Taking leave from work for over 24 years has caused a senior Central Public Works Department (CPWD) official to lose his job.
The Minister for Urban Development, M Venkaiah Naidu, on Thursday directed dismissal from service of A K Verma, Executive Engineer (Electrical), for unauthorised absence from duty, a statement from the ministry said.
Venkaiah Naidu’s decision came after the charge of wilful absence from duty against Verma was proved in the inquiry set up in the matter.
"Verma had joined CPWD as an Assistant Executive Engineer in 1980 and went on earn leave in December 1990 and did not report to work thereafter. He went on seeking extension of leave which was not sanctioned and defied directions to report to work," the statement added.
An inquiry was instituted against him in September, 1992. Due to his non-cooperation with the inquiry and for other reasons, it got delayed and a fresh charge-sheet was issued in 2005, it said.
The inquiry report, establishing the charges was submitted in July, 2007 and the same was accepted by the then Minister for Urban Development in August, 2007. But no further action was taken in the matter at that time, the statement added.
In September 2014 also, the Minister had pulled up CPWD for delay in projects as around 400 projects are running behind schedule for various reasons such as delay in approval by local bodies, delay in handing over project sites, delay in release of funds by clients, environmental and forest clearances, besides internal administrative reasons.
The functioning of CPWD had come in for a critical review at a two-day brainstorming session last year where the top brass of Urban Development Ministry and CPWD, besides 75 Chief Engineers of CPWD from across the country participated.