Issuing its transfer policy for the year 2015-16, the Punjab Government on Wednesday made it clear that the transfers would be kept to the barest minimum, besides, it would be made only against the vacant post except where the transfers were justified on administrative or compassionate grounds. The Government, in its guidelines for the general postings and transfers of officers and officials of the Government in the State, stated that the transfers would be done from June 1 to 30 June, this year. Giving details of the broad guidelines to be adopted for the transfers, the spokesperson said: “As per the policy, transfers would be kept to the barest minimum and would be made against the vacant post except where the transfers were justified on administrative or compassionate grounds.”
“The employees, whether gazetted or non-gazetted due to retire within next two years, would be allowed to continue in the same district or at the same station of postings till retirement as far as possible,” he said. In couple cases, where husband and wife both were serving the government, it was desirable to keep them at one station for a period of not more than five years, thereafter they would be transferred as per the policy.
Even in the cases where the wife was in government service and the husband was working in private undertaking, the same attitude would be adopted, said the spokesperson. The policy clarified that efforts would be made to post unmarried girls and widows at stations suitable to them as far as possible. “Unmarried girls and widows would be given preference over couple cases in the matter of posting and transfers at stations convenient to them,” he said.
Spokesperson said that to mitigate the suffering of handicapped and blind employees, the state government would be considerate in posting and transferring them. “Sympathetic attitude would be adopted while posting or transferring a government employee or officers whose child was mentally challenged and efforts would be made to post them at the place of their choice,” he said. The policy further stated that a stay of three years and five years would be treated, respectively, as the minimum and maximum period at a particular place.
“Similarly, for employees transferable within the state particularly Group ‘A’ and Group ‘B’ officers, no employee would be allowed to serve in one district beyond a period of seven years in his center service, within particular office, seats having sensitive nature of work such as extensive public dealings, establishment, monetary sanctions etc would be clearly defined and maximum stay would be kept at two years,” read the guidelines.
Premature transfers — transfer of any employee before he has completed minimum three years — would not be ordered except under rare circumstances of punishment or clearly spelt out administrative reasons, the spokesperson clarified. The employees or officers who were posted in the border areas, Bet or Kandi areas would remain there for a minimum period of two years, he added.