Over 100 have quit: Why young engineers are leaving Kerala's local self-government department?

Kottayam: Over the past three years, 110 newly appointed engineers in the Kerala Local Self-Government Department have resigned, triggering a crisis within the sector. Some of these engineers have also taken up lower-ranked overseer positions in other departments.

Many engineers have cited various reasons for leaving their jobs, including unattractive salary scales, decreased promotion opportunities due to departmental consolidation, and increasing pressure from people's representatives and politicians. Engineers also face severe disciplinary actions and complicated project implementation rules, which contribute to their frustration and disengagement from their work. Additionally, it is problematic to assign engineers tasks previously handled by other departments that did not require technical expertise.

The shortage of engineers has now reached a critical point, with 88 current vacancies in the department. When long-term leave vacancies are considered, this number increases to over 100.

Due to the shortage of engineers, project work in local bodies is being carried out by overseers, who are given full authority in many areas. In some districts, such as Idukki, Wayanad, and Kasaragod, overseer positions are also vacant, further exacerbating the problem. There are more than 150 vacant overseer positions across the state.

Immediate measures to fill vacancies

In response to this trend, the government plans to hire personnel on a contract basis to fill the vacancies left by the departing engineers.

The Rural Director of the Local Self-Government Department has issued instructions to make immediate appointments from an existing empanelled list prepared by District Executive Engineers. However, former assistant engineers who have faced disciplinary actions or are involved in audit cases will not be considered for these positions.

Assistant engineers are meant to be the executive agents for over 60 per cent of the total project allocation in the local government. As a result of the shortage, retirees from the Local Self-Government Department are being hired on a contract basis to ensure projects are completed on time. Hiring inexperienced engineers would hinder the timely implementation of projects due to a lack of skilled manpower.

There are 21 vacancies for assistant engineers in Palakkad, the district of Minister M B Rajesh. Recently, public representatives in the Mannarkkad block obstructed officials, demanding the appointment of an engineer.