuance of the notification, seniority among employees across different designations will be drawn up to establish a centralised seniority list. This common list will henceforth regulate all appointments, transfers, and promotions across the administrative jurisdictions in accordance with the relevant recruitment rules or specific service orders framed by the state government, said D’souza.The notification specifies that the common cadre will be administered under the provisions of the Goa Land Revenue Code, 1968, along with applicable service rules and executive orders released by govt. The unified framework comes into force immediately on the date of its publication in the Official Gazette.
