Jammu: In a major decision, the state cabinet that met in Jammu under the chairpersonship of Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti approved implementation of 7th pay commission recommendations for state government employees and pensioners with effect from January 2016.
The decision would benefit around five lakh employees and pensioners in the state. The financial implications for the implementations of 7th pay commission recommendations would be Rs 4201 crore annually while financial implications on account of one-time arrears would be Rs 7477 crores.
The State government employees can now draw the salary for the month of April 2018 as per the revised scales.
According to the decision, for the purpose of implementation of 7th Pay Commission Recommendations, basic pay as on 31.12.2015 of employees shall be multiplied by uniform factor of 2.57 and then adjusted in the matrix recommended by the Pay Committee.
The benefit of House Rent Allowance on revised pay shall be available from April, 2018 and all allowances except Dearness Allowance (DA) shall continue as before while DA from January, 2016 onwards shall be paid on revised pay on new rates to be notified by Finance Department.
According to the decision, Gratuity shall be enhanced from the existing ceiling of ₹10.00 lakh to ₹20.00 lakh with effect from 01.01.2016, with increase in the ceiling on gratuity by 25 percent whenever DA rises by 50 percent as recommended by 7th CPC/ as per Central Government pattern.
The pensioners shall be given option to choose revision of pension by any of the two formulations suggested by the Pay Committee.
Arrears of pensioners shall be paid in cash in three six monthly instalments while arrears of all employees shall be drawn and credited to their G.P Fund accounts with moratorium of 3 years for withdrawal of same. However, there will be no moratorium for withdrawal in case of employees retiring upto 31.03.2021.
The implementation of 7th pay commission recommendations for PSUs and autonomous organizations will depend on the availability of resources with the respective organizations.
Regarding pay anomalies, the cabinet decided that the existing Pay Committee shall look into and address the issue of anomalies starting with the issue of anomalies of the Clerical Cadre.
The cabinet also approved a slew of administrative reforms to streamline the functioning at various levels in the government. These measures include increasing working days and working hours for government business, putting in place system of automatic abolition of posts which are not filled for 3 years, establishment audit of all offices needs to be expedited to work out norms for optimal sanctioned strength of employees in all offices/ Departments across the State, making of illegal appointments of whatsoever nature (whether regular, adhoc or casual) by any officer be treated as major offence, Visitor Management System, particularly in Civil Secretariat to be streamlined, Drawl of pay by Drawing and Disbursing Officers in all offices to be linked to Biometric Attendance and objective assessment of skills & competencies required to be made.
The other approvals made by the cabinet are listed below:
Cabinet approves JK Protection of Children from Sexual Violence Ordinance-2018
The state cabinet approved the Jammu and Kashmir Criminal Law (Amendment) Ordinance, 2018 and the Jammu and Kashmir Protection of Children from Sexual Violence Ordinance, 2018.
As per the Jammu and Kashmir Criminal Law (Amendment) Ordinance, 2018, committing rape on women under 16 years of age has been made punishable with rigorous imprisonment for 20 years and may extend to life sentence, which shall mean remainder of that person’s natural life, committing rape on women under 12 years of age has been made punishable with death sentence.
Gang-rape of women under 16 years of age has been made punishable with imprisonment for life, which shall mean remainder of that person’s natural life, gang-rape of women under 12 years of age has been made punishable with death sentence.
Cabinet approves JK Preventive Detention Laws Ordinance- 2018
The state cabinet approved the Jammu and Kashmir (Preventive Detention laws) Ordinance, 2018. According to the decision the Ordinance would provide the government a wider choice of retired eligible persons who could be considered for selection/ appointment as chairmen and members of the advisory boards under the legislations.
Cabinet approves time-bound grade promotion for KAS officers; cadre review of Secretariat Subordinate Services
The state cabinet approved grant of time-bound grade promotion for the KAS officers. As per the decision, a Junior KAS/feeding service officer in the pay band of Rs 9300-34800 with grade pay of Rs 4800 will be eligible for placement in scale of 15600-39100 + GP 6600. (Deputy Secretary level- non-functional scale after 10 years of service).
