Excelsior Correspondent
SRINAGAR, June 7: In big financial relief for the State Government employees and the pensioners, the Gover-nment today announced 11 percent hike in their Dearness Allowance (DA).
The State Cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti accorded approval to the release of DA installment at the rate of 7% of pay, from July 2016 and 4 percent from January 2017 raising the total Dearness Allowance of the State Government employees from 125% to 132% from 1.7.2016 and 132% to 136% from 1.1.2017.
The arrears on account of additional installments from July, 2016 and from January, 2017 up to May 2017 shall be credited to the individual GPF accounts of Government employees in the month of June, 2017 and shall form part of the monthly salary from there onwards.
In respect of such of the State Government employees, who are governed by the New Pension Scheme, the arrears on account of additional installments from July, 2016 and January 2017 up to May 2017, shall be paid in cash in month of June, 2017 and the employees’ share at the rate of 10% shall be deducted at source and credited to their PRAN numbers along with the matching share by the employer. Thereafter, the enhancement in the DA shall form part of the monthly salary.
Enhancement in DA will also apply to the work charged/whole time contingent paid employees, working in a regular time scale, an official handout said.
Cabinet approved the release of the Dearness Allowance installment at the rate of 7% from 1.7.2016 and 4% from 1.1.2017 raising the total Dearness Allowance of the State Government pensioners/family pensioners from 125% to 132% from 1.7.2016 and from 132% to 136% from 1.1.2017 respectively.
The arrears on account of the enhanced rate of Dearness Allowance from July, 2016 and January, 2017 up to May 2017 shall be paid to them in cash in the month of June, 2017 and shall form part of the monthly pension/family pension there onwards.
Meanwhile, in order to provide immediate relief to transporters/vehicle owners of the State who are plying Commercial Passenger Vehicles, the Cabinet today accorded sanction to the revision of Passenger Fare 2017 with an increase of 13.75% for Big Buses and Mini Buses, 8.25% increase to Taxi Maxi Cab Segment and 2.85% increase to Auto Rickshaw category (Petrol Driven) on the present prevailing rates notified vide SRO-24 dated 03.02.2014.
The Cabinet further directed that the Transport Department shall take effective steps to ensure proper regulation of movement of trucks and adherence to the rates fixed for carriage of goods across the State.
On January 25, 2017, Chief Minister, Mehbooba Mufti convened a high level meeting of Transporters of J&K to discuss various issues pertaining to the transport sector. The transporters highlighted various demands including that the passenger fare had not been revised since 2014 despite increase in the fuel prices and other input costs. She directed the transport department to submit a proposal for revision of the passenger fare.
Accordingly, a High Level Empowered Committee was constituted under the chairmanship of Commissioner/Secretary, Finance which submitted its recommendations on 12th May, 2017.
In view of the recommendations of the High Level Empowered Committee, the revision in the passenger fare was approved.
The Cabinet expressed concern over the slow progress with regard to regularization of casual/temporary/need based labourers/ workers engaged after 31.01.1994. It directed that such Administrative Departments as have not submitted Bio-Metric details together with related information in respect of aforementioned category of workers, will submit the same to the Finance Department within a month.
Cabinet also discussed the issue of having a single BPL list. Cabinet directed that the BPL list compiled by the Food, Civil Supplies and Consumers Affairs Department (FCS&CAD) be reviewed under the aegis of the Planning, Development and Monitoring Department (PDMD) in consultation with the Departments of FCS&CA, Power Development, Social Welfare and Rural Development and Panchayati Raj to finalize a single BPL list within a month, to be used in connection with all BPL related Welfare programmes.
Cabinet directed the Higher Education Department to examine the requests for setting up of new Degree Colleges, particularly in the light of resource commitment from Central Government for setting up such institutions.
Cabinet directed that the Home Department shall in consultation with the Finance Department examine the issue relating to operationalization of new/sanctioned Fire and Emergency Service Stations by way of provision of required infrastructure and manpower.
The Cabinet accorded sanction to the creation of 4 posts of Additional Advocate General at New Delhi and enhancement of monthly retainership and Counsel fee of Law Officers at New Delhi.
Accordingly Advocate on record shall be entitled to a retainership of Rs 30, 000 per month and Counsel fee of Rs.10,000 per case against the existing Rs.9450/ per month and Rs.6750 per hearing respectively. Additional Advocate General shall be entitled to monthly retainership of Rs.30,000 per month and Counsel fee of Rs.9000 per case against the existing Rs.20,000 per month and Rs.9000 per hearing respectively.
Similarly, Additional Standing Counsel shall be entitled to monthly retainership of Rs.25,000 and Counsel fee of Rs.9,000 per case as against the existing Rs.9,450 per month and Rs.6,000 per hearing respectively.
The Cabinet also approved creation of an additional post of Additional Advocate General who will exclusively look after all the cases relating to State owned properties outside J&K; particularly in the States of Punjab (Chandigarh & Amritsar) and Haryana (Sirsa) etc.
The Cabinet also accorded sanction to the transfer of land on lease basis, measuring 50 kanals available with Government Joinery Mills, Pampore to the Jammu & Kashmir Bank Limited at the rate of Rs.45 lakh per kanal for development of a Mega Currency Chest and establishment of Staff Training College, keeping in view the provisions of the relevant law.
The Cabinet also approved transfer of State land measuring 64 kanals and 1 marla situated at village Sathra Tehsil Mandi, District Poonch for construction of Government Polytechnic College, Poonch in favour of Technical Education Department.
The Cabinet approved the draft “Jammu and Kashmir Transfer of Property (Amendment) Ordinance, 2017”, for its submission to the Governor for promulgation.
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