Punjab: Rural dept employees above 58 years may be shown door

Vishav Bharti

Chandigarh, April 19

After several complaints of employees above the age of 65 years illegally working in the department, Minister for Rural Development and Panchayats Kuldeep Singh Dhaliwal has sought a report regarding the staff aged above 58.

DATA BEING COMPILED

At the headquarters, there are three persons whose age is over 58 years. The reports from the field are still being compiled. Sarvjeet Walia, Joint Director, Rural Development & Panchayats

Sources said taking cognisance of the complaints, the minister had asked the department to compile a list of such officials who had crossed the age of 58.

As per a communication sent to all districts, Rural Development and Panchayats Joint Director Sarvjeet Walia has asked the ADCs (Development) across the state to compile a list of officials who are above the age of 58 and are working in the department or any centrally sponsored schemes. He said the information was to be sent to Dhaliwal.

Earlier, SBS Nagar-based RTI activist Bhagwan Dass had made a complaint to the minister and the department, seeking the removal of two officials — Jaspal Singh Jassi, ACEO, Punjab State Rural Livelihood Mission (PSRLM), and Arvinder Pal Singh Nagra, Nodal Officer — on the account of attaining the age of 65 years.

Talking to The Tribune, Dass said as per the PSRLM guidelines, no one could be appointed on any post under this scheme after the completion of 65 years. “Despite the fact, Jaspal Singh and Arvinder Pal are working on their posts and withdrawing heavy perks from the public exchequer, which is totally against the settled law,” he added.

“By doing this they are not only guilty of this misconduct but also of cheating the public exchequer. Also, Arvinder Pal is a relative of MLA Kuljeet Nagra. Thus by misusing political power he is enjoying the public fund and misusing it,” Dass alleged.