Bengaluru: A severe shortage of health inspectors in Karnataka’s Health and Family Welfare Department has come under the spotlight after it emerged that 166 health inspectors, senior health inspectors and health supervisory officers have continued to serve on deputation in other departments for more than five years, allegedly in violation of government norms.
Despite repeated government directions to cancel their deputation and send them back to their parent department, the officials continue to remain posted in civic bodies and other government agencies, affecting the delivery of public health services, particularly in rural areas.
According to official correspondence accessed by this newspaper, the prolonged deputation of these officials has resulted in an acute manpower shortage, hampering disease surveillance, public health programmes, sanitation monitoring, health inspections and preventive healthcare activities across the State.
The issue has also exposed an apparent lack of implementation of government orders issued over the past two years. Although the Health and Family Welfare Department directed that officers who had completed the maximum permissible deputation period should immediately return to their parent department, the orders are yet to be effectively enforced.
Government records indicate that many of these officials have been working in organisations such as the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP), Directorate of Municipal Administration, Food Safety and Standards Authority, AYUSH Department, Karnataka State Medical Supplies Corporation Ltd. (KSMSCL) and several urban local bodies for periods extending well beyond five years.
Under Rule 50(3) of the Karnataka Civil Services Rules (KCSR), the maximum deputation period is prescribed, and continuation beyond that period requires specific approval. However, the complaint alleges that several officials have remained in their deputation posts without fresh government approval.
The issue was first raised through repeated complaints submitted by Rajasekhar, who alleged that prolonged deputation was depriving the Health Department of experienced field staff and adversely affecting public health administration.
Acting on the complaint, the Principal Secretary to the Health and Family Welfare Department had, on May 7, 2025, instructed the Commissioner to immediately cancel deputations exceeding five years and ensure that all such employees were relieved and reported back to their parent department.
However, little progress appears to have been made.
Subsequently, a detailed file relating to the issue was forwarded to the Commissioner on January 19, 2026. When no action followed for nearly six months, the Department’s Under Secretary again wrote to Health Commissioner Gurudatta Hegde on July 4, 2026, reiterating the government’s instructions.
The latest communication specifically directed that employees serving on deputation beyond the prescribed period in BBMP, Municipal Administration, Food Safety Department, AYUSH, KSMSCL and other departments should immediately be relieved and ordered to report back to the Health Department. It also sought a compliance report along with a list of officials who had resumed duty.
Officials familiar with the matter said that the prolonged inaction has widened vacancies in the Health Department, particularly at the grassroots level where health inspectors play a crucial role in implementing immunisation drives, disease control measures, sanitation inspections and public health awareness programmes.
The complaint also alleged that the continued absence of health inspectors has adversely affected public health programmes in rural Karnataka, where field-level monitoring is essential for controlling communicable diseases and ensuring effective implementation of government health schemes.
Rajasekhar, in his representation to the government, urged authorities to initiate disciplinary proceedings against officials who had continued on deputation without valid approval. He cited violations of Karnataka Civil Services rules and sought action under the Karnataka Civil Services (Classification, Control and Appeal) Rules.
The Under Secretary has reportedly instructed the Commissioner to initiate disciplinary proceedings against officials serving beyond the authorised deputation period and submit an action-taken report within seven days.
Official records indicate that 101 health inspectors and senior health inspectors are among those serving on deputation in BBMP, the Directorate of Municipal Administration and the Food Safety Department alone. Several others are posted in different government agencies across the State.
Among those serving for prolonged periods in various BBMP zones are officials posted in Rajarajeshwari Nagar, BTM Layout, K.R. Puram, Dasarahalli, Hebbal, Yeshwanthpur, Mahalakshmipuram, Vijayanagar, Mahadevapura, Shantinagar, Shivajinagar, Sarvagnanagar, Bommanahalli, Jayanagar, Basavanagudi, Chamarajpet, Yelahanka, Malleswaram, Chikkapete and Rajajinagar.
