FAISALABAD, Oct 31: The Punjab government has reportedly sanctioned 1,691 posts in various local government departments in 17 districts of the province to adjust the surplus staff.

The posts have been sanctioned in the offices of district coordination officer, executive district officers, deputy district officers and judicial magistrates in Rawalpindi, Attock, Jhelum, Chakwal, Sargodha, Mianwali, Bhakhar, Khushab, Gujranwala, Hafizabad, Gujrat, Sialkot, Narowal, Mandi Bahauddin, Faisalabad, Toba Tek Singh and Jhang.

It may be noted here that over 2,000 clerical employees under the command of the defunct district magistrates/deputy commissioners had become surplus in the wake of devolution of power. Scores of employees were sent to the surplus pool while some were adjusted in the newly created Tehsil municipal administrations and union councils.

However, 1,600 employees had been running from pillar to post for the last one year to get themselves adjusted somewhere.

In view of the hardships of the surplus staff, the Punjab government sanctioned 1,691 posts as a special case and ordered the district coordination officers to adjust the employees on seniority basis.