JAMMU, Sep 21: As the Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly commenced its autumn session on Monday, Mission Statehood Jammu Kashmir president Sunil Dimple urged the government to take up a detailed debate on the restoration of Jammu and Kashmir’s statehood, the abrogation of Article 370 and the future constitutional status of the Union Territory.
The autumn session is scheduled from September 21 to September 30, with seven sitting days. Issues including employment, regularisation of workers, public services and restoration of statehood are expected to feature prominently during the proceedings.
Addressing media persons, Dimple demanded that the Assembly discuss why, according to him, the Centre has not restored the erstwhile state’s full statehood. He also questioned what he described as the continued uncertainty surrounding Jammu and Kashmir’s political and administrative status.
Dimple called for the permanent regularisation of daily wagers, particularly those who have served government departments for decades. He also demanded appropriate employment or rehabilitation measures for people who, he claimed, had donated land to the government many years ago.
He urged Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha and the government to increase the salaries of Special Police Officers (SPOs), claiming that many SPOs receive very low remuneration and that their salaries are not always released on time. He demanded that a bill for enhancement of SPO salaries be brought before the Assembly.
Dimple also sought implementation of the Minimum Wages Act and equal pay for equal work for NHM employees, contractual medical and paramedical staff, including MBBS, BDS, BAMS and nursing personnel.
Raising concerns over employees working on temporary or contractual arrangements, he demanded regularisation and salary enhancement for NYC personnel, REKs, seasonal teachers, vocational trainers, Cluster Resource Coordinators, Kisan Khidmat Ghars, SPOs, Rehbar-e-Khel, physical education teachers, Rehbar-e-Taleem, Rehbar-e-Sehat, CPWs and Anganwadi workers, among others.
He further claimed that vocational trainers, Cluster Resource Coordinators, seasonal teachers and multi-tasking staff in various departments had remained without salaries for several months and called for immediate clearance of their pending payments.
On employment, Dimple alleged that unemployment among educated youth in Jammu and Kashmir was rising and criticised the functioning of the JKSSB and PSC, alleging delays in recruitment. He demanded that the selection process for police inspectors and Naib Tehsildars be started immediately.
Dimple also demanded the establishment of a National Law University in Jammu, a medical college at Katra and a GMC/medical college associated with Vaishno Devi. He called for local vice-chancellors to be appointed in J&K universities.
He further alleged that the existing power system had failed to adequately address public concerns and claimed that employment opportunities had declined after the abrogation of Article 370.
His demands come amid a politically charged Assembly session in which statehood, employment, governance and public services are among the major issues being raised.