Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, July 10: All J&K Diploma Engineers Association has alleged stagnation in promotions and bias approach towards the diploma holders while according benefits by Government.
Talking to media-persons here today, Upinder Singh, president of the Association said that minimum three promotions to the Diploma holders are mandatory as per standing rules but over 80 percent of the diploma engineers who joined services as Junior Engineers are retiring at the same post. Serving Government departments even for over 30 years, no promotion avenues are being provided to them.
Mr Singh pointed out that 20 % promotion quota has been sanctioned by the Government to the Diploma holders but they are deprived of their full quota. Despite exerting pressure on the higher officials, the cadre is facing discrimination at all level. Even the grade of Diploma JEs has not been upgraded inspite of several representations.
He also demanded restoration of entry level grade with pay grade from Rs 4200 to Rs 4260 and restoration of recruitment in the ratio of 3:1.
General secretary, Vijay Sharma alleged that for the last over three decades the Government is providing Rs 30 per month as TA to the JEs for field visits which is a cruel joke with them. He said either the Government should withdraw this TA as Re 1 per day as TA is humiliating for the cadre, or hike it to Rs 5000 per month. He said with the attitude of the higher authorities and neglect of the issues of the cadre, strong resentment is brewing among the diploma holders. He said a Patwari through promotion becomes Tehsildar and a SI as SSP, but the Diploma holder JEs are retiring as JEs even after rendering over 30 to 35 years of service. There is need to correct the system and some body in the Government has to rectify the past mistake, he added.
Senior members JS Rathore and Anil Gupta also spoke on the occasion.
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