State govt set to frame common service rules for Group D staff

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, December 8

Moving in the direction of ending ad hocism in Group D service, the Haryana Government is set to frame common service rules for this cadre.

With that end in mind, the Haryana Government has asked all heads of the department (HoDs) to send detailed information about the newly appointed Group D employees. The experiment would later be replicated in case of the old employees, sources said.

Recently, the Manohar Lal Khattar Government had appointed over 18,000 Group D employees in different departments. In the wake of different set of rules in various departments, ad hocism currently ruled the roost in the services conditions, including promotions in Group D.

Now, the HoDs have been asked to provide information by December 10 by the Chief Secretary for further deliberations on the issue. After the compilation of information, a meeting of different departments would be held to decide on the common service rules, officials said.

The information sought by the Chief Secretary included pay scales, nomenclature of the Group D post, mode of recruitment, number of posts lying vacant, nature of work, next promotional post in the hierarchy and qualification for appointment by promotion on that post.

In the absence of lack of common service rules, currently the HoDs can use their discretion for promoting the staff. The misuse of these powers, in some cases, had led to resentment among certain sections, adversely affecting administration in certain departments, said sources.

Besides, it has resulted in a lot of litigation for the state government, leading to wastage of state’s resources and manpower in fighting legal battle.

HoDs’ discretionary powers to be curbed  

• State invites information from HoDs for framing common service rules.
• HoDs asked to submit the requisite information by December 10.
• Common service rules will check discretion with the HoDs in promotion matters.
• Discretion brewed resentment among certain sections of Group D staff.
• It will also reduce litigation against the state government by its Class IV employees.