Andhra Pradesh CM launches APCOS for hiring outsourcing staff to various departments

Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy on Friday launched 'Andhra Pradesh Corporation for Outsourced Services' for recruiting employees to various departments in the government. The state-owned placement agency will keep away the previous practice of contractors controlling the outsourcing system, the Chief Minister's Office said.

The non- profit body APCOS was incorporated eight months back by the Andhra Pradesh government and was finally launched on Friday. Through this agency, manpower will be recruited on an outsourced basis for various government departments and organisations. It will also do away with the existing system of hiring outsourced staff through private agencies.

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50% of jobs will be reserved for backward communities

About 47,392 staff working in various government departments and organisations at the state level and also in the districts have now been brought under APCOS by the government. Under this initiative, 50 percent of jobs will be reserved for BCs, SCs, STs, minorities and women. Moreover, all recruitments will be made online and the salaries will be credited directly into the staff's bank accounts.

To mark the launch of APCOS, chief minister handed over appointment letters to a few outsourced staff in the General Administration Department. Speaking on the occasion, the chief minister said corrupt practices that existed in the hiring of outsourced staff would now be eliminated.

"There will now be a timely and full payment of remuneration to the outsourced staff without any undue cuts (by middlemen) and they will also get EPF and ESI facilities," the chief minister said.

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Corruption-free placement

Referring to the previous system, the chief minister said that in some cases, the contractors inflated the number of (outsourced) employees but actually deployed lesser numbers and pocketed the money. Besides the commissions, there was no accountability in the deduction of ESI and PF. APCOS would now ensure a corruption-free placement, he added.

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(With inputs from Agencies) (Image PTI)