Kolkata, 20 July (H.S.): The West Bengal government will recruit 11,000 employees for the Panchayat Department through the West Bengal Public Service Commission (WBPSC), marking a major shift in the recruitment process, Panchayat Minister Dilip Ghosh announced on Monday.

Speaking to reporters at the Assembly, Ghosh said Panchayats across the state are facing an acute shortage of staff, which has severely affected administrative work. To address the issue, the government has decided to centralise recruitment through the PSC instead of the existing district-level appointment system under the Panchayat Act.

The minister said the recruitment process is expected to begin by December this year. Before the PSC can be entrusted with the responsibility, the state government will amend the relevant provisions of the Panchayat Act, as the commission is an autonomous constitutional body.

Ghosh said the move is part of the state government's commitment to generate employment. He noted that Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari had promised to create one lakh jobs after assuming office, and the proposed amendment would pave the way for large-scale recruitment in the Panchayat Department.

The minister also acknowledged that Panchayat administration has been affected following the change in government. Many Panchayat boards have collapsed, administrators have been appointed in several areas, and administrative work has suffered due to the shortage of employees. In some places, elected representatives have reportedly remained absent amid political tensions, delaying official work that requires their signatures.

The government believes that the new recruitment drive through the PSC will strengthen Panchayat administration and improve the delivery of public services across the state.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Priyanka Pandey