The Chandigarh Administration is gearing up to halt the budget and extensions by considering the services of hundreds of contract employees, working on sanctioned posts for more than five years, as vacant according to Central instructions. This is due to the lack of a policy, deeming the posts abolished. Shiv Murat, General Secretary of All Contractual Employees Union Bharat UT Chandigarh, stated that in response, the Personnel Department sought information about vacant posts from all departments until January 30. Earlier, the Personnel Department had sent the number of about 25,000 contract and outsourcing workers, in addition to regular employees, to the Ministry of Home Affairs.
This sudden action by the Chandigarh administration leads to vacant posts of less than five years being sent for regular recruitment, while posts of more than five years are considered vacant. The Center is treating the budget as prohibited, withholding the salary of contract employees, refusing extensions, and relieving them. Several cases of termination letters have surfaced. Addressing the job security concerns of hundreds of contract employees working for years, the All Contractual Employees Union of India surrounded the Secretariat and expressed their anger through a massive rally in the Masjid Ground. In a meeting held in August last year by the Chandigarh Administration, the Personnel Secretary was instructed to make a policy decision on this issue to ensure the departments’ work does not stop. However, the Personnel Department has not made any concrete and positive decisions, leading the Finance Department to ban contract extensions.
In response, hundreds of contract employees attempted to meet the Member of Parliament (MP) of the Chandigarh parliamentary constituency to remind her of her unfulfilled promise regarding the accommodation of thousands of contract employees. The MP, Kirron Kher, had promised to change the contract system of jobs in the administration and make the employees regular. However, when the contract employees reached her office, she was not present, having gone to the Delhi Budget session.
Shiv Murat, General Secretary of All Contractual Employees Union India UT Chandigarh, stated that they submitted a demand letter to Personal Secretary Ramakant Tiwari, urging the Chandigarh Administration to create a special cadre for job security until their retirement. Tiwari assured them, and this issue was also discussed with former BJP President Arun Sood. The All Contractual Employees Union India announced further meetings and actions until joining the posts of Advisor and Governor.