File on salary hike gathering dust since 2018
Irfan Tramboo
SRINAGAR, Aug 14: After the Law Department advised the General Administration Department (GAD) to place the cases for regularization of Community Information Centre (CIC) Operators before the Establishment-cum-Selection Committee, the Government has now asked the Directors of Department of Rural Development (RDD) in both the divisions to furnish the details of the cases under focus.
As per officials, a letter in this regard has been sent from the Department of Rural Development & Panchayati Raj to both the Directors in Kashmir and Jammu, directing them to submit the details with regard to the regularization of the CIC operators in the prescribed format.
Earlier, on the proposal of the RDD, the GAD sought the advice of the Law Department after it came to the fore that the J&K Civil Services (Special Provisions) Act, 2010 stands repealed in terms of Jammu and Kashmir Reorganization (Adaptation of State Laws) issued by the Department of Home Affairs, Government of India issued vide SO 1229(E) dated 31-03-2020.
The Law Department said that that for considering any accrued right under repealed legislation “shall be decided by the competent authority for which matter shall be placed before the Establishment-cum-Selection Committee.”
The Law Department at the same time said that all the administrative departments have been asked to submit the details of such cases under the repealed Act.
“Accordingly, all the administrative departments have been requested to furnish details of pending regularization cases under the repealed Act as per the proforma conveyed vide O.M.No.GDC-265/CM/2017 dated 23-02-2021 enabling this department to place the matter before the Establishment-cum-Selection Committee,” read the observations of the Law Department in response to the matter of regularization of the CIC Operators across J&K.
Further, as per the letter that has been dispatched to the Director RDD, Kashmir and Jammu, they have been asked to furnish the requisite information in respect of CIC Operators in the prescribed proforma as called for in the matter vide this department’s letter No.RDD-EsttONG/31/2021-12 dated 18-03-2021 “followed by reminder dated 18-5-2021 & 01-07-2021 within week’s time positively, enabling this department to proceed ahead.”
On the other hand, the matter with regard to the enhancement of the salary of the CIC Operators is also lying pending with the Government since 2018 despite the positive recommendations received from the Director RDD, Kashmir and Jammu.
In this regard, a representation for the salary enhancement has already been submitted in the year 2018 to Commissioner Secretary, Rural Development Department who then sought comments from the Director Rural Development Jammu / Kashmir vide No. RD&PR/Adm/33/2018 dated 11.06.2018.
Subsequently, the Director Rural Development Kashmir vide No. DRDK/Estt/CIC/Operators/2018/20310 dated 02.08.2018 and Director Rural Development Jammu vide No. Estt/Gnl-CIC/39576 dated 09.02.2019 submitted their recommendation for enhancement of salary of CIC Operators, but to no avail so far.
The CIC Operators said that they are not able to make their ends meet “and are living a miserable life under present circumstances on a meagre amount of Rs 10,000/- per month which is paid to us on account of salary,” they said.
It is to be noted here that the CIC Operators are working in the department on a contractual basis since 2004 and were appointed on a merit basis through proper recruitment procedure by the District Level Committees constituted by the Government of J&K headed by Deputy Commissioners of concerned Districts in the same year.
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