Mech engineers oppose decision to close SPD

Excelsior Correspondent

JAMMU, Jan 8: All Mechanical engineers of the State have strongly opposed the decision of the Government to do away with the Stores Procurement Department (SPD).
In a meeting of the Mechanical Engineers held at Institution of Engineers India, Local Centre Jammu, the members of the cadre in large number participated. A number of grievances of Mechanical engineering cadre were discussed.
The main issue was regarding the decision of Govt to stall the activities of Stores Procurement Department (SPD), Jammu and Kashmir. Senior Mechanical Engineers of the ranks of Executive Engineers, Superintending Engineers and Chief Engineer spoke on the occasion and apprised the gathering about the working/benefits of procuring key construction material through Stores Procurement Department.
They said if the activities of Stores Procurement Department are stopped, and procurement of Key construction material is de-centralized, the Govt will end up paying more money to the contractors and thereby more burden on State exchequer will fall and a compromise on quality of material being used in various projects have to be reached.
Moreover, a total of 213 employees are getting affected with the closure of Stores Procurement Department, out of which 51 are technical staff, 70 are accounts and clerical staff and others are Class IV employees.
The other issues discussed were creation of new posts of Mechanical Chief Engineers, new Divisions of Mechanical Engineering. The regularization of Mechanical Engineers at all levels of Engineering Cadre right from Assistant Engineers to Chief Engineers is pending since many years which needs to be expedited by the authorities.
A joint committee under the name of All J&K Mechanical Engineers Federation was framed. This body will be responsible for meeting the authorities and pursuing for the redressal of problems being faced by Mechanical Engineering cadre.