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| Parity in regional share but will guidelines be 'followed' fairly ? | | Appointment of causal labourers | | Early Times Report
Jammu, Oct 14: In what can be seen as taking lead over its predecessor by formally approving the appointment of casual labourers in various departments of the state, the NC led coalition government, ensuring cabinet nod today, will now take the credit of the move by engaging as many as 43,000 persons on consolidated wages.
The decision which was taken today in the cabinet meeting at Srinagar will pave way for engaging the labourers in various departments, a need which has been felt for along time. In fact the talk of appointing or engaging casual labourers gained momentum during previous coalition led first by PDP Patron Mufti Mohammad Sayeed and later by Congress veteran Ghulam Nabi Azad. However, things could not materialize as the then government could not give formal shape due to land row that erupted during the year 2008 which ultimately led to collapse of the government.
"A proposal was mooted by the then government to engage around 60,000 people as casual workers during the previous regime….guidelines in every respect were discussed and there was a move of giving nearly Rs 21,00 per month to the workers……the number of workers in the new plan has in fact been reduced by the present coalition", said a PDP leader.
However, the NC led coalition dismisses this claim contending there is no record available indicating whether the previous government had any plan or proposal on mind. "We did it for the first time as we feel there is dire need in certain departments for engaging these labourers", said a senior NC leader, apparently claiming credit for taking this step.
In the decision taken today which has truly been termed by the government as a landmark one, the State Cabinet has approved engagement of 43,000 casual or seasonal labourers who would be employed in the departments of Power Development, PHE, Irrigation, Flood Control, Public Works, Rural Development, Floriculture, School Education and Forests. While the government information did not say anything about the perks to be given under the present government's plan, according to sources each person will be given Rs 3,300 per month.
While full care and caution has been taken by the government to avoid any controversy in terms of regional discrimination, apprehensions have started coming mainly from the political circles fearing if at all the engagements on a massive scale would be done in a fair manner. Of the 43,000 engagements as many as 20,500 will be made in Jammu division and the same number in Kashmir division while 2,000 engagements will be made in Ladakh region.
"We are not aware about the guidelines that have been framed for the purpose now……during the previous coalition government when this proposal was discussed by those at the helm there were suggestions that in order to keep parity the casual workers should be appointed on the need basis indeed but each constituency should be given fair deal while making these appointments", said a Congress leader in Jammu. However, care has to be taken these persons were engaged not for the sake of it instead against the schemes or requirement, he added.
While the move has been finally given practical shape, it now remains to be seen what guidelines shall steer it forward, without any political controversy.
An expenditure of Rs. 143 crores on the scheme would be met as per the arrangement which envisages loading of Rs. 23 crores on the cost of new projects under implementation, enhancing the existing provisions in the non-plan maintenance budget of the respective departments to the tune of Rs. 40 crores and Rs. 80 crores as maintenance provisions in the Annual Plan 2010-11 in different sectors. |
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