Rio Grande do Sul ended 2016 with almost 30 fewer public servants than in 1991.

On the 21 - A study released by the Statistics and Economics Foundation of Rio Grande do Sul (FEE-RS) indicates that the state ended 2016 with approximately 30 fewer active public servants than it had at the end of 1991. In the 24 months of José Ivo Sartori's (PMDB) administration alone, the number of active public servants fell by almost 18.

In December 1991, Rio Grande do Sul had 184.554 active public servants. By the end of 2016, it had 155.898, a nominal reduction of 28.656 and a percentage decrease of 15,5%. If the population increase, which grew by 23,5% during the period, is taken into account, the drop is even greater, since, to maintain the same proportion of public servants as in 1991, the State would need 227.924 today, or 72.026 more public servants.

The article, authored by researchers João Batista Santos Conceição and Róber Iturriet Avila, argues that since 2001, "there has been a technical change, especially computerization, which has increased efficiency and productivity in the processes and routines of the public sector." However, it points out that the greatest reduction in the number of civil servants occurred in the areas of Education and Security.

In 1991, the Department of Education had 111.484 active employees, including teachers, school staff, and department technicians. In 2016, this number fell to 88.895, a decrease of 20,3%. In the Department of Public Security, the largest decrease in employment is due to the number of active military police officers, which was 25.397 in 1991 and fell to 20.551 at the end of 2015, a decrease of 19,1%.

If we add the drop in the number of employees in the Civil Police (not presented separately) and those linked to the Health Department, from 6.394 to 4.038 (-36,9%), the total number of positions closed in these departments alone reaches 30.122, exceeding the total reduction in the number of employees.

The survey also revealed that, between 2002 and 2016, while the Executive and Legislative branches saw a reduction in staff, the Judiciary and the Public Prosecutor's Office experienced an increase in the number of employees.

Major setback for the Sartori government.

Researchers point out that, between 2015 and 2016 alone, as a consequence of the austerity policies implemented by the Sartori government – ​​which led to a freeze on new hires, an increase in retirement requests and resignations – the number of active positions in the Executive branch was reduced by 17.675, a volume that is 60,8% higher than the drop recorded between December 1991 and December 2014.

The study was released this Tuesday (14) and is present in the FEE Conjuncture Letter for the month of February. The data does not include companies and other mixed economy institutions, which have their own revenues.