Chandigarh, Mar 27 (PTI) Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Sunday said that the service conditions of employees of the Chandigarh Union Territory administration will now be aligned to that of the central civil services and this will benefit them in a “big way”.
He also said that women employees will now get child care leave of two years from the current one year.
“I want to give a good news to employees of the Chandigarh administration. From today, service conditions of employees of the Chandigarh administration will now be aligned to that of the central civil services. You (employees) are going to benefit in a big way,” Shah said.
The Union minister made the announcement after inaugurating and laying foundation stone for a slew of projects of the Chandigarh Police here.
With the decision, the retirement age of employees in the Union Territory will increase from 58 to 60 years, Shah said, adding that the decision will also bring benefits to employees working in the education sector.
On the announcement for employees, he said, “This was a long pending demand of employees of the Chandigarh administration. Today, the Modi government has made a big decision”.
“Tomorrow a notification will be issued and from the upcoming financial year (April 1) you will get the benefit,” Shah said.
However, the minister’s announcement evoked sharp reaction from some rivals of the BJP. Senior Shiromani Akali Dal leader Daljit Singh Cheema in a tweet said,”MOH’s (Ministry of Home Affairs) decision to impose central government rules on employees of Chandigarh is in violation of the spirit of the Punjab Reorg (Reorganisation) Act and must be reconsidered.” “This means denial of right of Capital to Punjab for ever. After changes in the BBMB (Bhakra Beas Management Board) rules, this is another big blow to the rights of Punjab,” he said. The Union Territory of Chandigarh is the common capital of Punjab and Haryana. “Chandigarh is Punjab (common) capital and adhoc arrangement of UT (Union Territory) was made. Sixty per cent employees are of Punjab and the rest of Haryana… at the time of reorganisation, it was agreed that Punjab government rules would be applicable on employees of the UT. This decision of the Centre is dictatorial and has been taken without consulting the state of Punjab,” Cheema later told the media.
“Today’s decision is a conspiracy to dilute Punjab’s claim on Chandigarh. We oppose it,” he said, while further adding “the decision is against the spirit of federalism”.
Congress leader Sukhpal Singh Khaira also condemned the decision.
“We strongly condemn dictatorial decision of BJP to usurp upon the rights of Punjab over control of Chandigarh. It belongs to Punjab and this unilateral decision is not only a direct attack on federalism but also attack on Punjab’s share of 60 per cent control over UT,” he tweeted.
Khaira also tweeted that “I wish to remind BJP, Chandigarh is a disputed territory with Punjab’s claim justified by Rajiv-Longowal Accord… Its a deceit and cheating by non less than a government”. PTI SUN VSD ANB ANB
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