Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Dec 2: All Jammu and Kashmir Agriculture Officers Welfare Forum (AJKAOWF) held a meeting under the chairmanship of its President Pradeep Kumar Sharma to discuss various issues and demands of the forum.
During the course of deliberations, serious concern was expressed by the participating members about the degradation of the status of the Agriculture Graduates/Post Graduates in respect of disparity in pay scales and entry level posts. It was disclosed in the meeting that after degrading the entry level from Gazetted to Non Gazetted post (JAEO), the Government has further lowered the entry level to the post of AEA with Grade pay of Rs 4200, which has generated the unrest amongst the fraternity as a whole.
Addressing the members, President urged the Government that in view of the proactive policy of the Centre and State Governments to promote the farming sector and the initiation of major developmental programmmes including the achievement of the target of doubling the farmer income on the one hand while on the other hand it has generated the frustration among the agriculture professionals by lowering their status vis-a vis other professionals of the State. The forum cited the reason behind the lack of interest being shown by the youth towards the agriculture varsities. As such it was demanded that Government must restore the status of the Agriculture Graduates at par with their counterparts in the State in the larger interest of the farm sector.
The issue of long term stagnation among various cadres was also discussed in length and it was demanded that the process of filling up of the vacant posts of different cadres which of course is symptomatic treatment to the vexed problem, may be expedited till some permanent solution including the onetime settlement either by way of conducting of DPC under rule or through Cabinet or any other acceptable way is arrived at.
Among others present were Jagdeep Singh, Convenor, Rajesh Mankotia, Treasurer, Virinder Dogra, Press Secretary, Arun Gupta, Rajesh Gandotra, Sanjeev Mishra, Virinder Ambardar, Raghuvir Chand, Rattan Sharma, Neeraj Sharma, Sanjeev Kotwal and RC Sharma, all members of the Central Executive Council (CEC).
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