Retired ‘blue-eyed’ officers to return without Cabinet nod

Despite Haryana facing one of the highest unemployment rates in the country, the Nayab Singh Saini-led government has decided to fast-track the re-employment of select retired government employees, often referred to as “blue-eyed” staffers. The Chief Minister has now been given sole authority to approve these reappointments, bypassing the earlier requirement of Council of Ministers’ approval.

Pick-and-choose policy

This is a purely pick-and-choose policy to adjust the government’s blue-eyed employees. When the BJP came to power in 2014, it reversed the Congress decision to raise the retirement age from 58 to 60. Now, it is re-employing retired staff, thereby blocking employment opportunities for thousands of youth. — Subhash Lamba, president, all-india state government employees federation

The Human Resources Department formally communicated the change —approved at a Cabinet meeting last month — to all Administrative Secretaries, Heads of Departments, and Deputy Commissioners today.

As per Rule 143 of the Haryana Civil Services (General) Rules, 2016, departments are permitted to re-employ retired government employees in “public interest and exceptional circumstances,” initially for two years, subject to approval by the Cabinet. However, this new move shifts that authority entirely to the CM, raising concerns over transparency and fairness.

While these appointments are supposedly made in the public interest, many critics argue that the policy has primarily benefited a handful of influential retirees, allowing them to secure plum posts for years post-retirement.

“This is a purely pick-and-choose policy to adjust the government’s blue-eyed employees,” alleged Subhash Lamba, president of the All-India State Government Employees Federation. “When the BJP came to power in 2014, it reversed the Congress decision to raise the retirement age from 58 to 60. Now, it is re-employing retired staff, thereby blocking employment opportunities for thousands of youth,” he said, demanding that the decision be rolled back.

The move comes amid conflicting claims about the state’s unemployment figures. While CM Saini recently told the Assembly that Haryana’s unemployment rate was 4.7% as per NSO’s PLFS report, data from the Centre for Monitoring Indian Economy (CMIE) places it at a staggering 37.4%.

The decision has sparked political and social debate, especially in a state where lakhs of educated youth are struggling for government jobs.

Haryana Tribune