Heading towards the integration of fire services, Haryana Government has decided to resolve late payment issues in fire stations by delegating the powers of Drawing and Disbursing Officer (DDO) to fire officers at district level.
This will put an end to the problem of employees in newly established Fire Service Directorate, said Urban local Bodies-cum-Fire Service Department Minister, Kavita Jain.
The Minister said that Chief Minister Manohar lal has accorded approval to a proposal concerning giving DDO powers to fire station officer (non-gazetted) at district level.
She said that since the formation of the Directorate of Fire Brigade in the State, the Government is constantly working to bring fire services under a roof. There are 89 fire officers and employees working in 19 fire stations in municipalities and 555 in 59 fire stations in market committees in the State.
So far, the maintenance of fire brigade and vehicles was done by the municipalities and the market committees. Due to integration of services, the Government has to bear the expenses pertaining to employees' salaries, firearms vehicles and maintenance of fuel,she said.
In order to strengthen the Directorate, she said that 2779 posts have been created for fire-fighting training centers and various 69 fire stations. After adjusting the fire officers and employees working in the municipalities and market committees, the requisition has been sent to the Haryana Staff Selection Commission and the Haryana Public Service Commission to fill the remaining vacancies through direct recruitment, the Minister said.