Chandigarh MC sacks outsourced staff aged 60 and above to rationalise manpower

Chandigarh MC will sack outsourced employees aged 60+ to cut costs amid a financial crisis, starting with four from the health office.

To rationalise manpower and reduce expenditure amid the ongoing financial crisis, the Chandigarh municipal corporation (MC) on Tuesday decided to sack outsourced employees aged 60 years and above.

The Chandigarh MC chief, in an earlier order, had barred the civic body from hiring or replacing any employees without prior approval from his office. (HT File)

Four employees from the medical office of health (MOH) wing have already been removed, and MC has directed manpower hiring firms to remove all such employees from services with immediate effect. Orders for sacking 16 more employees from the MOH wing have also been released.

“It has come to fore that certain employees are working in the MC on an outsourced basis after attaining the age of 60. All branch/wing heads are directed to ensure that no such employee continues in service. If, at a later stage, any such employee is found working, the responsibility will be of the officer in-charge concerned,” the official order from municipal commissioner Amit Kumar read.

“We are rationalising MC’s manpower and action will be taken on various criteria, like absentees, over aged and others,” said Kumar, adding that these employees will not be replaced by new ones.

The MC chief, in an earlier order, had barred the MC from hiring or replacing any employees without prior approval from his office.

The MC’s total staff strength increased from 8,587 employees in 2023-24 to 9748 employees in 2024-25, with 1,161 new employees hired in just seven months. The corporation spent ₹493 crore till September 30, with ₹145 crore going towards regular staff salaries and ₹147 crore towards contractual staff salaries.