Streamline recruitment process

Sir,

The youths particularly the educated unemployed youths are undergoing through a situation of stress for want of jobs. Our State Government has only one excuse that she has signed a MOU with the Central Govt. and is putting an argument that the State is passing through a state of financial crunch. There are numerous examples where unnecessary expenditures are incurred on the state exchequer, but all these expenditures are avoidable. Ask a layman even he can count a dozen of them.

For the last one and half years our State Govt. has not selected more than fifty youths into Govt. service. There is stagnation at this point. The posts were advertised for which interviews had been conducted but are yet to be filled. There are other posts for which applications have been collected but after that no measure have been taken. These applications are eating dust in various offices of the recruitment agencies. It is inferred that these agencies are inefficient in their functioning. The autonomy of these agencies is not worthy of trust. For example the interviews for the posts of J.S.A and S.A (Division cadre) have been conducted about ten months ago but the interviewees are awaiting the lists. Further posts of Naib Tehsildars have been advertised two years back but after submission of applications the J&KSSRB has not furthered the process.

It is regretted that the functioning of these recruitment agencies is a continuous process but it seems that these agencies are taking the educated unemployed youths for granted. The system of recruitment should be streamlined and a period from the date of advertisement to the final selection should be fixed. No matter how much is pressure from the political executives the results should be declared within the stipulated period.

It is my humble request to the Chief Minister on behalf of educated unemployed youths to please look into the matter personally and take immediate measures in this matter, so that the stress, which is brewing in the community, is put at rest.

Yours etc...
Sunil Kumar Raina
VPO Lamberi
(Nowshera)

Frame uniform power policy

Sir,

This refers to the write-up "Police owes over Rs. 5 crores to PDD" by Mr. Shafat Ahmad Kira.

The Power Dev. Deptt is one of the departments which is corruption ridden and most of the employees from top to bottom are responsible for the transmission and distribution losses. Now the department proposes to install electronic metres to curb the power thefts. But, as per a news item in your esteemed daily, this process is to start from Jammu and simultaneously from Srinagar and Jammu. This is a clear signal that the people in the Valley will be provided a "healing touch'' in this matter. The Deptt. fully knows that they will not be allowed to install electronic metres in Srinagar on the plea that separatist organisations including the militants will raise a hue and cry in the matter.

The Deptt also fully knows that there are large number of illegal connections in the valley and most of the consumers do not remit the power tariff. It was because of this that the Govt. announced 50 percent subsidy for these in whose favour arrears were still pending. This concession was understandably meant for people in the valley. But this scheme also reportedly proved to be a flop as Jammuites willingly pay the electric tariff. It may be mentioned here that the people in Jammu have been visiting to offices of PDD for collecting the bills to make the payment. But are turned away on the pretext that the registers from April 2004 onwards are not available.

The Deptt has also been guilty of not collecting the electronic tariff from the Govt. employees moving with the sector to Jammu and residing in Govt. flats. On the other hand Jammu employees moving to Srinagar are required to pay the tariff regularly for six months. Similarly the people residing in Juggi/Jonpris do pay the fee but only a small portion thereof is remitted to treasury.

In view of the above facts, the Deptts should make a uniform policy in this behalf and not resort to regionalism and discrimination. The Jammuites are already discriminated in other fields and our so-called leaders are silent spectators. The Jammuites may become restive and time and launch agitation.

Yours etc...
P L Gupta
Jammu