JAMMU, Oct 22: Mission Statehood president Sunil Dimple has urged Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha and Chief Minister Omar Abdullah to address the salary-related difficulties of government employees and contractual workers in Jammu and Kashmir, alleging that several categories of workers have been working for months without receiving their salaries.
Speaking to media persons at the Press Club Jammu, Dimple said he had sent video-recorded memorandums to the Lieutenant Governor and the Chief Minister, highlighting what he described as the growing hardships faced by employees and the rising unemployment among educated youth.
Dimple alleged that several categories of workers, including vocational trainers, Cluster Resource Coordinators, seasonal teachers, Anganwadi and ASHA workers, school ayahs, Class IV employees and multitasking staff in various departments, had been facing prolonged delays in salary payments. He called for the immediate release of pending salaries and timely payment in the future.
Expressing concern over unemployment, Dimple alleged that recruitment agencies, including the Jammu and Kashmir Services Selection Board (JKSSB) and the Jammu and Kashmir Public Service Commission (JKPSC), had failed to adequately address the issue. He urged the authorities to fill vacant posts across government departments and create more employment opportunities for educated youth.
He also demanded the regularisation of daily wagers and workers who have served government departments for decades. Referring to land donors who provided land for public projects, he called for appropriate employment and regularisation measures for eligible workers and those who had contributed land to the government.
Dimple further sought the regularisation of seasonal teachers and improvements in the salaries and service conditions of vocational trainers, Cluster Resource Coordinators, Kisan Khidmat Ghar workers, Special Police Officers (SPOs), Rehbar-e-Khel, physical education teachers, forest workers, Rehbar-e-Taleem, Rehbar-e-Sehat, National Youth Corps personnel, SRO-43 appointees, CPW workers, Anganwadi employees, Ayushman Bharat Golden Card Mitras and paramedical staff. He also called for the regularisation of striking daily wagers.
Dimple demanded that the monthly salaries of SPOs be increased to Rs 35,000 before Diwali. He said uncertainty persisted over the proposed salary enhancement and claimed that the Ministry of Home Affairs had recommended a hike to the Union Finance Ministry.
He also urged the government to consider promoting eligible SPOs to the rank of constable, particularly those who had crossed the prescribed age limit for regular recruitment after years of service.
Raising the issue of the remuneration of lambardars and chowkidars, Dimple said these workers had been receiving around Rs 1,500 per month despite serving for several decades. He demanded their regularisation and an increase in their monthly remuneration to Rs 25,000.
Dimple maintained that the government should prioritise the welfare of employees, ensure timely payment of salaries, address recruitment delays and provide job security to long-serving workers.
He called upon the Lieutenant Governor and the Chief Minister to take concrete steps to resolve these concerns and provide relief to affected employees and their families.