Revise cooks’ pay scale, L-G asks Social Welfare Dept

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New Delhi, January 27

Delhi Lieutenant-Governor VK Saxena directed the Department of Social Welfare to implement the Delhi High Court judgment to grant cooks salary as per the revised pay scale under the Seventh Pay Commission.

The Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT) had given its decision in favour of cooks way back in February 2016. Thereafter the Delhi Government had moved the High Court against the CAT ruling. The High Court finally decided in favour of the cooks in January last year, officials said.

“However, the government even then did not implement the order of the Delhi High Court, prompting the cooks to move a contempt petition, subsequent to which the Delhi Government finally moved the file for the approval of the Lieutenant-General in January 2024,” said Raj Niwas officials.

Clearing a file to this effect, the L-G observed that the department should have been more sensitive to the needs of its employees and avoided unnecessary delay and expenditure on litigations.

The department may be advised to assess the cost of litigation and fix responsibility of the officers and officials involved in causing a delay in the instant matter within 15 days, an official quoted the L-G.

The department was directed by the HC to grant a revised pay scale – Level 2 (Rs 19,900-Rs 63,200) of the Seventh Central Pay Commission pay matrix, effective from May 7, 2014.

The HC also said that with respect to working employees (at the post of cook), the order will have a prospective effect, the official added.

Another official said, the HC delivered the judgment in January last year, by dismissing the appeal of the department against the 2016 decision of the CAT. The employees had also filed a contempt petition against the department in the HC for non-compliance with its judgement.

This handful of hapless cooks had no option, but to approach the court due to the callous attitude of the department, The L-G said. He added, “It is disconcerting that a matter which could have been administratively decided was allowed to be dragged to the courts.”

All such cases may be accordingly processed for effective resolution in a time-bound manner, an official further said quoting Saxena.