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| Of 80,000 jobs, half salaries, dead wood and financial constraints | | |
Early Times Report
JAMMU, Jan 7: The State Government has promised fast track recruitments to 80,000 jobs during the next few months. The Chief Minister made this announcement during his rally in summer capital Srinagar while speaking to Sarpanches and Panches of the Valley.
Government jobs have become the only pursuit for the educated youths of the State since there are no viable industries in Jammu and Kashmir. As always, the extreme shortage of electricity despite a huge potential to generate at least another 15000 MWs from the existing water resources, industrial sector has not successfully taken off in the State because of the distances from tertiary markets and the absence of uninterrupted electric power supply.
The coalition Government did not do much on the employment front during the last four years because its intention has clearly been to encash the employment card during the 2014 elections. Every Government in power has the right to highlight its achievements and to place its score card on the people's table when it goes to seek their mandate. That is a right the coalition Government in the State cannot be denied. Yet, the way the State Government has been approaching the problem of unemployment leaves much to be desired.
In the very first place, the State Government has started the practice of stipend to permanent employees who would now be recruited in the Government service besides making their jobs non-pensionable. Initially it was decided to pay half salaries to Government employees in the non-gazetted ranks and now the practice of paying half salaries to gazetted officers is also being mulled by the State Government.
It is argued that the financial resource base of the State does not warrant such a heavy administrative apparatus. A workforce of 4.5 lakhs is believed to be the highest ratio proportion wise in J&K as compared to other States of the country. Yet the expenditure incurred on Bureaucratic and Ministerial travel and comfort does not indicate that the State exchequer is constrained for funds.
Over 300 retired Government officers are re-employed presently in the State. These retired officials are drawing the difference between their pension and the last pay they drew before retirement. Ironically, even as a symbolic gesture, the State Government does not feel duty bound to either remove the dead wood or at least ensure that they do not enjoy second innings at the cost of thousands of educated unemployed youths.
Ironically, fast tracking of the 80,000 Government jobs has also been entrusted to a retired person who has already done three stints at various places!
Huge financial leakages, misappropriations and wasteful expenditure come to public knowledge with each passing day in the State and yet there is no indication that these have happened despite any financial constraints. |
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