Srinagar: A top employees’ body in Jammu and Kashmir has urged the Omar Abdullah-led government to address the concerns and grievances of employees “on priority”, including reviewing the cases of “unjust and unilateral” terminations done in the last five years.
The Employees Joint Consultative Committee (EJCC), J&K, an amalgam of 4.5 lakh employees and workers, said at a press conference in Srinagar that the employees’ demands need urgent attention and resolution by the new Government.
“Although we know the new Government does not have a magic wand (to resolve all issues), they must initiate the process to implement its election promises on priority,” said Aijaz Ahmad, president EJCC.
“In the last five years, many employees were terminated from service. It was a unilateral action. The terminated employees were not given a chance to defend themselves. We urge the Chief Minister to reinstate the terminated employees on priority,” Khan said, assuring that the new Government had support of 4.5 lakh employees on its back.
Khan said the EJCC was not supporting any anti-national element but “we know for sure that there were cases of terminations done unjustly, which need to be reviewed on priority.”
The EJCC also demanded regularisation of temporary employees working under various designations in all government departments.
“During Omar Abdullah’s last tenure, a committee was formed under Abdur Rahim Rather, for regularization of casual and temporary employees. The report of the same committee should now be implemented,” said Khan.
The EJCC also demanded restoration of the SRO43 as per its old form, denouncing the changes made in it by the previous administration.
“We also demand restoration of the Old Pension Scheme in J&K, as was promised by the Chief Minister in Jammu recently,” Khan said.
The EJCC said it would shortly submit a memorandum to the Chief Minister and his Cabinet colleagues about their demands.
Meanwhile, the employees’ body also thanked the Centre, ECI, J&K LG, J&K CEO, civil and police administration for ensuring conduct of free and fair assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir, which paved a way for the election of a popular government in the UT after a gap of 10 years.
The Association also strongly condemned the Gagangeer terror attack, and urged the Government to provide Rs 10 lakh ex-gratia to each victim, while making efforts to ensure that “no such attacks take place in future.”
