Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, July 1: Senior PCC leader and former Minister Sham Lal Sharma took strong exception to the recent pay hike of legislators/ ministers and said that instead of enhancing the pay and perks, the Government should have paid attention towards the people who were facing lot of miseries.
In a press statement here today, Sham Lal expressed anguish over the non- regularisation of daily wagers and casual labourers in the State. He said not only this, such workers have been denied salaries for the last many months. These daily wagers aren’t able to feed their families. He said that the education of the wards of these daily wagers and casual labourers suffered badly because they aren’t able to meet the expenses on their education.
Mr Sharma alleged that the present Govt made tall promises with farmers but even after one and half year, no action has been taken in this context and things are going from bad to worst. He said that the Government announced that 50% loan of farmers through Kissan credit card will be waive off but no such loans were waived off . Though Govt have enhanced the salaries of Legislators but it failed miserably to improve the plight of small farmers and backed out from the promises made to them during previous budget.
The PCC leader further said that salaries of Legislators in J&K was Rs 17000 in 2002, Rs 40,000 in 2006 and raised more than double in 2009. Now, it is Rs 1,60000 where as the pension of widow, orphans, physically challenged and old age people receive Rs 200 only. The BJP-PDP Govt also promised them to enhance their pension to Rs 1000 per month but they ignored.
Sham Lal asked the Government as to when they are going to implement 7th Pay Commission for the State employees as the ministers and legislators have just enhanced their pay/ perks to double. He said that the Government employees are working very hard and under present inflation they are facing financial hardships. It would have been worth while if the 7th Pay Commission could have been implemented before hiking the pay of Legislators.