Editor,

I wish to draw the attention to the Hydro Power Development Corporation of Arunachal Pradesh Limited (HPDCAPL) Recruitment Rules, 2018.

The rules prescribe a maximum age of 60 years for appointment and an age of superannuation of 65 years. The rules also state that the pay of the chairman-cum-managing director (CMD) shall be "as fixed by the management of the corporation."

These provisions raise serious questions regarding transparency, fairness and equality in service matters relating to undertakings under the Government of Arunachal Pradesh.

If these provisions are indeed applicable, where is the transparency and equality when most government employees of Arunachal retire at the age of 60 years?

Similarly, leaving the pay and emoluments of such a high-ranking post to be determined by the management, without a clearly specified pay scale or remuneration structure in the recruitment rules, raises legitimate questions of public accountability.

If these provisions were not intended to favour or accommodate any particular individual, the government should seriously reconsider them. The government must explain the rationale for prescribing an age of superannuation of 65 years for the CMD and consider bringing it in line with the retirement age applicable to other government employees and comparable government undertakings in Arunachal.

Further, the government should consider amending the recruitment rules to clearly specify the pay scale, salary, allowances and other emoluments attached to the post, instead of leaving them solely to be fixed by the management of the corporation.

This is not an attack on any individual. It is a legitimate call for transparency, fairness, equality and accountability in matters involving public institutions and public resources.

The matter needs to be addressed by the authority concerned at the earliest; else other offices/agencies of the state government may take this as a precedent for their organisations.

A concerned citizen