New Delhi: The Arvind Kejriwal Government on Wednesday regularised 700 contractual staffers of the Delhi Jal Board. Chief Minister Kejriwal personally administered the regularisation of the employees and even handed certificates to them.
On the occasion Arvind Kejriwal talked about how the Delhi Government was going against the nationwide trend of decreasing permanent employees and said, “Today is a very special day for all of us. Ever since the Aam Aadmi Party formed its government in Delhi back in 2015 – in these past seven years, we have made a lot of progress across all sectors be it education, healthcare, electricity, water, and many more. And our work is now being praised all over the world. I believe the step that we are going to take today is going to be historic. I have been informed that never has any of the past Delhi Governments regularised contractual workers on such a large scale. This is the first time that such mass regularisation has taken place in the entire country. Our nation is headed in the opposite direction where the number of regular employees is decreasing, and the number of non-regular employees is increasing.”
The CM went on to talk about the debate on privatisation of government agencies and how employees are made to face the brunt of it. He said “When our government was formed in Delhi, the condition of government schools was extremely poor. The entire country was of the opinion that government schools should be shut. It was believed that privatisation should be brought in for schools, handing them over to corporate giants, since the government was incapable of running good schools. Similar was the country’s stance on healthcare, where they believed that private hospitals are better. People all over the country held a prevailing notion that the government is incompetent in running hospitals effectively, and hence they should be shut or privatised. However, we came into power and proved that if the government is strong willed and honest, it can run both schools and hospitals successfully and efficiently. If a government fails to deliver the bare minimum, which is running schools and hospitals, then it should resign. Such a government does not deserve to be in power. Another major public opinion which caused a stir was that once employees are regularised, they do not work as hard anymore – that they become complacent and lazy. This was the reason people cited against the idea of regularising workers, given the non-regular workers have a sword hanging over their heads.”
Talking about the mettle of government employees and their image in the society, he said, “We transformed the schools in Delhi and brought about a revolution in the field of education. The progress that has taken place in the education sector was not done by us, but by the excellent government school teachers and headmasters. They are all government employees who have worked wonders in order to reform our government schools. Government hospitals too were remodelled and equipped with the latest facilities, all thanks to the hard work done by government doctors and nurses. So to say that ‘government employees do not work’ is a baseless hoax. If we work hand in hand with the government employees, address and solve their problems, then no one would work as hard as them. I have worked in both the private and the government sector – but the way we witnessed how Satya Gopal Ji and Udit Prakash Ji worked 24 hours a day during the overwhelming coronavirus waves was truly commendable. I have never seen such arduous dedication in any private company. So today, we must dispel this myth that government employees, once regularised, do not work.”
The CM further discussed the state of contractual employees and stated, “Today, 700 of Delhi Jal Board’s workers are being regularised. I can wholeheartedly declare to the world that these 700 employees, once regularised, will work twice as hard as they did before. This is because they have been given a sense of security, which encourages them to work diligently. Earlier, as a contractual employee they lived with the uncertainty of not having a secure job – they considered shifting jobs to other sectors with more certainty. Now that they have been regularised, their unsettled mind will be at ease, and at least they won’t have to be on the lookout for another job, due to which they’ll perform better. So I am elated that you all are being regularised today. I hope and pray with all my heart that such regularisation takes place in every department of the Delhi Government.”
He continued, “However, as most of you are aware, the power and control that the Delhi Government can exercise is very limited. The Central Government has the final word over the state government. We were able to regularise you because Delhi Jal Board is an autonomous body with its own separate board calling the shots, and there is no interference from the Centre. We will make consistent efforts and negotiate with the Central Government to ensure more employees in other Delhi Government departments are regularised. Today is an instrumental day which proves that the Delhi Government not only works for the public but also takes great care of its employees.”
He concluded, “A major step has been taken today in the Jal Board, the demand for which will echo all over the country. People will believe that if it was done in Delhi, it must be done in their states as well. Hence, other state governments will be compelled to follow the footsteps of the Delhi Government. The myth that regular workers slack will also have to be dismissed. You have to deliver well on your duties and prove to those who spread such misleading information. I sincerely congratulate all employees and hope that you and your families are happy and healthy.”
The CM also took to Twitter to share the news and said, “Another promise fulfilled today. 700 contractual employees of the Delhi Jal Board were regularised today. I distributed their permanent job certificates myself and saw how happy they were. A longstanding dream of these employees has been realised. I wish the best to all of them.”
