Sarnaik orders probe, cases over money taken in name of MSRTC recruitment

The Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation (ST) will soon recruit about 13,980 drivers and mechanical staff on a contract basis. Transport Minister and ST corporation chairman Pratap Sarnaik has directed that the entire process be transparent and fair and follow the set rules.

The selection of candidates through an outside agency must be carried out strictly according to the eligibility criteria fixed by the corporation. Sarnaik said specifically that this would ensure no eligible candidate is treated unfairly.

Meanwhile, it has come to light that the ST corporation's name is being misused for irregularities. Some private bodies and individuals are accused of illegally taking money from needy, unemployed youth by falsely promising them jobs. The administration has received complaints that many young people who trusted these bodies while looking for work have been cheated financially on a large scale. Such cases harm not only unemployed youth but also deal a heavy blow to the corporation's image and public trust.

In view of these serious cases, Sarnaik has issued strict instructions to the corporation's security and vigilance department to conduct an immediate and thorough investigation into all such illegal activity.

He has also ordered that the private bodies extorting money from candidates in the name of recruitment, and the guilty people behind or linked to them, be questioned closely, identified and immediately booked in legal cases.

The minister has warned that those who play with the emotions of unemployed youth and fleece them in the name of recruitment will not be spared. Sarnaik reiterated that maintaining the transparency of the recruitment process and public trust is the administration's main responsibility, and that protecting candidates' interests and rights will remain the corporation's top priority.

He told the ST administration to keep a close watch on the recruitment process so that such frauds are stopped in future and the financial exploitation of young people ends.