Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Apr 13: Patwaris across Rajouri district have launched a three-day token strike, pressing for the redressal of several long-pending demands, concerning their service conditions and work-load. The strike has been organized under the banner of the Rajouri Patwar Association.
The protesting Patwaris have raised key issues including rationalisation of assignments, restructuring of Patwar Halqas, grant of technical grade pay, enhancement of promotion quota of Naib Tehsildars (NT) from 50 percent to 75 percent at par with the Union Territory of Ladakh, framing of a proper seniority list, and timely conduct of departmental examinations. They have also demanded the creation of separate Patwar and Girdawar Halqas to ease the increasing burden of work.
Addressing the media, District president of the Association, Shabir Ahmad along with general secretary, Qeysar Lateef Durrani and vice president Ajaz Ahmed Malik, highlighted that the existing jurisdiction of Patwar Halqas is too vast, resulting in excessive workload and adversely affecting the efficiency and quality of revenue services.
They stated that Patwaris are being assigned multiple Government duties simultaneously, making it difficult to complete tasks within stipulated timeline. They urged the Government to provide sufficient time and resources to field-level staff for effective discharge of duties.
Expressing their concerns, the protesting Patwaris remarked, “We are humans, not robots. The continuously increasing workload without adequate support has made it extremely difficult to function efficiently.”
They further warned that failure to address their genuine demands may compel them to intensify their agitation in the coming days.
Meanwhile, the ongoing strike has started impacting revenue-related services in the district, with delays being reported in land record maintenance, mutations, and other essential public services.
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