Liquidators fail to submit report since 2019
Avtar Bhat
JAMMU, Apr 5: The future of hundreds of employees of J&K Cooperative Supply & Marketing Federation (JAKFED) is in jeopardy since the winding up of the Organisation in June 2019 with Government not formulating any concrete policy for the hapless employees.
According to sources, the retired as well as in service employees of JAKFED are running from pillar to post for justice since the winding up of the organization and were demanding framing of a concrete policy by the Government for deciding their fate.
The hapless employees are in doldrums as they face total uncertainty due to failure of Government in formulating a concrete policy for them since the winding up of the JAKFED in 2019, sources said, adding that the authorities at the helm of affairs have not shown any interest over the last two years to settle the issue.
Sources said after the winding of the organization approximately 200 employees of the Federation out of 350 have attained superannuation at the age of 58 years as per the rules of the Federation, while 90 of them were deputed in different Government departments by General Administration Department (GAD) and 60 employees are still working in the Federation.
Sources said when the Federation was winded up there was only option left out for the employees either they have to be asked to opt for the retirement or if practicable they be adjusted in other cooperative societies. But it is not known that how the remaining 60 employees out of 350 are still borne on JAKFED establishment when it has been winded up in 2019, sources added.
Moreover, the retirement benefits have not been given to 200 employees who have attained superannuation after winding up of the Federation till date. Among them 15 employees who had retired in 2019 breathed their last and their families are in total distress as they could not get the retirement benefits. Even Government was directed to transfer Rs 25 crore to meet out the dues of retirees of the Federation in 2019 but to no avail.
Besides, what can be termed as big scam in the Federation that Contributory Provident Fund (CPF) of the employees deducted from their salaries has not been deposited in the concerned Department from 2002 till date and the Government has failed to initiate action against the erring officials in this regard, sources said.
It may be recalled that former Minister of Cooperatives, Chering Dorjay had also sought CBI probe into JAKFED scam in 2015.
Sources said that the Government played a dual policy with the JAKFED employees while those who were posted in J&K Special Tribunal were given the benefits of 7th Pay Commission but those in the Federation and about 200 retires as well as those deputed to other departments were deprived of the same. This showed that the Government adopted double standards and different yardsticks for these employees, sources added.
What has added to the woes of these employees was that those in service have not been paid salaries since September 2019 and some of them are at the verge of starvation also, sources said.
Highlighting the plight of the JAKFED Employees Shabir Ahmed Raja representative of JAKFED Employees Union said the employees are in great distress as they are unable to pay the bank loans, electricity and water bills and school fee of their children.
He said the retirees were neither given gratuity, Provident Fund and Leave Salary while benefit of Seventh Pay Commission was given to some employees and others were ignored for unknown reasons.
He said the 16 employees appointed against SRO 43 on consolidated salaries for last 10 years have not been regularised till date. The employees are also demanding disposal of movable property lying in the premises of JAKFED to avoid further loss, he added.
Sources said for completing the winding up process of the Federation, the Government appointed a five member Committee in September 2019 with Administrative Secretary, Cooperative Department as its chairman. The Committee appointed three officers as Liquidators.
However, as per sources the Liquidators had to submit the report within a period of time but their report is inconclusive as they could not frame the report due to non availability of service records and appointment orders of employees. Some of the employees were appointed on adhoc basis. Some were deployed to other organizations by SAC. Hence the Liquidators could not complete the report within stipulated time and take action, sources added.
They said some Liquidators had their own problems as they were preoccupied with the work of their own departments. Moreover, the report submission was also delayed due to situation in 2019 and COVID pandemic, sources added.
When contacted, Asif Hamid Khan, Registrar Cooperatives said that Government is very much concerned to settle the issue. He said he too has written the Government about the settling of the issue on priority. But it needs a dedicated Liquidator who will take pains and make recommendations accordingly, he added.
Khan said there are some employees who retired at the age of 60 while the retirement age under Cooperative Act is 58 years only. Their record is also not available in the Federation, he added.
He said besides, there are many cases against the JAKFED. Some are in Crime Branch while some are in Anti Corruption Bureau (ACB). Moreover some employees of the Federation are also involved in these cases but due to non availability of records it is not known how many employees are involved. This all is to be verified by Liquidator which is a cumbersome task and will take some time, he added.
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