SKM govt allows selected candidates to join under OFOJ scheme

The Sikkim Krantikari Morcha (SKM) government Wednesday allowed all the candidates selected to join jobs under the 'One Family, One Job' (OFOJ) Scheme which was implemented by the previous Sikkim Democratic Front (SDF) government.

"All concerned secretaries are informed hereby that it has been decided to accept the joining of all the candidates appointed under the One Family, One Job scheme who had reported for duty during the enforcement of Model Code of Conduct," a circular issued by the Chief Secretary A K Srivastava said.

Maintaining that the new government will review all appointments made under the OFOJ scheme which the SKM had promised in its election manifesto, he directed all secretaries to accept the joining of the candidates who had reported for duty on or before May 31, 2019, as an interim measure, subject to thorough review of their appointment by the District-Level Committee.

Earlier on May 31, 2019, the Department of Personnel, Administrative Reforms, Training and Public Grievances, had issued a circular asking all secretaries to withhold or cancel the joining of all the candidates under OFOJ scheme along with those candidates appointed on temporary basis (Muster roll, Adhoc, Contract, Workcharged etc,) who had reported for duty after the enforcement of the Model Code of Conduct on March 8, 2019.

The P S Golay government had threatened to penalise under the established norms of the Election Commission of India for allowing the candidates to report for duty during the duration of Model Code of Conduct in Sikkim.

The latest circular on allowing all appointees to join duty under the OFOJ scheme is seen as a big climb down by the Golay government amid protest by the new recruits and their kins against any move to scrap their appointment and prevent them from joining duties on whatever pretext.

The Pawan Kumar Chamling government at the fag end of its term late last year had mooted the OFOJ scheme proposing to give 20,000 jobs to the youths under the scheme.

The previous government had also started issuing appointment letters to the beneficiaries under the OFOJ scheme, but somehow failed to complete the process.