HP Govt may give further extensions to staffers: CM

Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh today informed the Assembly that the one-year extension given to employees last year would end on March 31 but the government might continue to exercise its options to give furthers extensions selectively.
The government might continue to exercise its options to give furthers extensions to employees under Section 56(d) of the Central Civil Services Rules on selective basis, he said.
Replying to a question of BJP members Rajiv Bindal and Mohinder Singh, the Chief Minister informed that successive governments in the state had been giving extensions and as many as 1,616 employees of government departments, boards and corporations were given extension and re-employment from August 16, 2013 to October 31, 2014.

The total expenditure incurred on salary and allowances was over Rs 6.94 crore, he added.
A total of 274 staffers got extension in Primary Education Department, followed by 237 in Public Works Department, 209 in State Electricity Board, 171 in Irrigation and Public Health, 73 in Higher Education, and 52 in Ayurveda Department.
The Chief Minister said 209 employees given extension in HPSEB were field workers and the extensions were need-based.

Mohinder Singh wanted to know that whether the employees given extension were extra capable or the employees in the line up for promotions were less competent.
Industries Minister Mukesh Agnihotri informed MLA Kuldeep Kumar of Congress that 403 industrial projects involving investment of Rs 23,775 crore and employment potential for 1,04,875 persons were approved by the Single Window Clearance Authority between 2008 and 2012 during the BJP rule.

In comparison, 179 projects with proposed investment of Rs 10,135 crore and employment potential for 19,057 persons were cleared the Single Window Authority from January 1, 2013 to February 15, 2015, he said in a written reply.