A Time Scale KAS officer with 4 years’ service in the Time Scale will be eligible for placement in the Selection Grade (non-functional) of Rs 15600-39100 with grade pay of Rs 7600.
A Time Scale KAS officer with 08 years of service in Time Scale may be considered for placement in Special Scale Rs 37400-67000 + GP Rs 8700 (non-functional). The cabinet also approved cadre review of secretariat subordinate services and approved measures to fast-track promotion of officers belonging to the secretariat sub-ordinate service.
Cabinet approves setting up of JK Renewable Energy Corporation
The state cabinet approved setting up of Jammu and Kashmir Renewable Energy Corporation.
According to the decision, the corporation will be a private limited company wholly owned by the state government with the authorized share capital of Rs 1 crore fully paid up and subscribed by the state government. The cabinet authorized the administrative secretary Science and Technology department to take necessary steps for creation and setting up of the Renewable Energy Corporation.
Cabinet approves academic arrangement of 2154 posts of teachers
The state cabinet approved to make academic arrangement 2018-19 for 2154 posts of teachers referred to the Service Selection Board.
The cabinet observed that pending selection against the referred posts, the school education department would make academic arrangement for the session 2018-19 in respect of all the vacancies for all districts except Jammu and Srinagar where there is saturation of staff.
The move is to address the deficiency of teachers in Zone-III far flung areas and the concerns raised by the Legislators during the Budget Session 2018 about the shortage of teachers in schools particularly in far flung areas. The cabinet observed that the school education department require putting in place a fool proof mechanism in place to ensure that academic arrangement against these posts of teachers is made in a most transparent manner.
Cabinet approves engagement of 2,200 Lecturers, 400 Teachers on academic arrangement basis
The state cabinet approved temporary engagement of 2,200 Lecturers and 400 Teachers under up-gradation programme on academic arrangement basis for the academic Session 2018-19.
The arrangement will be made at an enhanced honorarium of Rs.14000/- per month and at the rate of Rs.10500/- for third/hard zone and Plain areas in respect of Lecturers for ten months in Higher Secondary Schools and Rs.7500/- per month and Rs.4500/- per month for 3rd/ Hard Zone and Plain Areas respectively in respect of Teachers for 10 months in upgraded High Schools. The academic arrangement will subsist till regular selections are made.
Cabinet approves re-engagement of Constable (Operators) as Wireless Assistants
The state cabinet approved re-engagement of Constable (Operators) as Wireless Assistants who were disengaged earlier owing to wrong advertisement.
According to the decision, they will be called as ‘Wireless Assistants’ and entitled to honorarium of Rs.25000 per month and entitled to regularization against commensurate positions after completing 10 years of continuous working and will be called designated wireless operators.
The posts of constable operators will be utilized for their regularization and in the event of their non-availability these positions shall be deemed to have been created.
According to the decision, their past service in the Police Department will also be counted and will be allowed annual hike of 3% on higher consolidated remuneration, terminal benefits under NPS, leave and medical reimbursement. They will work under administrative control of PHQ and shall be considered a Belt Force and their service bio-data records will be maintained by PHQ as per the Police Rules.
Cabinet approves financial autonomy for JK State Sports Council
In a major decision, the state cabinet approved grant of financial autonomy to the J&K State Sports Council.
According to the decision, grant of annual grants by the Financial Department and Planning Development and Monitoring Department towards Revenue and Capital expenditure to the J&K State Sports Council will be as Grant-in-Aid with an annual hike upto 10 percent.
The sports council will continue to be provided funds under Centrally Sponsored schemes, PMDP funds as the case may be. The Sports Council will be free to raise its own internal resources and it will constitute a finance committee/ standing council with the approval of President J&K State Sports Council for approval of expenditure plan and expenditure monitoring. The council will put in place a robust accountability mechanism to ensure judicious utilization of resources.
