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The Department of Women and Child Development (WCD) in Haryana has passed a diktat to enforce “decent” office dressing for its staff. According to a report in The Tribune newspaper, the department has banned staff from wearing jeans and T-shirts, which it described as indecent. The directive was issued a fortnight back and circulated to field staff last week by a superintendent of the department on the orders of Renu S Phulia, the head of the Department of Women and Child Development, who is now the Deputy Commissioner of Karnal. Employees deployed under the Integrated Child Development Scheme (ICDS) and the Integrated Child Protection Scheme (ICPS) have been particularly targetted, being asked to wear decent clothes like “saree/salwar kameez with dupatta” for women and a pant-shirt combination for men." The Tribune quoted the circular, as saying that "some officers and officials were coming to the office in jeans, T-shirts and western dresses, which was in contravention of government rules”. It warned that failure to comply with the orders would be “viewed seriously”. Branch officers have been directed to ensure that officials working under them comply with the orders. The directive has caused resentment among the staff in the field since most of them are women. Staff members termed the new dress code circular as ridiculous. According to The Tribune, Phulia could not be contacted for comments despite repeated attempts. Messages left with her staff at the Deputy Commissioner's office, her guesthouse and on her mobile failed to elicit any response. Senior officers of the department, as also the minister, were not available for comments, the paper said.

Haryana Govt department bans staff from wearing 'indecent jeans and T-shirts'