Punjab opposed to raise retirement age

Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal is believed to be against toeing the Central line on this sensitive issue fearing that it would add to the unemployment problem in the border state and block promotions of thousands of existing employees.

However, a final decision would be taken only after the bye-elections in Tarn Taran and Sham Churasi constituencies are over in the first week of June.

The Fourth Punjab Pay Commission headed by Justice S.S.Sandhawalia(retd.), in its report submitted in January last which has already been implemented, had refrained from making any recommendation since its members differed on the matter.

While Sandhawalia was in favour of the raise, the other two members H.S.Rakhra and Justice B.B.Mahajan(retd.) had stoutly opposed it.They assessed that even on the basis of old pay scales the annual liability of the state government would go up by more than Rs 18 crore if the retirement age was revised.

Official circles feel that thousands of government jobs which are now created every year in the state would not occur for a couple of years if the age limit went up, which may create restlessness among the jobless youths.

Nearly 10,000 teachers retire from government schools alone every year in Punjab.

According to senior vice-president of the Punjab Youth Congress Parminder Mehta, unemployment was a major factor that gave rise to the Punjab problem.

He cautioned against taking any step that might add to the unemployment problem with law and order connotations for the state.

Every day, delegations of different sections of government employees meet top functionaries here to submit their memoranda on the matter.Their opinions, however, vary.Meanwhile, the age hike by the Centre has come as boon for several senior functionaries in civil and police departments in Punjab. They include Chief Secretary R.S.Mann and his wife Shyama Mann who is F.C. Appeals, Financial Commissioner(Development) Ram Naresh Gupta, principal secretary (revenue) K.S.Janjua, principal secretary(home) G.P.S.Sahi, principal secretary(housing and urban development) Inderjit Singh Bindra, principal secretary(tourism) Naranjan Singh and some others who would have otherwise retired during the next few months.

In the police department, DGP(Home Guards) Sube Singh is among the direct beneficiaries.

However, the police chief Puran Chand Dogra, who is currently on extension of six months since last month, appears to be a loser since the Central notification has specifically stated that those who are on extension of service cannot avail of the increase in the age of retirement.He is unlikely to get another extension either in view of this raise.