Mailbag

Mail

Customer friendly attitude

Sir,

This is in response to : Customer friendly attitude'' by Radhika Kaul (California) Daily Excelsior 27 September in response to my observations titled ''Computering State treasuries'' Daily Excelsior, September 25.

On learning that the people of the France were starving for want of food, the French queen Marie Antoinette ordered her Chamberlin to command the Royal Chef to reduce one dish in the Royal meno. The same ideas have been expressed by my friend living on an alien strand.

Who denies the fact that introduction of computers in the State treasuries is not a welcome step. My point is: Is there necessary infra-structure available for that? Our State may be the sole part of the entire globe where in the 21st, century people have taken recourse to lanterns which remind them of the people living in the stone age. We have a power cut of 8 hours in a day of 24 hours. We have been told to ready ourselves for a power cut of 16 hours as had been the case during the winter months of 1999-2000. Our State is the sole example where water runs through the pipes in most of the localities after 5 complete days. For us computer in this age of no water and electricity looks a thing of luxury to be indulged in not because of cost but because of the power that makes it run. Radhika Kaul seems to me as having forgotten her land where she during her childhood and adulthood years may have negotiated with her studies under the lantern light. Same is the position now as well. Can computers work under this state of affairs ? I ask : Shall not compters without energy to run them create more problems than solving them. Now that if the Government decides to run the computers with generating sets to be provided to each office, can it afford this luxury when it cannot provide drinking water to its citizens.

The scribe is not aware of the functioning of the State treasuries as is quite apparent from her write up. In the treasury one printer cannot suffice 7 machines. Every pay order of the bill is to be computerised. Every detail of account is to be maintained separately. It is not Bank type transaction. It is something different.

I do not agree that 37 days of training is a sufficient one. This may be the case in her country where everyone is computer friendly. Here it is something new. It has now started gaining momentum.

Yours etc....
Predhman K Joseph Dhar
Jammu.

Increase in bus fare

Sir,

Cabinet has accorded approval for the increase of fare by 20 per cent which is justified or not as per increase in diesel price is not the question presently but the passenger who want to follow the Govt order rules regulations are presently facing harassment from the transporters.

Passengers are waiting for the Govt order in respect of increase of fare so that payment as per Order may be made but presently the transporters are forcibly charging the fare at increased rates as per price lists prepared by the concerned group of transporters.

The transport authorities are requested to take appropriate action against the persons who have issued the rate list without the Govt order and also issue strict instructions to the transporters not to charge more than the existing fare unless the formal orders are issued to avoid the wrangling, broil which occurs daily in the buses and may be cause for the loss of life.

Yours etc...
J K Gupta
94 Kachi Chowni Jammu.

Pensioners' woes

Sir,

The State Govt claims to be committed to implement the recommendations of the Fifth Pay Commission in respect of its employees and the Pensioners, but the ground position available in reality is certainly different.

The employees have got the bounty but the Pensioners are left high and dry particularly the ones who retired between 1.1.96 and 30.9.96.

The Central Govt Employees who retired during the above period are getting a minimum of 50 percent of the new grade at its minimum or as the case may be depending on the number of years of service put in. All this is done in terms of Central Govt Order No. F. No. 45/10/98 PandPW/A dt 17.12.98.

The State Govt in utter disregard to the interests of the State Pensioners who retired between 1.1.1996 and 30.9.1996 has kept a stunning silence despite lapse of Two Years after the issuance of Central Govt order on the subject.

The burning problem has been highlighted through your esteemed News Paper by different long time sufferers on numerous occasions but so far to no avail.

A News item appeared in some local daily in the month of April 2000 attributing a statement to the Chief Secretary of the State that the long pending demand of such pensioners will be met before. The Annual Darbar Move to Srinagar. New a time period of Six valuable months is gone by and will not be too late for the State Govt to wake to the situation and redress the genuine grievance of the Pensioners.

Yours etc...
Karamveer Gupta
75, Gurha Bakshinagar,
Jammu.