Transfer of employees of Government to the Authority

(1) As soon as may be, after the date of abolition of the Punjab Housing Development Board under sub-section (1) of section 148, the State Government may, after consulting the Authority in the prescribed manner, direct by general order that such of the employees serving immediately before the said date in connection with the affairs of the State of Punjab in the Directorate of Housing and Urban Development (hereinafter referred to as the employees of the Directorate) whose assets were transferred to the Punjab Housing Development Board under section 3 of the Punjab Urban Estates (Development and Regulation) Act, 1964 (Punjab Act 22 of 1964) as are specified in such order stand allotted to and serve in connection with the affairs of the Authority with effect from such date as may be specified (hereinafter referred to as the notified date) in such order : Provided that so far as may be possible, (i) no employee shall be transferred to the service of the Authority -(a) unless such employee gives his option in writing for such transfer; and (b) the Authority considers him suitable for such transfer to its service : Provided further that the conditions of service of an employee of the Directorate of Housing and Urban Development, Punjab, transferred to the service of the Authority shall not be varied by the Authority to his disadvantage. (2) Notwithstanding anything contained in sub-section (1), where an employee serving immediately before the date of abolition, of the Punjab Housing Development Board under sub-section (1) of section 148, in connection with the affairs of the State of Punjab in the Directorate of Housing and Urban Development has not given his option for his transfer to the Authority under sub-section (1), if not absorbed in any service or on any post under the Government of Punjab, shall be entitled to such gratuity, provident fund and other retirement benefits as are ordinarily admissible to him under the rules or authorisations of the State Government immediately before the date of abolition of the said Board.