The Punjab Government today issued guidelines for posting and transfer of officers and officials of the government during 2016-17.
An official spokesman said transfers would be kept to the bare minimum and made against vacant posts except where justified on administrative or compassionate grounds.
It would be done up to 31st May, 2016.
For the cases where husband and wife both are serving in the government, the spokesman said, "It is desirable to keep them at one station for a period of not more than five years, thereafter they would be transferred as per the policy."
Even in the cases where the wife is in government service and the husband in private, the same policy would be adopted.
However, efforts would be made to post unmarried female employees and widows at stations suitable to them as far as possible and they would be given preference over couples.
He said the state government would be "sympathetic" in deciding on posting and transfer of handicapped employees and those who have mentally-challenged children.
"Sympathetic attitude would be adopted while posting or transferring a government employee or officer whose child is mentally-challenged and efforts would be made to post them at the place of their choice," he said.
A stay of three years and five years would be treated respectively as the minimum and maximum period at a particular place, he said.
Similarly employees transferable within the state, particularly Group 'A' and 'B' officers, would not be allowed to serve in their current postings beyond a period of seven years, he said.
Within a particular office, seats having "sensitive" nature of work like extensive public dealing, establishment, monetary sanctions, would be clearly defined and maximum stay would be kept at two years, he said.
Premature transfers - transfer before an employee completes three years - would not be ordered except under "rare circumstances" of punishment or clearly spelt out administrative reasons, the spokesman said.
The employees or officers posted in the border areas, bet areas - near river and canal - and Kandi (sub-mountainous) areas would remain there for a minimum of two years, he added.
