Income criteria soon for jobs on compassionate grounds

Bhanu P Lohumi

Tribune News Service

Shimla, November 19

Not a good news for those seeking jobs on compassionate grounds. The government has decided to give job only after assessing the indigency and fix the maximum annual income limit of Rs 2.50 lakh for a family with four dependents. The family whose annual income exceeds Rs 2.50 lakh will not get jobs.

A meeting of all additional chief secretaries, principal secretaries, secretaries and additional secretaries was held under the chairmanship of the Chief Secretary for the detailed discussions on the issue.

According to highly placed sources, the limit will go down if the number of dependents is less but there will be no increase if the dependents exceed four. The income limit of the family will be calculated by multiplying the number of family members by Rs 62,500. The income limit will be Rs 1,87,500 for a family of three and 1,25,000 for two.

Besides income from pension, agriculture, rent, business, interest and other sources will also be taken into account. The income limit is worked out at about Rs 5,200, Rs 10,400, Rs 15,600 and Rs 20,800 per month for the family of one, two, three and four members.

However, the government has decided to expedite all pending cases for jobs on compassionate grounds as per orders of the Supreme Court and asked the department concerned to process all cases and send these to administrative secretaries within one month.

Further, the cases already returned will be re-submitted within fortnight and special care be taken in dealing with these matters, all departments have been told.

A 5 per cent quota has been fixed for the appointment on compassionate grounds but some departments have already exhausted the quota while in some other, the quota has not been fully consumed and smaller departments have been asked to request the bigger departments to provide the names for appointment, sources said.