Shimla, Mar 28 (PTI) Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu on Saturday announced that government offices currently operating from rented private premises will be shifted to vacant state-owned buildings.
Responding to a question from BJP MLA Prakash Rana, the chief minister told the Assembly that a significant number of government buildings across the state are currently lying vacant.
He said he would issue directives to the General Administration Department (GAD) to take control of all such vacant government buildings.
Subsequently, the deputy commissioners of the respective districts will facilitate shifting offices currently functioning in private premises into these government buildings, he said.
Earlier, in response to the main question, the chief minister said that in Jogindernagar assembly constituency, 37 offices belonging to 12 different departments are currently operating in private buildings.
The Assembly was also informed that Gram Panchayat watchmen, who complete 12 years of service by March 31, 2026, will be designated as daily-wage employees.
Replying to a question raised by BJP MLA Reena Kashyap and Congress MLA Hardeep Singh Bawa, Rural Development and Panchayati Raj Minister Anirudh Singh said that there are 474 watchmen across the state who have completed a 12-year tenure.
He said that gram panchayat watchmen belong to the district council cadre and do not fall directly under the purview of the state government. The matter regarding their regularisation will be considered once it is placed before the Cabinet.
He said that 2,912 panchayat watchmen are currently employed across the state’s 3,773 gram panchayats. Of these, 1,518 have already been converted to daily-wage status upon completing 12 years of service on August 31, 2022, while the remaining are yet to be covered.
He said that the government currently has no plans to regularise Class IV part-time and daily-wage employees of panchayati raj institutions nor does it intend to increase their retirement age.
Responding to a question from BJP MLA Satpal Singh Satti, Deputy Chief Minister Mukesh Agnihotri said that employees belonging to the category of Persons with Disabilities within the Jal Shakti Department will be granted promotions before April 15.
These promotions will be implemented in accordance with the Supreme Court’s directives, under the four per cent reservation quota allocated for promotions, the Deputy CM who holds the portfolio of Jal Shakti Department said.
A special committee has been constituted for this purpose. The committee has identified 25 distinct categories and recommended granting them reservations in promotions. Additionally, it has recommended granting exemptions regarding the reservation to 10 other specific categories.
The official notification granting reservation in promotions to persons with disabilities is scheduled to be issued before April 15. He said similar cases exist in other departments, and these matters have already been discussed in the Cabinet.
He said that the chief minister is personally overseeing them and a decision regarding this is expected shortly.
Congress MLA Chandrashekhar claimed that water storage tanks constructed during the tenure of the previous government under the Jal Jeevan Mission in Dharampur assembly constituency of Mandi district have now become a safety hazard for the local population.
He said some tanks have developed cracks even before the start of water storage, posing a threat. He said that it is far better to apprise the House of the actual ground reality before a disaster strikes, rather than raising the issue afterwards.
He demanded the constitution of a committee to investigate this matter. In his response, Deputy Chief Minister Mukesh Agnihotri said that a total of 550 water tanks have been constructed within the Dharampur assembly constituency. PTI BPL RT RT
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