Shimla: Himachal Pradesh will no longer recruit staff nurses through outsourcing agencies, Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu announced in the Legislative Assembly on Wednesday, stating that the government is moving towards a merit-based recruitment system in the Health Department.
Replying to questions during Question Hour, the Chief Minister said the government was taking steps to reduce outsourced recruitment in the Health Department. He announced that staff nurses would be recruited through examinations conducted by the State Selection Commission, with appointments made strictly based on merit in the written examination.
Sukhu made it clear that no recommendations would be entertained in the recruitment process. He said recommendations from the Chief Minister, a former Chief Minister or the Assembly Speaker would have no role in the appointments and only candidates securing a place on the merit list would be selected.
Paramedical posts to follow existing rules
The Chief Minister said posts of paramedical staff would continue to be filled according to the existing recruitment rules. However, he indicated that the government could consider changes in the recruitment system for these posts in the future.
He also said part-time multi-task workers appointed under the government policy would be regularised and would receive pension benefits after retirement.
Explaining the outsourcing arrangement, Sukhu said outsourced employees were engaged through companies and that a company could remove an employee if it was dissatisfied with the person’s performance. At the same time, he said the government would take action against outsourcing companies found deducting employees’ wages without a valid reason.
The Chief Minister noted that the practice of engaging workers through outsourcing agencies had been followed in the state since the tenure of former Chief Minister Prem Kumar Dhumal.
Jairam Thakur questions outsourcing appointments
Leader of the Opposition Jairam Thakur raised concerns over outsourced recruitment and alleged that some people who had contested elections on Congress tickets or held positions as party office-bearers had been appointed as contractors for such recruitment.
Thakur further alleged that the registration of new outsourcing agencies could become a major issue of investigation in the future.
Responding to the Leader of the Opposition, Sukhu took a dig at Thakur, remarking that he appeared to have a problem with a contractor from Seraj. In a lighter vein, he said he would ask the contractor to hire some of Thakur’s people as well so that they would not trouble him.
Sukhu maintained that the rules for empanelment of outsourcing companies had remained unchanged since the previous government and that no significant changes had been made by the present government.
BJP raises Shillai and Karsog issues
During the discussion, BJP MLA Deepraj raised the issue of removal of outsourced employees and referred to the alleged engagement of around 700 people through the outsourcing route in Shillai.
He also questioned the alleged charging of a ₹500 fee for the appointment of water carriers in Karsog.
Responding to these concerns, the Chief Minister clarified that outsourcing was meant for obtaining services and that government policy did not provide for the direct appointment of individuals through outsourcing.
On the claim regarding around 700 people being engaged in Shillai, Sukhu said that if the allegation was factually correct, the MLA should place the relevant details before the House.
BJP MLA Hansraj criticised the government over its approach towards outsourced employees, saying that although the government had talked about formulating a policy for outsourced workers, it had so far failed to frame one.
