Lucknow, Oct 15 : In a heartwarming gesture, the Uttar Pradesh government has decided to hold farewell and felicitation functions for all its officers and employees at a special programme to be organised on the last working day of the month of their retirement.
The retiring employees will be given mementoes and a One District One Product (ODOP) stole. The government will also ensure that all the dues of those retiring persons are cleared well before they bid adieu to the government which they served for years.
The superannuating staff will also be requested to travel down memory lane and share experiences that could inspire colleagues and others.
This is for the first time that directives have been issued for showing due courtesy and respect to retiring officers and employees as they say goodbye.
“I have been asked to say that farewell and felicitation functions should be organised on the last working day of every month for all categories of officers/employees at the offices of heads of department, public sector undertakings, commissions and institutions. In addition to this, respective heads of department, divisional commissioners and district magistrates should ensure that their retirement dues- PPO (pension payment order, gratuity and computation), leave encashment. group insurance payment and 90 per cent of government provident fund is paid at the same function as per rules.
” Keeping in view the long service period of retiring officer/employee, they should be given a memento and ‘angvastram’ (stole) of ODOP and their experiences should be shared to inspire others,” said Chief Secretary Durga Shankar Mishra in an order sent to all the departmental heads, district magistrates and others on October 13.
Mishra said the state government had come to know that the payment of dues of retiring officers and employees was being delayed despite simplification of the procedure.
“It has come to the state government’s notice that payment of retirement dues is being delayed at district and head of department level offices though the state finance department simplified the procedure for payment of dues,” he said.
Leaders of various serving and retired employees’ unions said the payment of dues in some cases was being delayed for even one or two years despite the state government’s directives for timely payment.
Uttar Pradesh Retired Employees Association senior vice president B.L. Kushwaha said the orders for timely payment of retirement dues were not being implemented effectively. He said the decision to hold a farewell and felicitation function on the day of retirement was a welcome move.
“To show courtesy is a good gesture and will help in timely clearance of the dues,” said Kushwaha. (IANS)