‘Ensure outsourced workers aren’t charged illegally’

Sandeep Rana

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, February 25

In the wake of complaints that consultancy agencies are illegally collecting money from poor outsourced employees working in various government wings, the UT Adviser has directed the heads of all departments to ensure that no extortion takes place.

“It has been reported that many manpower suppliers, who are selected through the GeM (Government e-Marketplace), are collecting money illegally from workers. The workers were engaged earlier on the promise that they would be re-engaged,” Adviser Manoj Parida said in his communication to the department heads.

‘Manpower suppliers collecting money’

It has been reported that many manpower suppliers, who are selected through the GeM (Government e-Marketplace), are collecting money illegally from workers. The workers were engaged earlier on the promise that they would be re-engaged. —Manoj Parida, Adviser

“All secretaries/heads of departments are directed to ensure that such unfair practice/extortion does not take place. The outsourced employees should not be forced to pay any obligation of any kind to the contractors/service providers,” Parida said.

Senior officers of the MC had earlier washed their hands of the complaints saying that the matter was between contractors and outsourced employees and the corporation had nothing to do with it.

Outsourced employees are allegedly being asked to pay one-month salary to the agencies each year or lose their job to pave the way for new hiring.

Complaints were made to MC officials against an outsourcing agency for allegedly asking for Rs15,000 each year from poor contractual employees. After no action was taken by the MC, a complaint in this was sent to the Adviser.

In September last year, high drama had prevailed at the Sector 29 nursery of the MC where gardeners alleged that a contractor was charging them Rs2,000 per month from their salaries for letting them continue with the job. Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) workers had then made a video of contractor’s men and complained to the MC Commissioner.

The MC chief had asked the Executive Engineer of the horticulture wing to probe the matter. “How can the head of a department against which the complaint was made probe it. It should have been referred to the UT Vigilance wing,” said one of the affected employees on the condition of anonymity while alleging inaction on the part of the MC. “Most employees have paid. Our hard-earned money should be refunded,” said a driver hired through a contractor. Workers said apart from the MC, the practice was prevalent in other departments too.

AAP Chandigarh convener Prem Garg said, “After the Adviser’s direction, employees can show circulars to the contractors if they ask for money. The contractors must follow this order. In case they don’t, we will expose them.”

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