HC summons labour dept secy

Ranchi: The Jharkhand high court on Tuesday ordered the state labour and employment department secretary to appear in person on April 6 for non-payment of dues to a vocational training provider under the Kaushal Vikas Kendra scheme of the government. At present, Rajesh Kumar Sharma is the incumbent secretary.
The court of Justice Rajesh Kumar was hearing a writ petition filed by one Ishmat Ansari, a vocational training provider. Ansari, along with 37 other vocational training providers, had been appointed by the department to give their services under the scheme to empower local youth.
However, an inquiry was set up in 38 centres where Ansari and other vocational training providers were employed. An inspection by the anti-corruption bureau was done in the centres. But no anomalies could be found in the centres in terms of their working and the finances involved in running the centres. The dues of Ansari were kept on hold in the light of the anti-corruption bureau inspection by the department. Ansari’s advocate Naveen Kumar told the court that his client had to run from pillar to post to have his dues released in his favour. In spite of several representations made to the department higher-ups, no action was taken, Naveen told the high court.
The high court was annoyed with the high-handedness of the government department for withholding the dues of an employee. Naveen further pleaded that the department has taken the services of Ansari but when it comes to paying his dues, the department is showing a cold shoulder.
The court ordered the labour, planning and employment department secretary to appear in person before the bench and offer an explanation as to why the dues of Ansari have not been paid by the department.