Andhra Pradesh Government Initiates Comprehensive Manpower Audit in State Universities
In a significant move to address alleged irregularities in higher education appointments, Andhra Pradesh's HRD and IT Minister, Nara Lokesh, has announced a comprehensive manpower audit across all state universities. The audit, which is currently underway, aims to identify irregular appointments made during the previous administration.
Addressing Irregularities and Ensuring Accountability
Speaking in the assembly on Friday, Minister Lokesh emphasized that the audit is a response to widespread allegations of large-scale irregular recruitments in government universities. He specifically pointed to Andhra University, alleging that it had been "virtually converted into a political office" under the earlier regime, with party sympathizers appointed without following proper procedures.
The minister assured that strict action will be taken against ineligible personnel once the audit is completed within the next 30 days. He stressed the government's commitment to restoring transparency, merit, and academic standards in higher education, asserting that accountability will be fixed wherever violations are discovered.
Concerns Raised by MLAs and Government Response
During the assembly session, MLAs from Visakhapatnam urged the government to address the long-pending demands of various university staff, including daily wage workers, NMR employees, 28-day wage staff, and contract personnel in hostels and departments. They called for their inclusion under the Minimum Time Scale (MTS) and the regularization of eligible contract staff.
In response, Minister Lokesh stated that the government would make a considered decision after reviewing the audit report and consulting with the finance department. This approach aims to balance immediate corrective actions with long-term structural reforms in university staffing.
Vigilance Inquiry and Technological Upgrades
Regarding allegations against former vice-chancellor Prasad Reddy, Lokesh confirmed that a vigilance inquiry is in progress, with a report expected within 45 days. This separate investigation underscores the government's broader efforts to ensure integrity in academic leadership.
In a parallel development, the minister announced plans to upgrade the Mana Mitra platform, making it more user-friendly through process re-engineering. Mana Mitra 2.0 is set to be rolled out within 90 days, supported by a door-to-door awareness campaign to expand its usage in rural areas. Lokesh highlighted that AI integration will enhance the platform's efficiency, while clarifying that user data will remain with respective departments and not be stored within the app itself.
Broader Implications for Higher Education and Governance
This initiative reflects a multi-pronged strategy by the Andhra Pradesh government to tackle administrative challenges in higher education while leveraging technology for better public service delivery. The manpower audit is expected to not only rectify past irregularities but also set a precedent for future recruitment processes based on merit and transparency.
Meanwhile, the upgrade to Mana Mitra 2.0 represents a step towards digital empowerment, particularly in rural communities, by simplifying access to government services. Together, these measures signal a renewed focus on accountability and innovation in the state's governance framework.
