LAHORE, March 2: The Punjab government on Saturday issued policy for the regularisation of contract employees under which those in BS-16 and above will be appointed through the Punjab Public Service Commission (PPSC) and those in lower grades by the departments concerned.

According to the policy, those appointed on contract basis for various projects, programmes, project management units and other time-bound development activities will not be regularised. Others would have to undergo a strict regime to qualify for their appointment on regular basis.

The policy has been issued following an announcement by the chief minister to regularise the services of contract employees from BS-1 to 16. Though chief minister’s statement did not mention who will be regularised or not, the policy does.

The policy says the contract employees appointed as per service rules on the recommendations of the PPSC will be considered for appointment on regular basis. For this purpose, the departments concerned will submit cases of employees to the chief minister through the regulation wing of the S&GAD and the finance department.

While submitting such cases it will be ensured the contract appointments were made in accordance with the service rules regarding age limit, qualifications and experience wherever prescribed. The appointments on a regular basis may be recommended on case-to-case basis, keeping in view an employee’s performance.

The contract employees appointed as per eligibility criteria and on the PPSC recommendations will be considered for regularisation subject to the condition that administrative department concerned shall first get the service rules of the posts framed at the earliest and then submit the contract employees cases to the chief minister.

The cases of contract employees in BS-16 and above, appointed on the recommendation of the respective selection committees as per provision of the service rules, may be referred to the PPSC for determining their suitability for appointment on regular basis against the posts held by them.

The contract employees who do not intend to be appointed on regular basis should furnish their option to this effect in writing to the respective appointing authorities within 60 days form the issuance of this policy. They may continue with their present employment as per terms and conditions of their contract. However, no extension in their contract period shall be allowed. Those who intend to be appointed on regular basis need not apply. The option once exercised shall be final, the policy says.

It says, all contract employees required to appear before the PPSC will have to submit to it affidavits on stamp papers to the effect that they would not claim continuation of their contract appointments or regularisation at any forum. In the event of their failure to qualify for the posts held by them, their contracts will be terminated on receipt of the PPSC recommendations.

The contract employees on regular appointment shall remain on probation in accordance with rules.

BS-1 to 15: The policy about the regularisation of these employees says they will not have to appear before the PPSC for the purpose as per a decision by the chief minister.

These appointments will, however, be subject to fulfillment of requirements of the related rules.

Two types of committees shall scrutinise relevant record of the contract employees in these grades and issue a certificate before issuance of appointment orders on regular basis by the appointing authorities.

According to the policy, at the provincial level the committee will be headed by the administrative secretary or special secretary or additional secretary concerned and at the district level by the DCO concerned. These committees shall scrutinise academic record (degrees, diplomas and certificates) and other relevant documents of the contract employees. They shall verify that the contract appointments were made in accordance with the provisions of the service rules regarding age limit, qualification and experience and the Contract Appointment Policy, 2004.

Those engaged on contract basis on the PPSC recommendations will not be subject to the scrutiny by these committees, the policy says.

The contract employees on their regular appointment shall remain on probation as per the rules.

Their service period shall not be counted for any purpose on their appointment. Their salary component shall be in accordance with the pay scales and the usual allowances prescribed for the posts against which they are being appointed. They will, however, be not entitled to payment of 30 per cent social security benefit in lieu of pension or any other pay package being drawn by them, it adds.

However, the pay of the contract employees appointed on regular basis in the basic pay scales shall be fixed at the initial of the respective pay scale and the increments already earned during the contract period shall be converted into personal allowance.

The pay of those appointed on the basis of pay package will be fixed in consultation with the finance department whose decision will be final.

Those who do intend to be regularised are required to furnish their option within 30 days of issuance of their appointment letters. They may continue with their present employment as per terms and conditions of their contract. However, there will not be any extension and the option once exercised shall be final, the policy says.