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The Hindu
a day ago
- Business
- The Hindu
Rubber Board to fill vacant posts amid staff shortage; farmers cautiously optimistic
Crippled by a severe shortage of staff, particularly field officers, the Rubber Board is finally moving to fill several of its long-pending vacancies. In its latest communication on Friday (June 13), the Union Ministry of Commerce and Industry has granted approval for the appointment of 97 new staff members, including 46 field officers and 29 scientists across three categories. Confirming the development, N. Hari, an executive member of the Rubber Board, said the recruitment drive is part of a broader plan to reopen several closed field offices in the State. 'The Board has already completed procedures for appointing 40 new field officers and an additional batch of 46 will be recruited under this notification,'' he said. 'Baseless allegations' Mr. Hari also dismissed as baseless the allegations often raised by political leaders from both the Left and the Right and sections of the media that the Rubber Board is being dismantled and rubber cultivation is being shifted to the north eastern States. Officials of the Rubber Board too maintain that the newly recruited field officers are most likely to be deployed in Kerala, the country's largest producer of natural rubber. 'As the previous batch was posted in the northeast, we expect most of the new officers to be assigned to Kerala, where the shortage is more critical. The lack of manpower has severely affected several services, including the implementation of the Rubber Production Incentive Scheme (RPIS),'' said an official source. To highlight the situation's urgency, officials noted that only three field officers currently serve the entire Changanassery region, which stretches from Mallappally in Pathanamthitta to Vaikom in Kottayam. Similarly, Rubber Producers' Societies (RPS) across the State, including in Kanjirappally, the heartland of rubber cultivation, have raised similar concerns. To avail themselves of government schemes like the RPIS, growers must have their claims verified by field officers, a process now severely hampered by the shortage of the staff. Enormous strain Sources within the board too admit that implementing these schemes without adequate manpower has placed enormous strain on the institution. The board's overall staff strength, which stood at 1,649 in 2019, has dropped to 905 by 2023. Nearly 550 posts, including 137 for field officers, have remained vacant for years. Meanwhile, growers are viewing the new recruitment initiative with cautious scepticism. Many worry that hiring new staff without updating the outdated recruitment rules could prove ineffective. 'At present, the board has only 42 field officers in service, including just 10 in Kerala, against a sanctioned strength of 174. While 25 new appointments were made recently and orders have been issued to recruit 46 more, many posts remain unfilled because the recruitment rules have not been revised in years,'' said Babu Joseph, secretary of the National Consortium of Rubber Producers Societies. 'A proposal to revise these rules was submitted to the government four years ago but has remained pending ever since,'' he added.
Jordan Times
05-03-2025
- Politics
- Jordan Times
80% of surveyed refugees in five host countries intend to go back to Syria 'soon'
A new UNHCR Regional Perception and Intention Survey (RPIS) has revealed that 80 per cent of the surveyed refugees across five host countries said they intend to go back to Syria soon (JT file) AMMAN — A new UNHCR Regional Perception and Intention Survey (RPIS) has revealed that 80 per cent of the surveyed refugees across five host countries said they intend to go back to Syria soon. The study findings represent a sharp increase from April 2024, when only 57 per cent saw return as an option. Among those surveyed, 27 per cent plan to return within the next year, up from just 1.7 per cent in previous RPIS. The shift reflects recent political changes in Syria, the fall of the Assad regime, which has played a key role in this decision, with 52 per cent citing it as the main reason for wanting to go back, the report said. At the same time, over 60 per cent expressed interest in first visiting Syria to assess the situation before making a final move. Return rates vary by host country. Jordan and Egypt have the highest numbers, with 40 and 42 per cent of refugees, respectively, indicating plans to leave. Lebanon and Iraq have lower figures, at 24 and 12 per cent. The survey, which included 4,500 participants, also shed light on the demographics of those considering a return. Men made up 62 per cent of respondents, while women accounted for 38 per cent. The majority, 83 per cent, were between the ages of 25 and 59, and 78 per cent identified as the primary decision-makers in their households. In Jordan, thousands of Syrians have already made the journey back, the RPIS said, citing recent figures by the Interior Ministry, which said that 42,675 refugees have crossed the Jaber border since the fall of the regime. Of those, 7,117 left from refugee camps, while 35,558 departed from other areas of the country. Officials have emphasised that all returns were voluntary. To support the growing number of returnees, the UNHCR is seeking $22 million in funding for returns from Jordan as part of a larger $370.9 million regional initiative. Between December 2024 and February 2025, around 43,704 Syrian refugees have already returned home. Jordan continues to host nearly 1.3 million Syrians, including 660,000 registered with the UNHCR. The findings mark a turning point in the refugee crisis, as more displaced Syrians express a renewed sense of optimism and a desire to rebuild their lives in their homeland. Page 2
