DCPs of PWD, Power to head contract committees of 8 deptts
Mohinder Verma
JAMMU, Oct 24: In a major decision, the State Administrative Council (SAC) headed by Governor Satya Pal Malik has enormously hiked the ex-gratia relief being given to the employees of the Power Development Department (PDD), or their legal heir in case of death due to electrocution or incapacitation.
Official sources told EXCELSIOR that employees of the Power Development Department were demanding suitable hike in the ex-gratia relief during the past several years but successive Governments only gave assurances from time to time instead of taking any serious step to concede the genuine demand.
However, during the Governor’s Rule this demand received due attention of those at the helm of affairs in the Power Development Department and accordingly a proposal was drafted and placed before the State Administrative Council, which met yesterday under the chairmanship of Governor Satya Pal Malik.
After thorough discussion, the SAC cleared the proposal of the Power Development Department and accordingly directions were issued to the Finance Department for carrying out necessary amendments in the Jammu and Kashmir Book of Financial Powers in order to ensure implementation of the decision without any difficulty.
As per the decision, Development Commissioner Power (DCP) will have full powers within the budget provisions for grant of ex-gratia relief in favour of the employees of the PDD, other persons, or their heir and to the owners of domestic animals, who are electrocuted and die or are rendered fully/partially disabled due to the negligence of the department.
As far as death of human beings is concerned, ex-gratia has been increased from Rs 3 lakh to Rs 10 lakh while as in case of total disability an amount of Rs 7.50 lakh will be given as against earlier amount of Rs one lakh. Likewise, in case of partial disability an amount of Rs 2 lakh will be given as against Rs 30,000 being given at present.
In case of death of any employee, the ex-gratia relief shall be paid to the legal heirs of the deceased and the payment shall be subject to the condition that the relief granted by the Government under the Workman’s Compensation Act shall be adjusted.
“All the employees of the PDD, whether regular, daily rated worker, casual labour, worked charged, contingent paid etc engaged in the generation, transmission or supply of electrical energy in the department, who are killed, incapacitated wholly or partially during the course of discharging their bonafide and legitimate duties, will be eligible for ex-gratia”, sources said.
The civilians killed or injured resulting in their partial or total disability, subject to the explicit condition that the accident is not attributable to them but to the lapses attributable to the Power Development Department as verified by the Director, TTI&C will also be eligible for the enhanced ex-gratia.
As far as domestic animals killed by electrocution caused due to the negligence of the Power Development Department and verified by the Director TTI&C are concerned, ex-gratia of Rs 20,000 for loss of cow, bull and horse and Rs 5000 for loss of sheep/goat will be given.
Meanwhile, Governor’s Administration has carried out amendments in the J&K Book of Financial Powers whereby the contract committee for grant of administrative approval for projects/works in eight non-engineering departments shall be headed by Development Commissioner Works and Development Commissioner Power.
For Housing and Urban Development, Rural Development and Panchayati Raj, Tourism and Education Departments the contract committee shall be headed by Development Commissioner Works (R&B) while as Development Commissioner Power will head the contract committee for Estates, Horticulture, Youth Services and Sports and Floriculture Departments.
However, the financial limit prescribed for such contract committees shall remain unchanged and the committees shall appraise the proposals and perform the role of a departmental contract committee.
An officer of the level of Special Secretary/Additional Secretary of the concerned department will also be part of the contract committee.
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