THE Punjab government has taken a bold decision by keeping the retirement age for its employees at 58 instead of raising it to 60 years. Though it runs contrary to its electoral promise, the decision would be welcomed by the youth. Over 18,000 employees, who would have benefited immediately from the enhanced retirement age, would, however, be disappointed. Had the government decided to raise the age of retirement, it would have, in the short-term, deferred payments to the tune of Rs 700 core this year and another Rs 762 crore during 2011-2012. However, in the long-term, it would have had serious financial implications for the state. The government would have had to pay two increments to employees who are already in the top bracket of their salaries. The burden of the government would also have increased because of a rise in the employees’ pension and other emoluments over a period of two to three decades. For those attaining the age of 58, extension of service by two years could be described as a bonus. But this was, certainly, not in the state’s financial interest. It would have adversely affected the prospects of Punjab’s youth as well. The government’s refusal to buckle under pressure and decision to enhance the maximum age for recruitment from 35 to 37 years will help check, albeit marginally, the acute unemployment problem in the state. Significantly, 70,000 youth have applied for over a thousand vacancies of Food and Supply Inspectors. For about 600 posts of Excise and Taxation Inspectors, the government received as many as 30,000 applications from candidates that included MBAs, PhDs and scientists. While the decision on retirement is expected to help the unemployed youth most, it is debatable whether the new recruits will help improve the quality of governance. Infusing fresh blood is welcome. At the same time, the government needs to save money by trimming the bloated bureaucracy and checking public spending and leakage of funds.
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