Will consider adjusting outsourced staff who served during Covid: Himachal CM Sukhvinder Sukhu

Shimla, February 20

Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu said in the Vidhan Sabha today that the previous BJP government had appointed people on the outsourced basis in the Health Department during the Covid pandemic without following any rules. The state government would take a humanitarian view of the services rendered by the outsourced employees during the Covid period and consider accommodating them under the National Health Mission (NHM).

Were appointed to meet emergency

• The government should be more sympathetic towards outsourced employees, who had served Covid patients and even cremated those who succumbed to it, said Leader of the Opposition Jai Ram Thakur
• The outsourced employees were appointed in an emergency situation to tackle the Covid pandemic, said Sundernagar legislator Rakesh Jamwal
• The oxygen plant at Sundernagar is non-functional since the services of outsourced employees, who operated it, were terminated

The issue of the retrenchment of outsourced employees, who had rendered services during the Covid period, echoed during the Question Hour as Sundernagar MLA Rakesh Jamwal pointed out that a PSA oxygen plant in his constituency was lying non-functional for the past one year after the services of outsourced employees, who operated it, were discontinued.

He said, “Even if appointments were made in an emergency situation, these should have been done by following proper rules. It is wrong to politicise the issue of outsourced employees.” He added, “We, too, appreciate the services rendered by outsourced employees during the pandemic but still some rules and regulations have to be followed.” He assured the House that the government would take a sympathetic view of their services and consider adjusting them under the NHM.

Sukhu said that the previous BJP government had appointed 1,916 persons (641 in the Health Department and 1,275 in the Department of Medical Education and Research) on the outsourced basis. On September 30, 2023, the government discontinued the services of these outsourced employees,” he added.

Leader of the Opposition Jai Ram Thakur said that the government should be more sympathetic towards such employees, who had served Covid patients and even cremated those who succumbed to it. “At least give them their pending allowance dues and appoint them on priority as they had rendered valuable services, which must be recognised,” he added.

Jamwal said that the outsourced employees were appointed in an emergency situation during the Covid pandemic. He added that the oxygen plant at Sundernagar was non-functional after the services of outsourced employees, who operated it, were terminated.

He said, “The government has sacked those who had saved the lives of people during the Covid. The services of 1,916 outsourced employees were discontinued though they had served Covid patients even when their family members refused to take care of them, he added.

Replying to a question asked by Naina Deviji MLA Randhir Sharma and Banjar MLA Surinder Shourie, Education Minister Rohit Thakur said that sites for setting up Rajiv Gandhi Day Boarding schools were being selected as per the norms. There was no question of discrimination against Assembly segments represented by BJP MLAs, he added.