JAMMU, Oct 23: Representatives of the Jammu and Kashmir Tourism Development Corporation (TDC) Employees Union held a joint protest and dharna at the TDC Complex, Residency Road, Jammu, on Friday, expressing strong resentment over what they described as stepmotherly treatment towards employees and demanding immediate resolution of their long-pending issues.
The protest was held under the chairmanship of Babu Hussain Malik, State President of the Jammu and Kashmir Government Employees Joint Action Committee (R). Qamar Din, President, Arvin Tikoo, Chairman, and Ananta Koul, General Secretary of the All Jammu and Kashmir TDC Employees Union, participated in the demonstration along with senior trade union leaders Yashpal Sharma, Madan Sangral, Kamla Sharma, Seva Ram Rathore, Ramesh Kumar, Kuldeep Singh, Yaqoob Naik, Tanveer Ahmed and others.
The protesting employees raised several demands, highlighting their concerns over financial insecurity and delays in the settlement of service-related matters. They demanded that monthly salaries be released regularly within a prescribed timeframe to ensure financial stability for employees and their families.
The union also expressed serious concern over the alleged non-deposit of provident fund contributions deducted from employees’ salaries for more than two years. It demanded that the withheld amounts be deposited immediately with the concerned provident fund authorities, safeguarding employees’ hard-earned savings and future security.
Other major demands included the regularisation of all categories of daily wagers, immediate release of pending retirement benefits, including gratuity, leave salary and Central Provident Fund (CPF)/provident fund dues, and the conduct of Departmental Promotion Committee (DPC) meetings every six months in every department.
Addressing the gathering, Babu Hussain Malik, Qamar Din and Arvin Tikoo appealed to the Chief Minister and the Lieutenant Governor of Jammu and Kashmir to personally intervene in the matter and ensure justice for TDC employees.
The union leaders urged the administration to address the grievances without further delay, stating that timely action was essential to protect employees’ rights, financial security and dignity.