| VAEAs denied salaries from 6 months, Agri deptt unmoved | | | G S Asgotra
Early Times Report
Jammu, June 24: Scores of Village Agriculture Extension Assistants (VAEAs), who were engaged in 2007 under the Rehbar-e-Zirat (ReZ) scheme, are running from pillar to post for their salaries which have been denied to them for the last six months. The Agriculture department of Jammu had released two months salaries to the VAEAs in November 2014. Since then the department has not released the salaries, adding to the woes of the VAEAs. Surinder Singh, who is working in RS Pura zone under the ReZ, said the VAEAs work round the clock. They conduct survey, collect samples and fulfill other assignments in the field which were earlier allotted to Extension Assistants. "But in return the Agriculture department has failed to release their salaries," Singh said. "In absence of salary, most of the VAEAs are mulling to do some menial work to make both the ends meet." Singh said he and other VAEAs feel humiliated in front of their family members "as we are unable to meet their genuine demands."
"Insensitiveness of the government towards the VAEAs could be gauged from the fact that after 100 days of being in power, it has not be able to release our pending salaries," another VAEA said. The VAEAs said that they have repeatedly apprised the higher authorities about their pending salaries but to no avail. "Every time we meet top officials, they have a stock reply: 'funds are not available'," they added. |
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