Secy Health directed to appear before High Court

Directing the Secretary to appear in person, Justice Jhanji also asked him to explain the failure in implementing the decision reached, with the high powered committee’s intervention, between the Joint Action Committee and the PGI.

He also asked him to explain as to why a permanent high powered committee should not be constituted for looking into the grievances of the PGI employees.

Justice Jhanji also asked for an explanation regarding the issuance of directions for framing a suitable scheme to provide avenues for employees in group B, C, and D on continuous basis, in accordance with the recommendations made by the Dhar Committee. The PGI employees had earlier contended that those who had completed eight years of service on or before January 1, 1985 were not considered under a scheme for clearing the backlog in promotions.

The counsel had added that the benefit under the scheme, which came into effect on January 1, 1985, was to be given to the employees who had completed eight years of service as on December 31, 1984.

The counsel for the PGI, on the other hand, had stated that the proposal was a "one time scheme" and did not apply to those who had joined on January 1, 1977 or had completed eight years as on January 1, 1985 or there after.