Central govt to hire 2.8 lakh more staff, police, I-T & customs to get lion’s share

The Centre in its Budget has provided for the recruitment of around 2.80 lakh more staff.

The income tax department, the agency involved in the drive against black money post-demonetisation, is set to expand from the existing strength of 46,000 to 80,000 by March 2018. Similarly, customs and excise department, which will implement the ambitious goods and services tax regime, will get additional manpower of over 41,000. The current strength of 50,600 for customs and excise staff is to go up to 91,700.

A review of the “estimated strength of establishment” in the Budget annexures indicates no change in the manpower of railways, the single largest employer (13.31 lakh) other than defence, in the three years till 2018. Departments of space, atomic energy, cabinet secretariat and the ministries of information and broadcasting and external affairs are some others where sanctioned strength has gone up significantly.