New rules to regularise jobs on cards

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, October 15

Even as the stalemate between protesting teachers and the state government continues, Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh on Monday announced to bring in new rules during the winter session of the Assembly to regularise the services of 40,000 ad hoc employees.

A sub-committee looking into the issue will prepare a framework before taking it to the Vidhan Sabha.

The Chief Minister stated that in view of the fiscal crunch faced by the government, the government had no money to pay the agitating teachers, but it was making efforts to resolve their issues.

He said the Education Department had negotiated with the teachers and given them the option of continuing on contractual basis or join at the basic pay of Rs 15,300 and work for three years before being regularised. After negotiating, the teachers’ representatives had backed out, he claimed.

“Of the 8,800-odd teachers, some have agreed. If the others do not agree, we cannot do anything,” the CM said.

Captain Amarinder said he sympathised with the teachers, but his hands were tied on account of the financial crisis inherited by his Congress from the erstwhile SAD-BJP government.