The Himachal Pradesh government has approved key amendments to the existing Compassionate Employment Policy with a humanitarian and inclusive approach to support dependents of deceased government servants.
As per the revised policy, the annual income eligibility criterion per family has been increased from Rs 2.50 lakh to Rs. 3 lakh. This enhancement is expected to broaden the coverage of the policy and bring more families under its ambit.
Further, in a move to prioritise the most vulnerable, widows and parentless applicants below 45 years of age, as well as dependents of government employees who died while performing their official duties, will be given preference for appointments under the compassionate grounds.
To ensure that deserving candidates are not deprived of opportunities due to limitations in the existing quota, the State Cabinet has also approved a one-time relaxation in the 5 percent ceiling on compassionate appointments, wherever required.
“The widows, especially those below 45 years of age, often bear the sudden and sole responsibility of managing their families after the untimely demise of their spouses. In such distressing circumstances, they are in urgent need of both moral and financial support to provide for their children’s education and to care for elderly family members. This policy revision seeks to offer them timely assistance and stability,” said a government spokesman.
The Compassionate Employment Policy was originally framed on 18th January 1990, with the aim of providing employment to one dependent of a government servant who dies in service, including in cases of suicide, leaving the family in indigent circumstances.
As per the policy, compassionate appointments are extended to the widow, son, or unmarried daughter of the deceased employee. In the case of an unmarried deceased employee, the benefit is extended to the father, mother, brother or unmarried sister, he added.
To comprehensively review and recommend changes to the policy, a Cabinet Sub-Committee was constituted under the chairmanship of Education Minister, Rohit Thakur, with Technical Education Minister Rajesh Dharmani and Ayush Minister Shri Yadvinder Goma as its members.
The committee held four meetings and submitted its detailed recommendations, which have now been accepted by the government. These amendments are expected to make the Compassionate Appointment Policy more responsive to the needs of bereaved families and enhance the state’s commitment to social and employee welfare.
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