Vets’ contract terminated, TNVGF seeks CM’s intervention

Chennai

According to confidential Animal Husbandry Department sources, several middlemen have made money from the aspiring job seekers assuring permanent job. “Paying bribe is a crime and now those who had paid money are running from pillar to post to ensure that their job is made permanent through the Tamil Nadu Public Service Commission recruitment process,” said an Animal Husbandry Department insider.

Meanwhile, Tamil Nadu Veterinary Graduates Federation had petitioned the office of Chief Minister MK Stalin seeking his intervention and transparency on the issue as the matter is related to the recruitment process of 1,700 veterinarians.

In his petition Dr M Balaji of TNVGF said around 750 Veterinary graduates who worked as temporary veterinary assistant surgeons on contract basis for the past 3 years have been terminated on August 25, 2021.

From 2012 onwards the state is hiring veterinary graduates only on temporary basis and the TNPSC has recently called for 1,141 vacancies. A few aggrieved veterinary assistant surgeons had also gone on a special leave appeal in the supreme court due to irregularities in the recruitment. The state should take steps to clear the complications and ensure that sufficient veterinarians are recruited for the Animal Husbandry Department. The another major deviation in the selection process wad that the TNPSC not allotted special marks and weightage for technical experience and relevant additional qualifications, the petitioner said.

Balaji also added that the state should take vital steps to ensure the implementation of natural justice and Social Justice as per the context of Article 14 and 16 provided by the Indian Constitution while recruiting veterinary graduates.

Considering the salary expenditure, the state government chose to recruit the VAS on temporary basis with a basic pay of Rs 40,000 extending to a net pay of around 59,000 for the field veterinarians. The role of VAS is to assist the state Animal Husbandry Department, which executes the free milch cow, goat and poultry schemes and controlling epidemic outbreaks like Anthrax, leptospirosis and blue tongue diseases.