Panel of officers fails to make any recommendation since Feb 2020
Sub-Committee constituted but no time-frame fixed
Mohinder Verma
JAMMU, Oct 13: The issues pertaining to engagement of large number of youth under different schemes mainly on the recommendations of politicians of Jammu and Kashmir have remained unresolved as a committee of bureaucrats constituted more than one and half years back has failed to make any recommendation to the present Government. Now, a sub-committee has been framed with the same terms of reference but without fixing any specific time-frame.
Official sources told EXCELSIOR that from time to time large number of youth were engaged by the successive Governments of erstwhile State of Jammu and Kashmir under Rehbar-i-Zirat, Rehbar-i-Janglat and Rehbar-i-Khel and similar schemes mainly on the recommendations of the politicians, who were in the power at that time.
While Rehbar-i-Zirat scheme pertains to Agriculture Production Department, Rehbar-i-Janglat scheme is administered by the Forest Department and Rehbar-i-Khel is the scheme of Department of Youth Services and Sports.
From time to time, those engaged under these schemes raised demand for their regularization in their respective departments on the ground that they have rendered several years of service under these schemes and are entitled for being given permanent status. They also made representations to the Government on numerous occasions for sympathetic consideration of their demand.
Finally, the present Government vide Order No.294-JK(GAD) dated February 27, 2020 constituted a committee to examine the issues related to Rehbar-i-Zirat, Rehbar-i-Janglat and Rehbar-i-Khel and similar schemes.
The committee headed by Chief Secretary and comprised of Financial Commissioner, Finance Department, Commissioner Secretary to the Government, Department of Forest, Ecology and Environment, Secretary, Agriculture Production Department, Secretary, Youth Services and Sports Department, Secretary, General Administration Department and Secretary, Department of Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs was asked to examine the engagements made under these schemes.
Further, the committee was directed to examine the engagements made under Nehru Yuva Kendra; all the issues arising out of these engagements including current and future financial implications; the implications of these engagements on the regular organizational structure of these departments and suggest a comprehensive approach as necessary.
However, the committee failed to hold any deliberation on the terms of reference during the last more than one and half years for the reasons best known either to its chairman or the departments to which these engagements pertain, sources said while disclosing that the only recommendation made by the committee after the lapse of such a long time is that a sub-committee should hold discussion on the terms of reference.
Now, the General Administration Department has constituted sub-committee to examine the issues related to these schemes and its terms of reference have been kept the same as were assigned to the main committee.
The Financial Commissioner (Additional Chief Secretary) Finance Department has been made chairman of the sub-committee while as Financial Commissioner (Additional Chief Secretary) Health and Medical Education Department, Principal Secretary, Youth Services and Sports Department, Director General (Codes), Finance Department, representative of the Agriculture Production and Farmers Welfare Department not below the rank of Additional Secretary, representative of General Administration Department not below the rank of Additional Secretary and representative of Law Department have been made members of the sub-committee.
However, like the main committee no time-frame has been fixed for the sub-committee to examine the issues and make recommendations to the Government. “All this clearly indicates that how non-seriously the Government is handling the issues pertaining to engagements of large number of persons made under these schemes by the successive Governments”, sources remarked.
“One and half years was sufficient period for the main committee to hold deliberations and draw a conclusion to decide the fate of those engaged under these schemes but it is really astonishing that the committee has only recommended constitution of sub-committee”, sources said, adding “keeping in view the inordinate delay in completion of task by the main committee, the General Administration Department should have fixed time-frame for submission of recommendations at least for the sub-committee so as to resolve the issues without any further delay”.
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