RS Gill
Jammu Tawi, Jan 03: Employees of various departments of Jammu Kashmir are upset over the non-disbursement of salaries for the second consecutive month, leaving their families in dire straits at large.
There are thousands of employees, who have not been paid their salaries for the past two months as the release of funds has not been vetted by the finance department presently headed by the chief minister. An employees’ leader said that more than fifty files pertaining to the funds for salaries of about 18 departments, DA, GP Funds etc and of other important allocations are pending with the Chief Minister’s office for approval. CM also holds the Finance Department portfolio responsible for release of all government funds.
Slamming the government, an Employees Union leader termed the situation as frightening as, “GP Fund cases of government employees have been piling up for months without clearance. Retirees are being denied their rightful gratuity, leave salary and pensions.” Slamming the administration headed by the Chief Minister for ignoring this serious crisis while engaging in press conferences, ribbon-cutting ceremonies and other political issues.
He further said, “Recently, the Omar government, which took the oath of office on October 16, has sanctioned funds to the tune of Rs 3.04 crore for the purchase of eight new Toyota Fortuner luxury vehicles for the CM.
A senior official said that employees of some departments like PWD, Information, Culture and their allied wings have not received the salaries for the last two months so far. Some departments like GAD, Industries & Commerce, Science & Technology, PSC, Higher Education, Home, Gujjar and Bakarwal Board etc have not paid the salary for the last one month.
“The departments have forwarded the requirements but the finance department is yet to approve the funds. There are no reasons being provided for this so far,” said the official.
Various employees said that there is no official word coming from the concerned quarters about when their salaries will be released. This, according to them, has left their families including their children to suffer.
Few weeks back, senior PDP leader and former minister Naeem Akhtar in a statement warned that the crisis is leaving contractors, government employees and pensioners in dire financial straits.
Akhtar stated that the pensioners were suffering, as “their files for retirement benefits, including pensions, remain unattended, gathering dust in administrative offices.”
He said contractors from key departments like Roads and Buildings and Jal Shakti are waiting for months to get payments for completed projects.
