Basic amenities affected as Government fails to sway employees towards Gurez
BIVEK MATHUR. Updated: 11/17/2017 1:08:23 AM
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JAMMU: The remote Gurez Tehsil in Kashmir region has been facing severe shortage of employees particularly doctors and teachers as the state government has failed to sort out the long pending demand of availing adequate number of staff in the Gurez valley.
"The non-local employees avoid getting posted in Gurez Valley in view of the tough topography of the Gurez Tehsil in Bandipore district, thus shortage of staff in most of the government institutions there.
Prior to 90s, the non-local employees would prefer to work in Gurez, as until then, they were given local allowances (Compensation allowances) at the rate of 100% during the winter and 75% in summer but this pattern of paying special allowances was changed pursuant to the pay revision of 1982.
Deputy Speaker, Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly, Nazir Ahmed Gurezi, who is also the MLA of Gurez constituency, told The News Now, "Until April 1, 1982, the non-local employees were given the special compensation allowances.
"Due to these additional perks, they (non-local employees) were even willingly discharging their duties in Gurez but after the pattern was changed, government offices in Gurez faced a major employees' crisis."
"The existing rate of local allowance (Compensation allowance) now payable was last revised in May, 2012," the MLA Gurez said, adding, "I have raised this issue several times in the lower house of the state legislature and the Mufti Mohammad Sayeed government had even promised to revise the rate of local allowances in 2017-18.'
"But till today, the periodic review of special allowances is awaited, thus acute shortage of employees in Gurez Valley," he said.
MLA Gurezi said that he even raised the issue of shortage of employees in Gurez Valley from the chair of Deputy Speaker but till date, ironically the issue could not be sorted out.
Navin Kumar Choudhary, Principal Secretary, Finance Department was not available for comments as all attempts to contact him turned futile.
Updated On 11/17/2017 1:08:52 AM