Excelsior Sports Correspondent
JAMMU, Sept 21: Notwithstanding the extension of two years granted by Union Government to all Community Coaches, the Jammu and Kashmir Sports Council (JKSC) disengaged nearly 200 Community Coaches just after one year of their engagement who were engaged on contractual basis and got trained at National Institute of Sports of Patiala under Prime Minister Special Package.
In the month of July 2017, the JKSC engaged nearly 207 Community Coaches at different Sports Stadium on temporary basis who got eight weeks NIS Coaching Diploma from the National Institute of Patiala on the recommendation of Union Sports Ministry under the PM Package but after one year of their engagement in the month of July 2018, all of them were disengaged from the services due to unknown reasons.
One of Community Coach informed EXCELSIOR that the erstwhile Government of PDP-BJP in consultation with Union Government had engaged 207 coaches to engage militant affected youth of the Jammu and Kashmir into sports activities after the spurt of militant activities and stone pelting due to killing of the Burhan Wani and sent them to the NIS Patiala for eight weeks diploma for specialised training and coaching in their respective disciplines.
“However, the NIS diploma’s tenure is 6 weeks but two weeks more have been added in their courses/diploma by the National Institute of Patiala on the direction of Union Sports Ministry under PM Package, because the NIS diploma is must for every coach to impart training to the budding players,” said Community Coach while wishing anonymity.
In the first batch, the then Government of Jammu and Kashmir sent 40 student for specialised training and coaching at NIS Patiala, whereas 42 and 80 students were sent in 2nd and 3rd batch respectively, said Community Coach, Aejaz A Mir, adding that these coaches were shortlisted for NIS diploma on basis of their sports performance at District, Zonal, State as well as National level.
After completing 8 week NIS diploma, they were assigned duty at different stadiums for imparting training and coaching to the budding players. “The Union Home Minister, Rajnath Singh was impressed with their performance when they (Community Coaches) gathered nearly 60,000 budding players for sports activities on June 5, 2018 at Indoor Hall, near Bakshi Stadium, Srinagar and announced two year extension and funds for their honorarium,” said Sunil Kumar.
As the BJP withdrew its support from the coalition Government of PDP-BJP, the State came under Governor rule and the then Governor Satya Pal Malik published an order for disengagement of all contractual employees engaged in all the Government Department of Jammu and Kashmir.
Taking plea of this order, the JKSC disengaged all the Community Coaches from their services or not renewed their services, said another Coach, adding that however, they were engaged under PM Package scheme and their honorarium were paid by Union Government.
“Last year, when Union Sports Minister, Kiren Rijiju visited Jammu for inaugurating sports infrastructures, they brought the issue in his knowledge and he assured and directed the Commission Secretary to re-engaged all the Community Coaches but to no avail,” added Mir.
The Community Coaches also knocked the door of then Secretary JKSC, Wahid Parray and then Secretary asked the coaches their tenures have been extended for two years and funds have been allocated when Union Home Minister visited the Kashmir in June 2018, said another disengaged Community Coach, adding that despite availability of the two year extension funds, we were running from pillar to post for getting re-engagement order from the JKSC.
“We have even knocked the door of OSD of then Advisor to Governor, Anil Sharma and incumbent OSD of Advisor to Lieutenant Governor, Waseem Raja but all of them gave oral assurances,” said a Community Coach. “However, during the tenure of Advisor to Governor, K Vijay Kumar and then Secretary of the Council had renewed their services in the month of August, 2018 but in between both Advisor and Secretary had been changed and the order of re-engagement will not be published by the incumbent Secretary of the Council,” they alleged
Rajya Sabha Member Parliament, Mir Mohammed Fayaz said that on September 19 during the ongoing Parliament Session, he submitted a memorandum to Union Sports Minister, Kiren Rijiju for re-engagement of these Community Coaches, adding, “One doesn’t set benchmarks of making J&K sports arena by bulldozing the hard works of previous regimes. Disengagement of 200 certified youngsters who got diploma from NIS Patiala exposes hoax claims of current administration,” he asserted.
The JKSC Secretary, Naseem Ahmed Choundary rebutted the claims of the Community Coaches and said that they were engaged by previous regime only for one year. “No funds have been allocated by Union Government for their honorarium or not getting any communiqué for their re-engagement from the Union Government so far,” Choudhary said.
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