Chandigarh, May 13 – The Haryana Government has rolled out a series of amendments to the ‘Deployment of Contractual Persons Policy, 2022,’ signaling a renewed focus on improving service delivery, ensuring timely wage payments, and fostering entrepreneurship among contractual workers. A notification to this effect was issued by Chief Secretary Sh. Anurag Rastogi here today.
The notification states that the revised policy expands its objectives to not only strengthen the delivery of auxiliary and supporting services but also provide quality and skilled manpower to government organizations, private sectors (both in India and abroad), and encourage self-employment through entrepreneurship. This broader vision reflects the government’s commitment to aligning contractual employment with economic growth and skill development initiatives. The amendments cover various aspects of the policy, from payment timelines to training programmes, age criteria, and compassionate deployment.
Timely Payment of Wages
To ensure financial stability for contractual workers, the policy now mandates that indenting organizations make timely payments to HKRNL for deployed manpower. If wages are not disbursed by the 7th of each month, HKRNL reserves the right to withdraw the deployed workforce. Additionally, organizations must comply with GST and Income Tax Act, 1961 provisions for Tax Deducted at Source (TDS) when making payments.
Enhanced Training and Entrepreneurship Opportunities
HKRNL will now arrange suitable training and skilling programs for shortlisted candidates to equip them for their assigned roles. Furthermore, the policy encourages entrepreneurship by linking registered candidates with state and central government-sponsored entrepreneurship programs, fostering self-employment and economic independence.
Age Criteria for Deployment
The revised policy introduces clear age criteria for contractual engagement to ensure consistency and fairness in deployment. The minimum age for eligibility has been set at 18 years, allowing young individuals to enter the workforce. The upper age limit for initial engagement is fixed at 42 years, with applicable relaxations for candidates belonging to reserved categories, as per existing government instructions. Additionally, the policy specifies the maximum age up to which a contractual employee can be retained—60 years for those working in Job Level-I roles, and 58 years for employees in all other job levels. Employment will automatically terminate on the last day of the month in which the individual attains the respective maximum age limit. This framework is intended to balance opportunity with organizational efficiency.
Merit-Based Selection Criteria
The merit-based selection criteria under the revised policy have been streamlined through a well-defined scoring system, with a total of 80 points assigned across key parameters. A major component of the score—up to 40 points—is based on the candidate’s annual family income, with higher scores awarded to those from lower income brackets. Families earning up to ₹1,00,000 annually are eligible for the full 40 points. Age is another determining factor, with candidates aged between 24 and 36 years receiving 10 points, while those aged 36 to 42 years are awarded 5 points. To promote skill enhancement, 5 points are allocated for relevant skill certifications or higher academic qualifications. Additionally, candidates who have cleared the Common Eligibility Test (CET) will receive 10 points. Finally, the policy encourages local employment by giving 10 points to candidates residing in the same or nearby Block or Municipal Corporation where the job is located.
Consent of Candidates
Before recommending any candidate for deployment, HKRNL will obtain the candidate’s consent through SMS or email. If the candidate fails to respond within the stipulated time period, they will face temporary debarment from the merit list. On the first instance of non-response, the candidate will be debarred for one month. A second non-response will result in a three-month debarment, and a third instance will lead to debarment for one year. This mechanism is intended to ensure prompt communication and serious participation by shortlisted candidates in the deployment process.
Reservation Policy
The amended policy aligns the reservation framework with direct recruitment norms, applying both vertical and horizontal reservations at the state level for each job role. If the representation of reserved categories falls below the mandated limit, the backlog will be prioritized in the following year’s indents. In the absence of suitable reserved category candidates, merit-based candidates from other categories may be deployed.
Compassionate Deployment and Financial Assistance
In the unfortunate event of a contractual worker’s death during service, their family is entitled to choose between two forms of assistance. The first option is compassionate financial assistance, which involves a one-time payment of ₹3,00,000 to the family. Alternatively, the family can opt for compassionate appointment, which allows for the deployment of a family member to a job role that is equivalent to or lower than the position held by the deceased worker. Additionally, up to 10% of requisitions in a calendar year may be filled on a compassionate basis in urgent situations, provided the request is verified and approved by the Chief Secretary.
Deployment to Private Sector
The policy now allows HKRNL to deploy manpower to private sector organizations in India and abroad, with terms and conditions to be mutually agreed upon between HKRNL and the organizations.
Re-Deployment and Job Role Changes
Candidates who resign voluntarily or whose contracts end due to regular appointments can be considered for re-deployment on a merit basis. However, those terminated for misconduct or poor performance are ineligible for future deployment. Contractual employees in Level-I roles can apply for higher job roles if they meet the eligibility criteria, with their applications evaluated on merit.
Pre-Departure Orientation
HKRNL will provide pre-departure orientation training in soft skills and specific job roles to ensure candidates are well-prepared before joining indenting organizations.
