DW BUREAU
Outsourced employees of the Himachal Pradesh health department whose services were terminated on September 30 last year will be given priority for jobs in the future given their experience and services during the COVID-19 pandemic, CM Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu said on Tuesday.

Replying to a question by BJP MLA Rakesh Jamwal in the assembly, Sukhu said that the previous BJP government hired outsourced employees without making any recruitment and promotion rules.

The chief minister said his government had earlier given them extensions and also released payments amounting to Rs 3.5 crore on account of pending salaries.

He said that 1,916 outsourced employees -- 641 in the health department and 1,275 in the medical education and research department -- rendered their services till September 30, 2023.

Leader of Oppn Jai Ram Thakur said there was no time to frame rules for their recruitment as saving lives was more important during the COVID-19 pandemic and asked the chief minister to at least release their salaries. The state government has notified the HP Miscellaneous Adventure Activities (Amendment) Rules, 2021, HP Aero Sports Rules, 2022, HP Water Sports and Allied Activities Rules, 2021 and River Rafting Rules, 2005, to promote adventure activities in the state, the chief minister said in a written reply to a question by Congress MLA Chaitanya Sharma.

The department of tourism and civil aviation has given sponsorships to organise the Accuracy Paragliding Pre-World Cup 2023 in Bir Billing, the Asian Rafting Championship in Hamirpur and the Junga Flying Festival in Shimla among others, he added.
(editor@dailyworld.in)