NEW DELHI: Delivering on its poll promise, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government on Tuesday put a restriction on the termination of services of any contractual employee till a thorough review of the issue was completed, in a move that will benefit around one lakh employees.
The decision was taken at a high-level meeting presided over by chief minister Arvind Kejriwal on his second day in office.
Around one lakh employees, including doctors, nurses, teachers and sanitation staff are working under contractual scheme in various Delhi government departments and agencies.
"Services of any contractual employee should not be terminated or stopped till further orders," said a brief government order issued to various departments.
Sources said contractual employees whose term was nearing completion would also benefit as they will be allowed to continue in service.
Delhi government was in the process of carrying out a thorough review of the issue of contractual employees to finalise a policy framework, sources said.
Various government departments including education, PWD, health and family welfare and women and child development had
recruited employees under contractual scheme in the last few years.
In the its election manifesto, the AAP had promised to regularise services of these contractual employees.
The decision came a day after the Kejriwal government banned demolition of houses in the national capital until the existing policies were reviewed, and sought proposals from departments on how to slash power tariff and water bills -- other key poll promises made by the AAP.
Congress not impressed
The rookie party faced flak on Tuesday from the Congress, which saw "striking similarities" in AAP and BJP's style of governance after Kejriwal's government banned media from the state secretariat on its first working day (Monday).
"Striking Similarities- AAP&BJP's Governance style. PM as Gujrat CM banned Media from Gujarat Secretariat. AAP in both it's stints emulates him," party leader Manish Tewari tweeted.
Journalists from both print and electronic media were denied entry to the secretariat. In response to the move, the media boycotted deputy CM Manish Sisodia's press conference.
Help to Kejriwal
The Delhi government will rope in experts from diverse fields to help chief minister Kejriwal to implement various schemes and poll promises.
An expert committee is going to be set up in the next few days which will work under the Chief Minister's Office and play a key role in formulation of various important policies.
In its election manifesto, the AAP had promised to slash power bills of the consumers by half and provide free water up to 20,000 litres to every household per month.
The party also promised to install 1.5 lakh CCTVs across the national capital and deploy marshals in every bus to ensure security of passengers, especially women and build 47 fast track courts in the city.
"The expert committee will also supervise the work of different departments and apprise the CM about regular developments," an official said.
Kejriwal bats for IFS officer
Kejriwal has written to the Centre, seeking services of IFS officer Sanjeev Chaturvedi, who is likely to head the anti-corruption branch of the Delhi government.
Chaturvedi is currently serving as the deputy director of AIIMS. Kejriwal has sought services of the IFS officer in Delhi government as an Officer on Special Duty.
The anti-graft body is controlled directly by the chief minister.
In the February 16 letter to Union environment and forest minister Prakash Javadekar, who is the cadre controlling officer of all the Indian Forest Services officers, Kejriwal has asked his intervention into the matter.
"The services of Sanjeev Chaturvedi, IFS (Haryana:2002), who is presently posted as the Deputy Secretary, AIIMS, New Delhi, on Central Deputation, are urgently required to work as Officer on Special Duty (OSD), in the Chief Minister's Office. Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi."
Sources said now Javedkar has to seek approval of ministry of health and family welfare and the government of Haryana. It will then be forwarded to the Cabinet Committee on Appointment headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.