Panel to take call on regularisation

Chandigarh : Divided over the regularisation of services of about 25,000 ad hoc employees, the Council of Ministers tonight formed a Cabinet sub-committee headed by Deputy CM Sukhbir Singh Badal to finalise a policy. This committee – including Finance Minister Parminder Singh Dhindsa, Industries Minister Madan Mohan Mittal, Local Bodies Minister Anil Joshi, Health Minister Surjit Kumar Jyani and Education Minister Dr Daljit Singh Cheema — will hold meetings and announce the regularisation policy by October 12. A report of the officers’ committee, which had framed a policy in this regard, was presented during the Cabinet meeting headed by Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal; however, it was found wanting by the Council of Ministers. The proposal was brought as a money Bill. While the ministers debated on which employees of various departments should be absorbed by the government, they reportedly agreed that a “one size fits all” policy could not be adopted. The ministers debated for almost two hours on the categories of employees working on an ad hoc basis in about 45 government departments. Sources said separate criteria for regularising the services of various categories of employees would have to be worked out by the Cabinet sub-committee. A cut-off date for the staff will also be decided by this panel.