Shimla, (UNI) To provide timely relief to families of deceased government employees, the Himachal Pradesh Government, led by Chief Minister Thakur Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu, has approved key amendments to the Compassionate Employment Policy.
The revised policy adopts a more humanitarian and inclusive approach, aimed at addressing long-standing demands and improving support for dependents of deceased government servants.
A government spokesperson said today that under the new policy, the annual income eligibility criterion per family has been raised from Rs. 2.50 lakh to Rs.3 lakh.
This increase is expected to widen the policy’s coverage and benefit a larger number of families facing financial distress after the death of a government employee, he maintained.
In a move to prioritise the most vulnerable, the government has decided to give preference in appointments to widows and parentless applicants below 45 years of age, as well as dependents of employees who died while performing official duties, he added.
The state Cabinet has also approved a one-time relaxation in the five percent ceiling on compassionate appointments to ensure that eligible candidates are not denied due to the quota restriction.
The spokesperson stated that widows, especially those under 45, often shoulder the entire burden of managing the household after the loss of their spouse. In such distressing situations, immediate financial and emotional support becomes critical to ensure the welfare of children and elderly family members. The policy changes aim to provide these families with much-needed stability and assistance, he added.
The Compassionate Employment Policy was initially introduced on January 18, 1990 with the objective of providing government jobs to one dependent of an employee who dies in service, including in cases of suicide, leaving the family in financial hardship.
Under the policy, appointments are extended to the widow, son, or unmarried daughter of the deceased employee. In cases where the deceased was unmarried, the benefit is extended to the father, mother, brother, or unmarried sister.
To review the policy and recommend necessary reforms, the state government had constituted a Cabinet Sub-Committee. The committee was chaired by Education Minister Rohit Thakur, with Technical Education Minister Rajesh Dharmani and Ayush Minister Yadvinder Goma as members.
The committee conducted four meetings and submitted detailed recommendations, which have now been accepted and implemented by the government.
These amendments are aimed at making the Compassionate Employment Policy more responsive to the evolving needs of families in distress and strengthening the state’s commitment to social and employee welfare.
