Prisons Dept promotions in a month, says minister

Aman Sood

Tribune News Service

Patiala, September 25

After a delay of up to 10 years, staff of the state Prisons Department will finally be getting promotions. Jails Minister Sukhjinder Randhawa has told the officials concerned to speed up the preparation of lists of eligible staffers and complete their personnel files.

The move comes after some officials on various ranks briefed the minister about the delay in promotions due to “internal politics”.

Insiders confirm that due to lack of promotions, at least 11 of 16 directly recruited deputy superintendents left their jobs within two years. One such officer said: “I was shocked to see that some officials had been waiting for promotion for over 10 years.”

Documents suggest that the last departmental promotions committee (DPC) meeting was held way back in 2013-14 as against the rules that it should be held annually to clear promotions, many of which are time-bound. Hundreds of officers in the rank of warders, head warders, assistant superintendents, deputy superintendents, superintendents and even DIG-rank officials are awaiting promotions for the past many years.

As per rules, the promotion of officials in the category of assistant superintendents is time-bound. They have to be promoted to the next scale after five years of service. However in the present state of affairs, many of them are awaiting promotion since 2010.

Besides, there are four posts of DIG-level officers in the department and two are vacant for the past over two years due to delay in promotions. Randhawa said: “I was apprised by the staff that their promotions are overdue and even the DPC meetings to clear the names of officers fit for promotion are not held. I have ordered the ADGP to prepare the list and complete the files of eligible staffers.”

Sources say that the morale of jail staffers is low as promotions are rare, while suspensions and chargesgheets are regular.

Randhawa said: “The jail officials are working under tough conditions. If I can suspend them for wrongdoings, I should also ensure that they get their due. We will clear the backlog of promotions in a month.”