Early Times Report
JAMMU, Jan 8: Engineers from the Power Development Department (PDD) staged a massive one-day protest under the banner of the Jammu & Kashmir Electrical Engineering Graduates Association (JKEEGA). The protest, held at Gladni Narwal Complex in Jammu and Bemina Complex in Srinagar, aimed to highlight the lack of progress on regularizing engineers as per the State Administrative Council (SAC) decision of 2019.
Thousands of engineers, including Chief Engineers, Superintending Engineers, Executive Engineers, AEEs, and Junior Engineers, participated in the protest. The event followed a one-month notice served to the government on December 4, 2024, urging action on their long-standing demand for regular promotions and recruitment.
Despite the SAC's 2019 directive to regularize engineers within two months, not a single engineer has been regularized in four years.
Senior engineers continue to retire in lower grades, significantly reducing pension benefits.
The absence of assured career progression (ACP) for engineers, approved in 2018 but not implemented, has further demoralized the cadre.
Chronic vacancies across the department, including 53 Executive Engineers and 436 Junior Engineers, hinder efficient operations.
Er. Sachin Tickoo, General Secretary of JKEEGA, and Peerzada Hidayatullah, President, criticized the administration's inaction despite repeated reminders. They lamented the ad-hoc promotions and lack of regularization, which have caused frustration among the workforce.
Chief Engineers also highlighted the increasing workload due to staff shortages, emphasizing the adverse impact on the department's performance.
JKEEGA has decided to escalate the protest if the government fails to address their demands. A 48-hour protest is planned for February 6-7, 2025, if no progress is made.
The association urged the Lieutenant Governor and Chief Minister to intervene urgently to resolve the issues, emphasizing that resolving HR challenges is crucial for the effective functioning and growth of the J&K power sector. |
