No bungalows for babus in city post-retirement

Ramkrishan Upadhyay
Tribune News Service
Chandigarh, February 11

In a major decision, the Chandigarh Administration has decided not to allow bureaucrats to retain their houses after retirement. The Administration has also decided to reduce its discretionary quota in the allotment.

Sources said the decision was taken as the UT was finding it tough to allot government houses to eligible senior IAS and IPS officers due to a shortage of houses. While the waiting list of eligible senior officers is increasing, many bureaucrats have managed to retain their houses even after retirement.

At present, bureaucrats, who become chairpersons of commissions or hold similar posts, retain their houses till the completion of their tenure, which ranges from three to five years. Chandigarh has a limited number of big government houses in posh localities such as Sector 7 and 16. Senior IAS officers, after being promoted from the post of Financial Commissinor as Additional Chief Secretary, become eligible for such houses, which are spread over four to five kanals.

Sources said Manoj Kumar Parida, UT Adviser, recently wrote to the chief secretaries of Punjab and Haryana over the issue.

In the letter, he said many senior officers working under Punjab, Haryana and UT were retaining government houses allotted to them on the grounds of post-retirement jobs being given to them. This had led to a situation where eligible officers in the combined list were waiting for years for houses, while retired officers refused to vacate the allotted accommodation even after the permissible period.

The Administration has suggested that necessary financial compensation for hiring private houses could be given by the respective governments, if needed. The Administration will also cancel the allotment in case it is found that the allottees have their own house in the tricity.

The sources said at present, 16 houses of the bigger category were occupied by members of commissions such as the State Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission, Information Commission, State Election Commission, Right to Service Commission, Real Estate Regulatory Authority and the Haryana Public Service Commission.

Confirming the development, Parida said the move was aimed at streamlining the allotment process so that eligible officers could get houses without waiting too long.

Move to help eligible officers get houses 

• Sources said Manoj Kumar Parida, UT Adviser, recently wrote to the chief secretaries of Punjab and Haryana over the issue. In the letter, he said many senior officers working under Punjab, Haryana and UT were retaining government houses allotted to them on the grounds of post-retirement jobs being given to them. This had led to a situation where eligible officers in the combined list were waiting for years for houses, while retired officers refused to vacate the allotted accommodation even after the permissible period. 
• Parida said the move was aimed at streamlining the allotment process so that eligible officers could get houses without waiting too long.