Chandigarh, July 19
A high- level committee set up by the Punjab Government has
recommended a slew of benefits for state employees just ahead of the
elections. This includes an increase in the retirement age from 58
years to 60 years. It has also recommended that the demand to pay
bonus to employees should be considered if financial resources allow
it. There are about 2.5 lakh government employees besides 1.5 lakh
employees of boards and corporations.
However, the committee, which was headed by, Mr B.R. Bajaj,
Principal Secretary, Administrative Reforms, has opined that the
demand of employees for promotional scale on completion of four, nine
and 14 years of service should be referred to the next pay commission,
which is expected to be set up soon.
However, the Chief Minister, Capt Amarinder Singh, has already made
a commitment to the employees to give them this promotional scale at
the earliest.
Other members of the committee were, Mr S.S. Rajput, Secretary,
Personnel, Mr Megh Raj, Special Secretary, Finance, Mr S.C. Hata,
Joint Secretary, Personnel, and Mr Nirmal Singh, Deputy Director,
Information Technology. The committee, which has submitted it report
to the State Government, has favoured the enhancing of medical
allowance to Rs 300 per month from the existing Rs 250 per month.
However, employees have been seeking Rs 500 as medical allowance per
month.
Regarding the setting up of the pay commission, the committee has
stated that the demand is under consideration of the department of
personnel. Likewise, the change in the revised commutation formula for
pension was also under the consideration of the Finance Department.
The committee had discussed the 29 demands of the employees in
detail before making the recommendation. Regarding regularisation of
service of daily wage, work-charged and ad hoc employees, the policy
instructions in this connection were issued in 2001. However, many
departments failed to implement those instructions within the
prescribed period of six months. Under those policy instructions, the
cases of eligible employees in the departments where instructions were
not implemented, may be considered for regularisation by extending the
time period.
However, the committee has not favoured the regularisation of
services of such employees in future in view of the directions of the
Supreme Court. The committee has said that in future employment should
either be given on regular basis or on contract basis. There could be
outsourcing of government job. But there would be no scope for
employment on daily wage, work charged or ad hoc basis. The committee
has recommended the restoration of rule 8(a) and (b) of revised pay
rules.
The committee has accepted the demand to give money to employees
for uniforms with the condition that they would wear the same. The
demand to restore allowance of employees of Cooperation Department has
been referred back to the Cooperation Department to decide the same at
its own level. The committee has urged for making departmental service
rule for those employed on contract basis. However, it has not
recommended the abolition of contractual appointment system. In fact,
it has stated that appointments made on contract basis are justified
in some cases as these are made in public interest.
Regarding an increase in the Chandigarh Capital Allowance on the
pattern of Delhi, the committee has stated that this issue should be
referred to the next pay commission. The committee has rejected the
demand for enhancing the 5 per cent pension after every six months of
the employees, who retired on completing 33 years of service.
The committee has accepted the demand for giving no consideration
to annual confidential reports in cases of assured career promotion
schemes.
Regarding change in designation of clerks, the committee has stated
that the issue should be referred to the next pay commission. It has
also favoured the implementation of stenography norms and referred the
demand for raising the type allowance of clerks to the next pay
commission.
