Rajasthan: Gehlot-led Govt approves rules aimed at regularising contractual workers

A significant move that has come as a Diwali gift for contractual workers, the Rajasthan Government is going to implement a rule to regularise the contractual staff.

Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot on October 22 approved a proposal to implement the 'Rajasthan Contractual Hiring to Civil Post Rules, 2022' that aims at regularising contractual workers engaged in various departments of the state.

According to a statement issued by the CMO, the step will benefit more than 1.10 lakh contract workers. The State Government said that the decision would bring light to the lives of these contract workers on the occasion of Diwali.

A government official said that the contract workers have continued to play a crucial role in the implementation of various welfare and social security schemes of the central as well as the state government but their social security was not taken care of. Pointing out that many states have not even increased their honorarium, and said that the decision by the Gehlot-led Rajasthan Government will ensure the social security of more than 1.10 lakh contractual workers in the state.

As per the official, the implementation of the Rajasthan Contractual Hiring to Civil Post Rules, 2022 will bring transparency in the recruitment of these workers considering their reservation quota.

In the coming years, the contractual workers will get confirmation after completing five years of work if the posts are regularazied. They can also be made permanent after a screening process.

The contractual workers will be provided with old pension benefits by the state government after becoming regular.

CM Gehlot announced the creation of a department-specific cadre of contract workers in the budget for 2021-22, as well as a 20% increase in their honorarium in the budget for 2022-23.