Impal, Jul 10: Asserting that the Agriculture Department has adopted a discriminatory stand against two senior lady officers by allowing two junior male AOs to supersede them in the promotion to the posts of Deputy Directors-in-charge, an informed source said that as per the tentative seniority list issued on November 27, 1999, the two lady officers are senior to two of the male officers who have been named in the promotion list.

Responding to the clarification made by the Agriculture Department on the charges of favouritism in the promotion process, the source said that there is absolutely no ground to overlook the case of the two lady officers while preparing the promotion list.

To the contention that those promoted are MSc degree holders in Agriculture, the source said that the two lady officers have also done their MSc in Agriculture though for their Bachelors, they did Botany.

However this cannot justify the supersession, said the source adding that under the Rules and Regulations of 1980, the present Director of Agriculture, the Joint Director and Project Officer (IAAP), are all MSc (Agri/Botany) degree holders.

When this issue was not raised earlier, when the Director and other officers with the same degree were promoted, why is it being raised now, countered the source and added that it is a clear case of gender discrimination.

Reacting to the clarification that a committee has been set up to increase the post of Deputy Directors from 15 to 18, the source said that the move is appreciated, but added that the job of the committee is just to study the case and recommend.

As of now the number of the posts of Deputy Director is 15 after the down sizing exercise, explained the source and added that the committee does not have the authority to increase the posts.

This can be enforced only by the Government after the Cabinet takes a decision.

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