Avtar Bhat
JAMMU, Mar 24: About 600 retired employees of disinvested J&K Cements Limited are running from pillar to post for justice since 2021 as the Department of Industries and Commerce (I&C) failed to pay them their retirement dues till date amounting to Rs 184 crore.
According to sources, 600 employees of J&K Cements have not been paid their retirement benefits partially from 2006 to 2017 and fully from year 2018 after the Government decided disinvestment of loss making JK Cements. Since then the hapless employees are making rounds of the offices in Civil Secretariat both at Jammu and Srinagar and other concerned offices for justice but to no avail, they added.
Sources said out of 600 hapless retired employees, 120 who had served the organization for over 30 long years passed away in last some years without getting the retirement benefits during their lifetime as the higher ups in the Government failed to settle their issue which is still hanging in balance.
These retired employees have a horrible tale to tell as some of them in their old age are unable to even manage the expenses of life saving medicines or perform the marriage ceremonies of their grown up children, sources said adding that some of the families are at the verge of starvation as they have no other source of income.
Sources said that J&K Cements has a liability at an average of Rs 40 lakh towards each retired employee which varies from Rs 10 lakh to Rs 90 lakh per employee and the Government has so far not taken any concrete decision in paying the liabilities to the retired employees.
The retired employees during last three years met all concerned officers but except placing file from one office to another office and getting the verbal assurances noting substantial materialized, sources said, adding there is a brewing resentment among the retired employees and their dependents on the rigidity of authorities as all hopes of retired employees of getting justice have dashed to ground.
The representatives of JK Cements Retired Employees Association said that no concrete reply is given by any officer in Civil Secretariat. “Our fate is hanging in balance as one office refers our file to another office. The Department of Industries and Commerce asked for approaching Finance Department while Finance Department is buying time to seek report and this process we have seen continuously for last three years,” said Mohammed Yousf Bhat and Kamal Handoo, the representatives of the Association.
They said the decision was taken by the State Administrative Council (SAC) in October 2021 to close J&K Cements and in service employees of the Corporation were rehabilitated and adjusted in other Government departments but no rehabilitation measures were taken in respect of retired and retiring employees and their retirement benefits are still unpaid to them.
In its recent representations to Chief Secretary, Principal Secretary to Government Finance Department, Commissioner Secretary, Industries and Commerce, MD, JK Cements, the Association prayed for justice demanding the payment of their dues which some employees have not been paid since 2006 to 20017 and others since 2018.
The Association said that under disinvestment of JK Cements the Global tenders were called an year ago but it being a lengthy process, the case is getting delayed on one pretext or other with the result the retired employees have been pushed to wall to face a miserable life. The Association representatives said that they are unable to make their both ends meet due to economic crisis and some families are at the verge of starvation while others are not in a position to perform the marriage ceremonies of their children especially the grown up daughters.
The Association said there is Rs 184 crore liability of retired employees and in order to provide a succor to them they pleaded before the Government to release at least Rs 25 crore to J&K Cements against the disinvestment proceeds of the company to meet survival expenses of the retired employees which can bring some relief to them.
Chief Secretary, J&K, Atal Dulloo when contacted informed Excelsior that he has taken up the issue with concerned Commissioner Secretary Industries and Commerce and some solution to the issue will be worked out soon.
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