The Member of Parliament from Maenbi-Tsaenkhar constituency in Lhuentse, Choki Gyeltshen, moved the motion to review and regularize consolidated contract employees to regular contract employees at the National Assembly today. With 32 YES votes, the House passed the motion. The speaker said the government will now discuss this with the RCSC and see the possibilities.
According to the Civil Service Rules and Regulations, consolidated contract employees are paid a lump sum amount as salary, house rent, and repatriation benefits pegged to civil servant position levels but are not eligible for annual increment, contract allowance, Provident Fund (PF) and Pension. And regular contract employees are eligible for monthly pay, house rent, and repatriation benefits pegged to civil servant position levels and an additional 30 per cent contract allowance but not PF and pension benefits.
“I recommend that they should get transfer grants because so far no contract employees are allowed to apply for transfer. In addition, I also recommend they should be entitled to extend their medical leave. It has been found that these factors were demotivating contract employees to work hard with dedication,” said Choki Gyeltshen.
MP Choki Gyeltshen said even though the consolidated contract employees were employed to solve short term issues, most of them were serving for more than five years. But as per Civil Service Rules and Regulations 2018, the consolidated contract should be time-bound in the project and the programme.
“Since all consolidated contract employees work as regular employees, I feel that they are underpaid. We hope RCSC looks into this issue during its reforms,” added the MP.
As of today, there are 3,700 consolidated contract employees.
Choni Dema/Karma Wangdi
