80 per cent contract workers to be retained: Delhi cabinet

Delhi cabinet Tuesday decided that 80 per cent of existing number of contract workers hired by a contractor for discharging government services will be retained in case of a new contract.

A meeting of Delhi cabinet chaired by Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal also decided to extend the age of disengagement of home guards from existing 50 to 60 years. The government also gave in principle nod to soon hire 6000 more home guards, said an official statement.

Delhi government gives service or manpower contract for various purposes to contractors who do the hiring of workers. When the contract period gets over or the contractor is changed, fresh manpower is hired and those working earlier are removed, it said.

"This causes huge miseries to these poor people. The Delhi Cabinet resolved that henceforth the new contractor shall keep a minimum of 80 per cent of earlier manpower," said the statement.

If a new contractor, however, plans to reduce the manpower due to mechanization or any other reasons, then he will accommodate at least 80 per cent of the new strength from existing manpower, it said.

The provision of retaining 80 per cent of the previous contract workers will also stop the reported allegations that contractors take money for re-hiring previous workers, the statement added.

The Cabinet also decided to amend Home Guards Rules, 2008, to increase disengagement age of home guards to 60 years.

The Home Guards are a body of volunteers, who are assigned duties related with protection of persons, security of property and public safety, from time to time.

There is a sanctioned strength of 10,285 posts of Home Guards but their existing number is 4390 only. They function under the supervision and control of Director General (Home Guards).