Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Nov 22: Leaders of the Jammu and Kashmir Pensioners and Senior Citizen United Front today raised alarm over what they described as the deteriorating conditions of serving and retired employees in the J&K Union Territory.
In a joint press conference, addressed by Babu Hussain Malik, president of Front and attended by several senior trade union leaders including Girdhari Lal Chanda, Yash Paul Sharma, Madan Sangral, Prem Paul Singh, R K Kalsotra, Koushal Kumar and others, the leaders expressed deep concern over the increasing workload on Government employees due to the non-fulfilment of vacant posts across departments.
Malik said that pensioners and senior employees were facing unprecedented hardships due to “anti-employee” policies adopted by the Government. He said the steep rise in prices of essential commodities had badly hit the fixed-income groups and “broken the backbone” of retired employees and senior citizens, who continue to struggle without adequate support from the administration.
Malik further said the shortage of staff was not only putting enormous pressure on existing employees but also severely impacting their health and efficiency. He urged the Government to immediately fill all vacant positions to prevent further deterioration in the functioning of public offices.
During the press conference, the Front leaders placed a comprehensive charter of demands before the Government. The foremost demand was the regularization of all categories of daily wagers, contractual and consolidated workers including Rehbar-e-Khel, Rehbar-e-Janglat, Anganwadi helpers, ASHA workers, and National Health Mission employees. The leaders also sought the re-engagement of Home Guard personnel terminated earlier, as per CAT directions.
Other major demands included immediate release of GP Fund, leave salary, commutation gratuity and pending pensioner benefits stuck in treasuries; enhancement of medical allowance at par with other Union Territories; implementation of the Old Pension Scheme; disposal of pending SRO-43 cases; removal of pay anomalies in the clerical cadre; and release of the pending 18-month DA.
The United Front also pressed for the implementation of the Eighth Pay Commission in full, extending its benefits to retired employees as well.
The association resolved to intensify its efforts in the coming days and appealed to the administration to respond positively to the long-pending grievances of pensioners, senior citizens and employees.
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