For carrying effective and good governance forward in every sphere, it is extremely important that there is in place a sound and effective Personnel Policy. When employees are better placed in terms of payment of reasonable wages/ salaries and allowances etc against the work performed by them, different schemesand programmes of the Government for the betterment of the citizens are effectively implemented by the ‘’satisfied’’ employees. If employees are kept wondering and wanting in respect of various conditions governing them in Government service, optimum performance can neither be expected from them nor can they be made to do it by enforcing various provisions of service in the Government. We have been seeing that as compared to other States/ UTs, the employment in Government departments/ institutions / offices is given more preference as a matter of tradition in Jammu and Kashmir and almost every Government has been trying to do something about it by causing the young educated people getting recruited in Government service.
However, what have been the service conditions of the newly appointed persons is important to be known? Have they been placed in normal and usual pay scales and thus getting emoluments accordingly? Is their temporary period or probation well defined and at par with what is practiced in other states? Has their performance been really assessed from time to time at least on annual basis and while doing so, their views / suggestions and difficulties faced by them known so as to rectify and modify them? Is not just in the name of appointing people from the long waiting list of the unemployed in Government service , beyond just a formality , the entire exercise smacking of a sham? Asking to work for more than five years on a consolidated pay sans DA, HRA and other allowances , no transfers, no promotions or other facilities etc was sheer injustice with the concerned employees who though ostensibly working were groaning and whining from within longing for ameliorating of their plight. It is not that such a policy was formulated not knowing its sheer limitations but acute financial constraints mainly due to scant revenues earned by the Government could be the main factor behind it.These are a few problems that has been afflicting the entire scheme under which newly appointed persons were supposed to work .
In this connection, it is quite heartening and a good news for such employees that the said order of 2015 under which such anomalies and discrepancies were implicit , especially in respect of not paying ‘’regular’’ wages has been scrapped thus providing a great deal of relief to the employees whose probation period from 5 years was already reduced to two years in 2020 thus bringing these employees at par with other regular employees in Jammu and Kashmir. Like this, more than 15000 employees are expected to be benefitted giving them a lot of psychological satisfactionas well. It also means that future new appointments will be guided suitably in context of the scrapping of earlier order.
It is imperative, as we, through these columns opine, that a sound, effective and workable Personnel Policy was absolutely important as many visible and invisible problems arising on account of service conditions get resolved. Since principles and rules of conduct formulating , redefining breaking into details and deciding number of actions are taken care of by a sound personnel policy, it is imperative to be guided by such a policy. A peculiar but very important relationship with employees is established thus objectives, goals, schemes and programmes of the Government are implemented and duly attained. These employees, though in Government service and having the requisite educational qualifications were asked to work on meagre / partial wages and pay for 5 years, had no option but to serve since it is the buyers’ market and not sellers’ market so far as labour / offering services are concerned. Labour management relations are bound to improve and strengthen in order to fulfil the administrative objectives in various fields.
The relief and modification in earlier order in respect of employment of these employees may not be, as it definitely is not , as a matter of a sound Personnel Policy having been formulated as it is only an administrative order duly approved by the Administrative Council chaired by the Lieutenant Governor but definitely it lends credence to the need of having one in place.
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