The AAP government has decided to deduct salaries of the heads of departments if they fail to release salaries of their contractual workers on time. Delhi chief secretary K.K. Sharma has directed all the HoDs to pay salaries to contractual workers on time and if they fail to do so, they would be held accountable and face salary deduction. This matter was discussed at a meeting of the HoDs held after a gap of three months.
The Delhi Cabinet had already approved a proposal last month stating salary of contractual employees should be released on time. The AAP government action followed after it received a lot of complaints related to non-payment of salaries to contractual workers. In some cases, salaries had not been released for two to three months. Now, departmental heads will be held accountable for non-payment of salaries to contractual workers.
A highly-placed source said that the chief secretary has made it clear in the meeting that the salaries of the contract workers should be released on time. “The chief secretary stated in the meeting that the concerned department HoDs would be held responsible for non-payment of their salaries. If they fail to do so, they themselves will be facing salary cuts.”
Each department of the Delhi government has appointed contract workers to meet the shortage of manpower. The education and sanitation departments have a large number of contract workers. In some departments, Group D employees are appointed on contractual basis.
The meeting of the HoDs also discussed the ease of doing business being initiated at the behest of Prime Minister’s Office. The issue of dark spots in Delhi was also discussed as there is a budgetary provision of Rs 100 crore for lighting of these dark spots.
