Quiet burial to controversial legislation on employment

Naveen S Garewal/TNS Chandigarh, July 23 Electoral politics has forced the Punjab Government to withdraw the controversial Punjab Civil Services (Rationalisation of Certain Conditions of Service) Act, 2011. This Act had mandated that all new employees to get only basic salary for three years. Passed in haste during the last Vidhan Sabha Session without any debate, the SAD-BJP Government has given a quiet burial to the Act by bringing an ordinance to scrap it. Punjab Governor Shivraj Patil signed the ordinance scrapping the Act on Friday. Sources in the government said that the SAD-BJP alliance was in a hurry to undo the damage caused by this controversial legislation. After its implementation in April this year, the legislation had put every new government employee on probation for three years. This had caused immense heartburn, besides making new employees get less than half the salary, for equal work, as compared to those who were recruited prior to April 5, 2011. The cash-strapped government had introduced this legislation on pattern of contract employment in a bid to save money. As per this legislation, a new employee was put on probation for three years during which time he or she would draw only basic salary - the carry home was much lower than regular employees as it did not include any allowances. Besides, all such employees were subject to annual appraisals and could be dismissed without notice. Many new employees had quit high-paying private jobs to join the government only to find their salaries reduced to one-fourth of what they were drawing previously. Sources in the government said that since the Congress had announced that it would withdraw the controversial legislation if voted to power, SAD-BJP alliance did not want Zila Parishad doctors, government teachers, public relations officers, etc. (that were most affected) to turn against the government on this issue. All the new employees were placed in the minimum pay band. For the 1,200-odd qualified doctors and veterinarians, the government remuneration was a mere pittance. At least 72 MBAs and post-graduates who had joined Punjab Agro Industries Corporation, too got salaries ranging between Rs 8,400 to Rs 9,000. With the scrapping of the legislation, the salaries of all the employees would increase manifold. Other departments where voices of discontent were loud, included the Punjab State Warehousing Corporation, Punjab Water Supply and Sanitation Department and the Punjab Secretariat staff. As per the Punjab Civil Services (Rationalisation of Certain Conditions of Services) Act, 2011, all recruits in group A to D were to undergo a three-year induction period during which they would be given a basic pay of Rs 10,000 or less, sans perks or facilities. This three-year period, extendable up to five years, would not be included in the service tenure, affecting their pension, gratuity and other benefits.

The seniority of these employees was to be calculated from the day they complete the induction period. They were entitled to only 12 days of casual leave and 30 days of extraordinary leave on account of sickness or accident. Women were eligible for three months maternity leave. During the induction period, the services of the employee could be terminated at a one-month notice. After the scrapping of the legislation, these employees would now be treated on a par with other regular employees.