AAP urges govt not to override rights of Punjab govt in Chandigarh admn

New Delhi, March 30

Aam Aadmi Party MP Sanjay Singh on Wednesday urged the Union government not to override the rights of the elected government of Punjab by implementing the central laws on the administration of Chandigarh, a Union Territory.

Raising the issue during Zero Hour in the Rajya Sabha, Singh said the state of Punjab does not have its own capital like other states. He said that Chandigarh was made joint capital of Punjab and Haryana in 1966 and under the provision of the Punjab Reorganisation Act, 1966, the state of Punjab is providing 60 per cent staff to the UT administration whereas Haryana is providing 40 per cent.

“Recently, the central government intended to implement central laws on the Chandigarh Administration. Newly elected Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann has decided to regularise all contractual employees of Punjab. If the central laws will be applied to the Chandigarh UT then many of the contractual employees working in the UT office will be barred from these facilities,” Singh said.

He urged the government not to encroach upon the rights of the Punjab government.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah on March 27 had announced that Central Civil Service Rules would be implemented for all employees under the Chandigarh Administration.

The decision has evoked a sharp criticism from Punjab leaders who, cutting across party lines, termed it “an encroachment on Punjab’s rights”.

If the Central Civil Service Rules are implemented, all employees will get the payscale under the Central service rules but also this will enhance the retirement age from 58 to 60 and the maternity leave for women employees will be extended to two years from the existing one. IANS