Haryana no to across-board increase in retirement age

Sushil Manav

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, May 24

Disappointing thousands of employees, the Haryana Government today ruled out an across-the-board raise in the retirement age from 58 to 60. A three-member Cabinet subcommittee, constituted to study the issue, met for the second time under Finance Minister Capt Abhimanyu here today. Significantly, Health Minister Anil Vij was absent once again. 

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It was decided to consider a two-year extension for staff of departments facing a staff crunch. The next meeting on June 14 will consider limiting the term of non-IAS department heads as well as the selection norms for filling group D posts.

Capt Abhimanyu said an across-the-board increase in the retirement age was not desirable as it would only mean blocking job opportunities for the youth.

“On May 8, the subcommittee had asked the Chief Secretary to submit a report on the number of vacancies, the number of employees retiring by the year-end and those re-employed. It seems only 39 officials have been re-employed. Departments, such as Elementary Education, Secondary Education and Irrigation will see a large number of vacancies in the coming years. We will have to decide accordingly,” he said.

He said the government had already told the Haryana Public Service Commission and Haryana Staff Service Commission to fill 50,000 vacancies.  Former CM Bhupinder Singh Hooda had raised the retirement age to 60 at the fag-end of his tenure. It was reversed by the Khattar government in 2014, but in February this year, it set up a subcommittee to study the issue afresh.