Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Nov 7: The Jammu and Kashmir Khidmat Centre Association held strong protest on the second consecutive day here, demanding implementation of a permanent job policy, citing a complete collapse of their livelihoods after 16 years of dedicated public service.
The protesting workers claimed that they have been running Khidmat Centres to deliver critical Government and banking services, especially in the most remote areas of Jammu and Kashmir. They have acted as frontline workers during major crises, including the COVID-19 pandemic, yet now face an unsustainable future as the cessation of banking services has crippled their operations. But the J&K Bank, the designated Service Centre agency, has failed to secure the future of these vital centres.
They said despite assurances from Government officials over the years including, Union Minister Dr Jitendra Singh and many public commitments, no concrete action has been taken regarding their employment. This prolonged inaction has left 1109 highly skilled professionals in a state of financial and professional uncertainty. The Association argued that a permanent settlement is not only a right but also an obligation of the stakeholders who established these centres.
The president of the Association said, “Our demand is clear and just- implement the promised Permanent Settlement Policy. Until this is met, the Government must announce support of 150,000 per centre, per month, without any further delay.”
The Association has appealed the Lt Governor, Manoj Sinha, and Chief Minister, Omar Abdullah for their personal intervention to resolve this issue. The Association has made it clear that if a policy decision is not made promptly, they will be forced to intensify their agitation in near future.
Follow our WhatsApp channel
