Srinagar: In order to provide immediate relief to transporters/vehicle owners of the State who are plying Commercial Passenger Vehicles, the Cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti on Wednesday accorded sanction to the revision of Passenger Fare 2017 with an increase of 13.75% for Big Buses and Mini Buses, 8.25% increase to Taxi Maxi Cab Segment and 2.85% increase to Auto Rickshaw category (Petrol Driven) on the present prevailing rates notified vide SRO-24 dated 03.02.2014.
The Cabinet further directed that the Transport Department shall take effective steps to ensure proper regulation of movement of trucks and adherence to the rates fixed for carriage of goods across the State, an official spoeksperson said.
On 25th January, 2017, Chief Minister, Mehbooba Mufti convened a high level meeting of Transporters of J&K to discuss various issues pertaining to the transport sector.
The transporters highlighted various demands including that the passenger fare had not been revised since 2014 despite increase in the fuel prices and other input costs. Chief Minister directed the transport department to submit a proposal for revision of the passenger fare.
Accordingly, a High Level Empowered Committee was constituted under the chairmanship of Commissioner/Secretary, Finance which submitted its recommendations on 12th May, 2017.
In view of the recommendations of the High Level Empowered Committee, the revision in the passenger fare was approved.
Meanwhile, the state government employees and the pensioners, the Government announced 11% hike in their Dearness Allowance.
The State Cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti accorded approval to the release of DA installment @ 7% of pay, w.e.f. July 2016 and @ 4% w.e.f. January 2017 raising the total Dearness Allowance of the State Government employees from 125% to 132% w.e.f. 1.7.2016 and 132% to 136% w.e.f. 1.1.2017.
The arrears on account of additional installments from July, 2016 and from January, 2017 upto May 2017 shall be credited to the individual GPF accounts of Government employees in the month of June, 2017 and shall form part of the monthly salary from there onwards.
In respect of such of the State Government employees, who are governed by the New Pension Scheme, the arrears on account of additional installments from July, 2016 and January 2017 upto May 2017, shall be paid in cash in month of June, 2017 and the employees’ share @ 10% shall be deducted at source and credited to their PRAN numbers along with the matching share by the employer.
Thereafter, the enhancement in the DA shall form part of the monthly salary.
Enhancement in DA will also apply to the work charged/whole time contingent paid employees, working in a regular time scale.
Cabinet approved the release of the Dearness Allowance installment @ 7% w.e.f. 1.7.2016 and 4% w.e.f. 1.1.2017 raising the total Dearness Allowance of the State Government pensioners/family pensioners from 125% to 132% w.e.f. 1.7.2016 and from 132% to 136% from 1.1.2017 respectively.
The arrears on account of the enhanced rate of Dearness Allowance from July, 2016 and January, 2017 upto May 2017 shall be paid to them in cash in the month of June, 2017 and shall form part of the monthly pension/family pension there onwards.
The State Government employees and the pensioners have hailed the present government for timely release of DA. They said it is for the first time that the DA is being released by the Government without the employees having to resort to any agitation for the same.
They have specially expressed gratitude to the Chief Minister, Ms Mehbooba Mufti, the Finance Minister, Dr Haseeb Drabu, Chief Secretary, Mr B B Vyas and Commissioner Secretary Finance, Mr Navin Kumar Choudhary for taking several other employee-friendly measures besides timely release of DA.
They said that bringing down the qualifying service for full pensionery benefits from 33 to 20 years and increase of TMA from Rs 10000 to Rs 15000 are some other laudable measures taken by the present government.
