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Updated: Jun 12, 2019 11:51 IST

The ‘one family one job’ scheme launched by the Pawan Chamling government in Sikkim earlier this year has come under scanner with the new administration cancelling more than 40% of the appointments made under the programme.

The new government headed by P S Golay cancelled more than 8,000 appointments claiming that these were made illegally.

On May 31, the department of personnel ordered cancellation of the appointment of those who joined duty after the model code of conduct came into force on March 10.

Sikkim went for simultaneous assembly and Lok Sabla polls on April 11. Seeking a record sixth term as chief minister, Chamling had rolled out its ‘one family one job’ scheme in January, announcing that the administration will appoint 20,000 people.

In the first phase, almost 12,000 youths were given temporary jobs. Sikkim became a state with every sixth person holding a government job. The state that has 0.62 million population according to the 2011 census has 0.1 million state government employees.

Also read: Sikkim gets new chief minister after 25 years, moves to five-day week

Jacob Khaling, political secretary to chief minister P S Golay, said, “The number of those who were appointed and who joined their duties after the model code of conduct came into force is more than 8,000.”

“The earlier government did not follow recruitment rules, and there are no proper records of who were appointed and on what basis. There are even instances where five members of the same family were recruited, graduates being appointed as peons and class 10 passouts being appointed as lower divisional clerks, and B Tech graduates as sweepers,” added Khaling, who is also the spokesperson of the ruling Sikkim Krantikari Morcha (SKM).

He also said that the government will set up an inquiry committee and verify everything before jobs are given to the deserving youths.

The spokesperson of Sikkim Democratic Front, the main opposition party (of which Chamling is the president), M K Subba said, “We condemn the government’s order to cancel the appointments and demand withdrawal of the order within two weeks. Else we will move court.”

The SDF also staged a demonstration in Gangtok on Monday demanding the cancellation of the government order.

Monthly salaries of the new recruits ranged from Rs 9,000 to Rs 12,000. Though ‘one family one job’ scheme was expected to bring political dividend to the SDF, the SKM won the assembly elections.