Early Times Report
JAMMU, May 20: Subash Shastri, President of the NMC, appealed to the Lieutenant Governor and Chief Minister to increase the monthly medical allowance for pensioners from Rs 300 to Rs 1000, aligning Jammu and Kashmir with other union territories like Ladakh, which raised the allowance in 2020.
Speaking at a meeting of NMC activists, Shastri highlighted that the current allowance has not changed for over two decades despite rising healthcare costs, and the hike would provide essential relief to pensioners facing increased medical expenses.
He also demanded a 2% increase in House Rent Allowance (HRA) for Jammu and Kashmir employees, noting that the Dearness Allowance (DA) has already crossed the 50% threshold, which justifies the revision.
Further, Shastri called on the Centre to release 18 months of pending DA arrears from January to June 2021, citing withheld instalments during the period. He urged immediate disbursal to benefit employees and pensioners who have awaited their dues for over three years.
Other demands raised included the release of 2% DA and the regularization of daily rated workers under SRO 64.
The meeting was attended by several prominent members, including Rajan Babu Khajuria, B. S. Jamwal, Surrinder Kumar, Ramash Sharma, Ram Singh, and others. |
