No nod from Punjab Governor, Mann govt frames policy to regularise contract workers

CHANDIGARH:  After a long wait for Punjab Governor Banwarilal Purohit’s assent to the bill regarding the regularisation of services of contractual employees, the AAP-led Punjab government has started the process to go ahead without his nod.

According to sources, since the Punjab Protection and Regularisation of Contractual Employees Bill was pending with the governor, the state cabinet a few months back approved a policy providing for a separate cadre under which the services of contractual, ad hoc, daily wage and temporary teachers having 10 years of experience will be regularised.

A committee under state Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema has now started the process to regularise those working on contract basis, sources said. The new policy has been framed after an analysis of different departments as per the Supreme Court’s decision in the Uma Devi case and the conditions set in the case, as per which about 25,000 employees fulfill the criteria. The state government has decided to create a different cadre for these employees, just the way it was done earlier to absorb a few officers of paramilitary forces into Punjab Police.

In the first phase, about 8,600 contractual teachers are set to be regularised, and applications are being sought for the same. This recruitment will be completed by January. The move will result in the
 government bearing an additional expense of Rs 1,500 crore per year.