Tasavur Mushtaq
Accusing government of being unresponsive to their demands, employees are on war path again. The fresh round of talks held today in the civil secretariat failed to yield any result as the government sought more time to take final decision.
The meeting was held between representative body of employees, Joint Consultative Committee (JCC) leaders and government constituted committee headed by chief secretary Madhav Lal. After hours of deliberations the meeting resulted in fresh tussle. The employee leaders were called by the government today for fresh round of talks, but could not break the ice.
“We were called by the government but we got cold response,” JCC leader Farooq Ahmad Trali told Kashmir Life.
Irked by ‘cold response’ from the government, JCC leaders in a press conference announced employees will protest in all the 22 districts of the state on October 10. The leaders also called for ‘Secretariat Gheraw’ on October 15.
Earlier a seminar was organized by JCC on September 29 at agricultural complex Lalmandi in which October 1st was set as the date for fresh agitation.
While announcing its new protest calendar JCC leader Muhammad Khursheed Aalam said, “state political leadership and not the bureaucracy is a hindrance in the way of accepting the demands of employees.”
“After protest on October 10, employees in all the districts will submit memorandum to their respective Deputy Commissioners,” said Farooq.
Earlier on September 15, 2011 the government committee, represented by chief secretary and political advisor to Chief Minister Davender Singh Rana, reached an agreement with JCC that till March 31, 2012 the government will come up with the decision. With no response from the government, the JCC revived the strike from May,2012 to which government intervened and the next agreement took place on July 8,2012 in which it was decided that till September 30, 2012 government will take the final decision.
Chief secretary Madhav Lal and secretary General Administration Department (GAD) Sheikh Mushtaq represented government in the meeting and JCC was represented by Abdul Qayoom Wani, Muhammad Khursheed Alam, Abdul Gafoor Dar, Farooq Ahmad Trali, Ganesh Kajuria and other two dozen employee leaders.
Jammu and Kashmir has around 4.5 lakh government employees who are agitating for enhancement in their retirement age from the existing 58 to 60 years, regularization of ad-hoc and daily wage employees, removal of pay anomalies and increase in the emoluments of Anganwadi workers.
Giving details of the meeting, Trali told Kashmir Life that the representatives of the government briefed JCC leaders that enhancement of retirement age is being taken first by the government and the date for its decision is set to be October 11.
“They have told us that on October 11, they will take final decision regarding enhancement of retirement age from 58 to 60 as the government has submitted report to cabinet sub committee headed by Finance minister Abdul Rahim Rather,” Trali told Kashmir Life.
About regularization, the JCC leaders were told that complete information has not been received from all the departments and as and when it is done, decision about this and pay anomalies will be taken.
When asked if the government takes issues one by one, Farooq said that the decision will be taken in the meeting of JCC.
“If they decide to meet demands one by one or say two out of three, the final decision will be taken by JCC.”
Not satisfied about the developments taking place and terming approach of government only to buy time, a senior employee of state government wishing anonymity said, “Sirf Tareekh pe Tareekh ( only dates after dates we are given), there is not going to come out anything out of all this.”
