E-Paper
Redundant vacant posts being abolished, BJP trying to mislead people: CM Sukhu
Chief minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu accused the BJP of misleading people with “false propaganda”, while clarifying that “only non-essential positions that have been vacant for over two years are being redesignated.”
A notification regarding abolition of posts lying vacant for several years has once again started war of words between the Congress government and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
Chief minister (CM) Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu accused the BJP of misleading people with “false propaganda”, while clarifying that “only non-essential positions that have been vacant for over two years are being redesignated.”
Meanwhile, during a press conference in Shimla on Saturday, former CM and Leader of Opposition Jai Ram Thakur launched a scathing attack on the Congress government. He said, “The Congress government is taking decisions without thinking. The government first notifies, then withdraws it.”
Speaking to journalists after returning from Delhi on Saturday, Sukhu said, “The notification, issued by the finance department, was misinterpreted, leading to public unrest. We are prioritising filling essential and functional positions, while phasing out posts that have been left vacant and are no longer relevant to current departmental needs.”
He said, “There are many such posts in various departments of the government, which are not functional for many years. The designation of those posts is being changed on the basis of current requirements.”
The CM emphasised that obsolete roles, such as typists, which are no longer needed due to technological advancements, will be replaced by more relevant positions like clerks and junior office assistants (IT). Additionally, each department has been asked to identify essential roles that will be prioritised in the upcoming 2025-26 budget to ensure a more efficient allocation of resources.
Terming the move “not unprecedented”, Sukhu said, “Similar actions were taken by previous administrations, including during the BJP-led government under former chief minister Prem Kumar Dhumal in 2012. Freezing or abolishing outdated posts is a routine administrative procedure and should not be viewed as unique.”
Meanwhile, the Leader of Opposition said the government was making hasty decisions without thorough planning.
“It appears that only two people in the state have all the knowledge— the chief minister and deputy CM. We, in the Opposition, are constantly dismissed. I have raised these issues multiple times in the Vidhan Sabha, but the chief minister continues to act as if no one else understands,” added Thakur.
The CM said the present state government has created 2,511 posts in the various departments and 16,592 posts are being filled. The process of filling many posts, including a total of 19,103 posts is underway.
