Cabinet approves 11% DA hike in favour of employees, pensioners; Move widely hailed
In big financial relief for the state government employees and the pensioners, the Government today 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.
Cabinet approves enhancement in selection grade posts of Constables from 25% to 50%, up-gradtion of Grade Pay from Rs 2100 to Rs 2400
The Cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti today accorded sanction to the enhancement of the percentage of posts of Selection Grade Constables to 50%, from the existing 25% at constabulary level and upgradation of pay scale of Selection Grade Constable from existing grade pay of Rs.2100/- to grade pay of Rs.2400/- in the pay band of Rs.5200-20200/-. A Constable with 09 years of service only shall be eligible for placement in the Selection Grade subject to availability of post. Constables getting insitu promotion earlier will be entitled to pay scale of Rs.5200-20200 + GP Rs.2400/- but not rank. They will be entitled to rank only after their placement in the Selection Grade of Constable.
Cabinet approves revision in passenger fare
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 today 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. 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.
Cabinet gives nod to appointment of Justice (Rtd), Sunil Hali as President, J&K State Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission
The Cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti today accorded sanction to the appointment of Mr. Justice (Retired), Sunil Hali, former Judge of J&K High Court as President of the J&K State Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission for a period of 5 years from the date of assumption of office.
Cabinet directs fast tracking regularization process, finalization of a single BPL List within a month
The Cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister, Mehbooba Mufti today while expressing concern over the slow progress in regard to regularization of casual/temporary/need based labourers/ workers engaged after 31.01.1994, directed that such Administrative Departments as have not submitted Bio-Metric details together with related information in respect of aforementioned category of workers, will submit the same to the Finance Department within a month.Cabinet also discussed the issue of having a single BPL list. Cabinet directed that the BPL list compiled by the Food, Civil Supplies and Consumers Affairs Department (FCS&CAD) be reviewed under the aegis of the Planning, Development and Monitoring Department (PDMD) in consultation with the Departments of FCS&CA, Power Development, Social Welfare and Rural Development and Panchayati Raj to finalize a single BPL list within a month, to be used in connection with all BPL related Welfare programmes.Cabinet directed the Higher Education Department to examine the requests for setting up of new Degree Colleges, particularly in the light of resource commitment from Central Government for setting up such institutions.Cabinet directed that the Home Department shall in consultation with the Finance Department examine the issue relating to operationalization of new/sanctioned Fire and Emergency Service Stations by way of provision of required infrastructure and manpower.
Cabinet approves promotion of K B Agarwal to Fixed Scale of IAS
The Cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister, Mehbooba Mufti today accorded sanction to the promotion of Mr. K.B. Aggarwal, IAS (JK:1985) to the Fixed Scale of IAS (Rs.80,000/-) (pre-revised), notionally from 01.11.2015, and regularly with effect
Cabinet approves promotion of IPS officers
The Cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister, Mehbooba Mufti today accorded sanction to the promotion of IPS Officers of J&K Cadre of 1999 Batch, Mr. S. Anand Jain and Mr. S.R. Samuel on proforma basis, Mr. Nitish Kumar, Mr. Ashkoor Ahmed Wani and Mr. Nisar Ahmed to the Super Time Scale – (ii)-IGP (Level 14 in the Pay Matrix), w.e.f. 05.06.2017.
Cabinet approves creation of 5 posts of AAG , Enhances monthly retainership/Counsel fee
The Cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister, Mehbooba Mufti today accorded sanction to the creation of 4 posts of Additional Advocate General at New Delhi and enhancement of monthly retainership and Counsel fee of Law Officers at New Delhi. Accordingly Advocate on record shall be entitled to a monthly retainership of Rs 30, 000 per month and Counsel fee of Rs.10,000 per case against the existing Rs.9450/ per month and Rs.6750 per hearing respectively. Additional Advocate General shall be entitled to monthly retainership of Rs.30,000 per month and Counsel fee of Rs.9000 per case against the existing Rs.20,000 per month and Rs.9000 per hearing respectively. Similarly, Additional Standing Counsel shall be entitled to monthly retainership of Rs.25,000 and Cousel fee of Rs.9,000 per case as against the existing Rs.9,450 per month and Rs.6,000 per hearing respectively. The Cabinet also approved creation of an additional post of Additional Advocate General who will exclusively look after all the cases relating to State owned properties outside J&K; particularly in the States of Punjab (Chandigarh & Amritsar) and Haryana (Sirsa) etc.
Cabinet approves transfer of land to JK Bank, Technical Education Department
The Cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister, Mehbooba Mufti today accorded sanction to the transfer of land on lease basis, measuring 50 kanals available with Government Joinery Mills, Pampore to the Jammu & Kashmir Bank Limited @ Rs.45 lakh per kanal for development of a Mega Currency Chest and establishment of Staff Training College, keeping in view the provisions of the relevant law.The Cabinet also approved transfer of State land measuring 64 kanals and 1 marla situated at village Sathra Tehsil Mandi, District Poonch for construction of Government Polytechnic College, Poonch in favour of Technical Education Department.
Cabinet approves adoption of Procedural Guidelines to Industrial Policy 2016-26
The Cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister, Mehbooba Mufti today accorded sanction to the adoption of Procedural Guidelines with respect to the Industrial Policy; 2016-26 which shall be applicable till the policy remain in vogue and shall come into force with immediate effect.New Industrial Policy was notified in March, 2016. After its notification there had been demand from stakeholders including Industrial Associations and field agencies of the department for issuing detailed procedural guidelines elaborating various provisions of the Industrial Policy and providing clarity on important issues.The guidelines have been prepared on the basis of feedback/suggestions obtained from various stakeholders and inter-departmental consultations with the Finance and Law Departments.
Cabinet approves draft “Jammu and Kashmir Transfer of Property (Amendment) Ordinance, 2017”
The Cabinet Meeting chaired by Chief Minister, Mehbooba Mufti today approved the draft “Jammu and Kashmir Transfer of Property (Amendment) Ordinance, 2017”, for its submission to the Governor for promulgation.
Cabinet approves review of strength, composition of Jammu and Kashmir Police (Gazetted) Service
To remove stagnation of State Police Service officers, belonging to various wings/cadres, the Cabinet chaired by the Chief Minister, Mehbooba Mufti today approved review of the strength and composition of the Jammu and Kashmir Police (Gazetted) Service based on the proposal of the Home Department and the recommendations of the Cabinet Sub-Committee which had been constituted by the Cabinet.
There had been a demand for carving out higher scales of pay in the General Cadre of the Jammu and Kashmir Police (Gazetted) Service on the pattern of the officers of the Jammu and Kashmir Administrative Service (KAS) and the Jammu and Kashmir Accounts (Gazetted) Service.The Cabinet approved introduction of Selection Grade at the level of DySPs/SPs in various cadres/wings of the service, enhancement of Selection Grade quota at the level of SPs and introduction of deputation reserve in the Prosecution Cadre.Cabinet also approved introduction of three new scales in General Cadre including Selection Grade-I in PB:4 Rs 37400-67000+GP Rs 8700, Super Time Scale (i) in PB:4 Rs 37400-67000+GP Rs 8900 and Super Time Scale (ii) in PB:4 Rs 37400-67000+GP Rs 10,000.