JAMMU, Jun 24: A quarterly meeting of the Jammu and Kashmir Agriculture Graduate Officers Association (JKAGOA) was held on Wednesday at the Directorate of Agriculture, Jammu, under the chairmanship of Dr. Surinder Radotra, President JKAGOA.
The meeting was attended by office bearers and representatives from various district units of the Association who deliberated upon the grievances and service-related issues concerning the Agriculture Graduate cadre.
During the meeting, the members unanimously resolved to project several long-pending issues before the Union Territory Government of Jammu and Kashmir under the slogan “One Voice, One Solution.”
The Association demanded the immediate conduct of Departmental Promotion Committee (DPC) meetings and regularization of In-charge Junior Agriculture Extension Officers (JAEOs) with retrospective effect from their due date in 2017.
It also sought the early finalization and publication of the seniority list of Agriculture Extension Assistants (AEAs), which remains pending despite the issuance of tentative lists by the Civil Secretariat.
A major concern raised during the meeting was the counting of service rendered by Agriculture Graduates appointed under the Rehbar-e-Ziraat Scheme for pensionary benefits on the pattern of Rehbar-e-Taleem teachers.
The Association stated that Agriculture Graduates appointed under the scheme in 2007 served the department continuously on stipend basis for seven years before being regularized in phases during 2014, 2015 and 2016, and therefore their rendered service deserves to be counted for pensionary benefits and restoration of Old Pension Scheme benefits.
Addressing the media, Dr. Surinder Radotra urged the Government to expedite the process of promotions, regularization and confirmation of In-charge JAEOs and to finalize the pending seniority list of AEAs. He stated that the Agriculture Graduate fraternity had earlier received assurances from Chief Minister Omar Abdullah regarding consideration of the issue of counting their rendered service.
He further noted that the commitment also finds mention in the National Conference manifesto advocating restoration of the Old Pension Scheme.
Dr. Radotra said that with the Education Department having recently counted the rendered service of Rehbar-e-Taleem teachers for pensionary benefits, the Government should now extend similar justice to Agriculture Graduates appointed under the Rehbar-e-Ziraat Scheme. He informed that representatives from both Jammu and Kashmir divisions have submitted representations to the Chief Minister and Minister for Agriculture Production Department, Javid Ahmad Dar, seeking early redressal of the issue.
The Association expressed hope that the Government would address these long-pending demands in a time-bound manner and ensure justice to the Agriculture Graduate cadre.