Relief for Chandigarh Administration contract employees

The UT Administration has granted temporary respite by permitting more than 1,400 contract workers across many departments to continue working until March 31st, subject to certain guidelines.

The Central Government’s January rules were followed by the Administration, which eliminated regular positions that had been unfilled by regular staff for more than five years. After March 31, contract workers in more than 40 administration departments who did not have these authorized positions were to lose their jobs. Currently, there are close to 1,425 contract workers operating across many divisions.

The UT Department of Personnel has released a notice about the continuation of contractual engagement (on a direct contract basis) in different departments. The notice states that the department(s) may compare the functional requirements against empty posts or posts that have been eliminated.

The proposal for the establishment or restoration of these eliminated post(s) will be sent by the department(s) to the relevant minister. The workout has to be finished in a week.

The notification further specifies that, subject to a number of restrictions, the person or people who meet the requirements for the position may continue to be employed under direct contract.

The department states that regular recruitment should be carried out as soon as possible against the approved position or posts; contractual engagements may be continued until regular incumbents are hired in relation to the approved post or posts. When a role is eliminated, a contractual agreement may be taken into consideration until the position is resurrected or formed and normal hiring takes place.

The department’s honest efforts may not result in regular recruiting taking place quickly, but in situations where functional requirements and administrative demands exist, the direct contractual employee(s) may be engaged for a longer period of time than the allowed tenure. In certain situations, the Finance Department’s prior approval will be required.

In this regard, the budget under the Wages Head has been made accessible with the relevant department. The contract employee(s)’ compensation will not be deducted from the salary head. The compensation to be paid to the employee(s) engaged on a direct contract basis will remain the same (including DA) as on date and will be governed in the future as per terms of the contract (except the condition pertaining to existence of vacant post). It will be payable/drawn from the wages head of the respective department.

The aforementioned terms and conditions do not apply to businesses, societies, councils, autonomous organizations, boards, etc.

The All-Contractual Karamchari Sangh head, Bipin Sher Singh, expressed his anger, stating that the UT Administration had prolonged the deadline because of the upcoming Lok Sabha elections.

The Ministry of Home Affairs and the Ministry of Finance provided directives and rules that resulted to the UT Finance Department’s January 10 circular stating that regular positions that had not been filled by regular workers for more than five years were to be eliminated.

There are around 1,425 contract workers employed by the UT Administration, 235 by public sector companies, and 75 by civic organizations.