Suhail Bhat
Srinagar, Nov 27: Consultants working for the implementation of various Centrally Sponsored Schemes in the newly formed Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir expressed dismay over Government’s failure to draft a job policy for them.
They said that the Government is contemplating to provide 50,000 jobs to the educated youth of the Valley and demanded they should consider their services as well. On one hand, they said, the administration is preparing to absorb youth in various departments, while on the other qualified and experienced youth, who are working with departments for the last several years, are suffering for lack of a job policy.
They said they have been diligently working for the implementation of these schemes and sacrificed prime of their age for it. “I have crossed standard age limit and cannot apply for a job. There are no other avenues left for me now,” Faisal Khan, Financial Technical Expert Housing for All, told Excelsior. He said nightmares of insecure future are taking a toll on his mental health.
Over the years more than 8000 consultants have been roped in by the Government for the implementation of various Centrally Sponsored Schemes including Housing for all, National Health Mission, and MGNREGA etcetera.
Various departments including Rural Development, Housing and Urban Development, Health and Medical Education and Education have benefitted from their expertise. With the overstretching of the schemes, however, the experts have crossed their standard age limit and that has minimized their chances of employment.
The experts working with the Rural Development Department said that the ambitious Back to Village program was possible because of them. Not only this, they said, the implementation of all the community based schemes depends on them and the fact has been acknowledged by the department as well.
“Depsite all the efforts, our future hangs in balance. I have been working for the implementation of MGNREGA for last 10 years. We have sent multiple requests to the departments concerned but to no avail. We have been doing ground work for second round of Back to Village programme but Government is letting us down,” Showkat Hussain, a MGNREGA worker said.
They said that they had been repeatedly assured by the administration about the redressal of their problems. “Due to our hard work and dedication, our supervisors had already recommended our cases to concerned authorities for absorption in parent departments, but till date we are waiting for the day,” Muzammil Ahamd, another consultant said.
They, however, have high hopes from the new administration. “Before UT status we were asked that the Centrally Sponsored Schemes are directly controlled by Central Government. Due to UT status, we have strong hopes and great expectations with present administration that our problems would be solved taking our future into consideration,” Sajad Ahmad, another expert said.
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