Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Aug 6: Jammu and Kashmir Electrical Engineering Graduates Association (JKEEGA) has raised its alarm over vaccum at top engineering positions in Power Development Department (PDD).
Assessing sensitivity and gravity of the matter, given the present scenario of vacancy position of Superintending Engineer SE (E), JKEEGA Executive Body under the chairmanship of Sachin Tickoo its general secretary met here today and sought urgent intervention of Chief Minister and Principal Secretary, PDD towards this critical issue.
Sachin Tickoo while addressing the meeting apprised the members that against the total cadre strength of 36 posts of Superintending Engineers (E), existing strength at present remains as 8 only. As such number of vacancies as on 01.08.2025 against the cadre strength is 28, which in the coming months as a result of superannuation and promotions, bound to get further increased and by the end of December 2025 when almost 33 posts shall fall vacant.
Tickoo said the main bottleneck which is coming in way of promotions at Superintending Engineer level is that as per age old recruitment rules of 1978, three years service as Executive Engineer, and minimum 17 years of Gazetted Service has been mandatorily stipulated. The most of the officers presently holding the post of Executive Engineers are retiring within next one year. Consequentially in view of deficient qualifying service, none of the Executive Engineers shall be eligible for promotions and a complete vaccum at the level of SE post, shall get created and hence ultimately the Chief Engineer level will also get affected and stagnation at AE/AEE/XEN levels shall be at its peak, he added.
He said the situation therefore, necessitates partial relaxation in the qualifying service required for the promotion to the level of Superintending Engineer. As such, to maintain, bare minimum cadre strength at this level, relaxation in the eligibility criteria needs to be considered. Reduction of qualifying service to one year as Executive Engineer for promotion to the post of Superintending Engineer out of the total cumulative Gazetted service of 17 years may be considered. Availability of SEs serving as the Controlling Officers being imperative for the functioning and overall operationalization of various Corporations of JKPDD, he added.
He said proposed relaxation will pave way for the availability of vacancies at the level of Executive Engineers, and thus shall provide opportunities to the aspiring AEEs for promotion to the next higher level.
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