Srinagar: The pensioners of Erstwhile Border Area Projects of Jammu and Kashmir Social Welfare Board, have sought regular disbursement of monthly pension.
They have urged the LG, Manoj Sinha, to end their miserable condition. They have said that the Jammu & Kashmir Social Welfare Board was running 11 Welfare Extension Projects under Border Area Scheme of Ministry of Women and child development, Government of India, through Central Social Welfare Board. “Expenditure on these projects was met by the Ministry of Women and Child Development, Government of India and the Government of Jammu & Kashmir at 67:33 basis. The employees were governed by State Service Rules and the Directorate of Funds Organisation of Finance Department, Government of Jammu and Kashmir, was nominated as pension verifying authority in respect of the employees, retiring from the services of these projects.”
Due to expansion of Integrated Child Development Scheme and other schemes for development of women and children through out the country, these projects were ordered to be wound up by the Government of India and around 150 in- service employees of these erstwhile projects were adjusted in the Social Welfare Department and Integrated Child Development projects by the “Government of Jammu and Kashmir with effect from 1-04- 2008 vide Government Order No 99-SW of 2008 dated 14- 03-2008 with the result that 100% financial liability on account salary of in-service employees and pension of employees who had retired upto 31-03-2008 was accordingly transferred to the Government of Jammu and Kashmir.”
While the salary of service employees continues to be drawn against the posts they have been adjusted, the pension was allowed to be disbursed through J&K Social Welfare Board for which purpose funds were sanctioned and released in favour of the Board till ending March 2023, they said.
Now that the State Administrative Council has decided to wound up the Jammu and Kashmir Social Welfare Board also in pursuance of the policy of Government of India to close down the Central Social Welfare Board, the UT Government of Jammu & Kashmi (Department of Social Welfare) has decided in principle to draw and disburse the pension in favour of the pensioners of Erstwhile Border Area Projects as also the pensioners of Board Office through Commr/Secretary to Government, Social Welfare Department. ”
“Presently there are 46 pensioners of these erstwhile projects and all of them are totally dependent on their monthly pension. Unfortunately, this time these hapless Pensioners have not received their pension since March 2023 onwards and are therefore faced with starvation. Besides being in advanced age they need protracted medical treatment, which too has been hindered due to non release of their pension for want of release funds by the Finance Department.”
