FIRDOUS TAK
Jammu, Apr 30: With employees unions in the state preparing for another round of agitation, a high-level official panel – constituted to look into the demand for enhancement of the retirement age – has submitted its report to the Jammu and Kashmir government.
Informed sources in the state government told Greater Kashmir that the chairman of the high level committee, Chief Secretary Madhav Lal, has submitted his report to Finance Minister Abdul Rahim Rather, who heads the Cabinet Sub-Committee looking into various demands of the government employees.
The official committee was constituted last year following an agreement arrived with the employees’ unions. Headed by the Chief Secretary the committee comprised of Principal Secretary Home, Principal Secretary Planning and Commissioner/Secretary Finance as members.
It was empowered to examine the demand for enhancement of retirement age from the existing 58 to 60 years and its implication on the state finances. “The Cabinet Sub-Committee will now meet in Srinagar – after opening of the civil secretariat - to discuss the recommendations made by the official panel”, sources, preferring not to be named said adding, “The Sub-Committee will draw its own conclusion based on the recommendations, which will then be tabled before the state cabinet for a final decision”.
When contacted, the Chief Secretary Madhav Lal confirmed that the report has been submitted. “There were some initial delays due the pre-engagement of the committee members with the Budget Session but we have now submitted the report to the government”, he said. He, however, refused to divulge the details of the recommendations.
However, if sources are to be believed, the government was contemplating to find a middle path in order to enhance the retirement age and at the same time ensuring that the jobs in government sector are not blocked in view of the growing unemployment in the state.
“The employees shall realize that the government is doing everything possible to concede their genuine demands and there is a strong perception that state can lead to a path of development only after ensuring job satisfaction to its employees”, a senior minister and member of the cabinet sub committee said.
He said that the agitation path chosen by “some of the employees’ unions” was unjust and unwarranted. “By this manner the government employees will lose the sympathy they have among the power corridors”, the minister claimed.
The enhancement in the retirement age was one of the key demands of the employees, which opened a front against the government last year. The Government employees also resorted to strikes besides demonstrations in support of their demand for enhancement in retirement age.
However, the government after implementing the sixth pay commission recommendations agreed that the other demands will be looked into in a phased manner.
Sources said that the previous government headed by Ghulam Nabi Azad had also decided to go ahead with the move and a formal proposal was formulated in this regard. However, the Amarnath land row and the subsequent fall of the government stalled the process.

Lastupdate on : Mon, 30 Apr 2012 21:30:00 Makkah time
Lastupdate on : Mon, 30 Apr 2012 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Tue, 1 May 2012 00:00:00 IST