Srinagar: The Jammu and Kashmir Government has scheduled the annual Darbar Move to Jammu for the winter season, with offices set to reopen in the winter capital on November 2 and each eligible moving employee entitled to a special travelling allowance of ₹25,000.
According to a government order, offices observing a five-day week will close in Srinagar after working hours on October 30, while those following a six-day week will shut on October 31.
The government has designated 50 departments and offices to operate in Jammu with limited staff, while the remaining listed offices will move in full. Under the camp arrangement, offices will generally take 33 per cent of their staff strength or 10 officials, whichever is less, unless a different arrangement has been specified. The Jammu and Kashmir Academy of Art, Culture and Languages, for instance, will move with 26 employees.
The ₹25,000 special move allowance will not be paid to employees who fail to move within the prescribed period. Non-gazetted employees may also apply for advance salary, which will be recovered in instalments under the applicable rules.
The Jammu and Kashmir Road Transport Corporation has been directed to arrange buses for employees travelling on October 31 and November 1. Advance ticket booking will begin on October 27 at the Civil Secretariat and the corporation’s main booking counters. Each convoy will be accompanied by a crane, two empty buses and mobile workshop facilities to deal with breakdowns en route.
Police will escort the convoys to their respective destinations and ensure priority passage through the Banihal-Qazigund and Dr Syama Prasad Mookerjee tunnels. Medical aid facilities will be arranged at Qazigund, Banihal, Ramsu, Ramban, Chenani, Udhampur and Jhajjar Kotli during the movement.
The government has directed the Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs Department to establish ration counters near residential colonies of moving employees in Jammu. The Estates Department will arrange accommodation in accordance with past practice, while employees will not be permitted to occupy government or other designated residential accommodation without a proper allotment order.
October salaries for employees working in moving offices will be drawn on October 29. The order also restricts leave in combination with or immediately following the move days, except in very exceptional circumstances. Kashmir-based employees wishing to avail themselves of the facility will be allowed five days of Special Casual Leave, irrespective of whether accommodation is available in Jammu.
To maintain administrative functioning in Srinagar during the winter session, a Winter Secretariat will operate at the Civil Secretariat. Each department will identify one gazetted and four non-gazetted officials for retention there, subject to approval by the competent authority. Departments have been asked to give preference, wherever feasible, to women employees and those with serious medical conditions.
The government has also directed departments to detach staff posted from subordinate offices in Kashmir Division by October 27. Once offices reopen in Jammu, the Civil Secretariat and heads of departments located within its premises will function from 9:30 am to 5:30 pm. Moving heads of departments situated outside the Secretariat and observing a six-day week, will work from 10 am to 4:30 pm. [KNT]
