National Conference has congratulated Chief Minister Omar Abdullah for taking historic pro-employee decisions and thereby meeting the genuine demands of the employees of the State and scripting yet another chapter in the tradition of National Conference's support to the genuine needs and demands of the employees of J&K. National Conference has also welcomed the landmark decision of the Omar Abdullah government to fill One Lakh Vacancies through various recruitment agencies. According to a statement issued, while stating that Omar had actually done what others only spoke about, National Conference Additional General Secretary Dr. Sheikh Mustafa Kamal said that NC's history of pro-people and pro-employee policies was an open book before the people of the State. Dr. Kamal said that it was National Conference that carried out the recruitment of One Lakh Sixty-five thousand employees when NC took the reins of power in 1996 and increased the retirement age from 55 to 58 years. Dr. Kamal said that now the current decision by Chief Minister Omar Abdullah to increase the retirement age from 58 to 60 years and various other significant decisions including the decision to fill One Lakh Vacancies in the State for the unemployed youth was yet another milestone in the direction of alleviating the grievances of the employees based on the principles and premise of acknowledging and respecting the dedication of our employees in rendering their services in testing, turbulent times as well as the hand-holding of the unemployed youth of the State.
National Conference Provincial President Nasir Aslam Wani said that the government's decision to increase retirement age from 58 to 60 years, the relaxation of upper age limit for job eligibility from 37 to 40 years and the decision to fast-track the regularization of eligible contractual employees were historic decisions that Omar Abdullah had personally pushed through in line with his commitment to the employees of this State. Nasir said that National Conference had a history of standing in solidarity and support with our employees since decades and this history was re-emphasized again by Omar Abdullah's landmark decisions.Nasir Aslam Wani also hailed the decision of filing around One Lakh vacancies through various recruitment agencies in the coming times. Nasir, while welcoming the new spurt of job-creation said that around 26,000 vacancies had been referred to the Services Selection Board and around 14,000 Class-IV vacancies have also been referred to various recruitment agencies for fast-track disposal. Over 7,500 posts at the non-gazetted/Class IV level in the Police Department are also being filled up by the Police Recruitment Board.
Nasir Aslam Wani also lauded the Government's decision to fast-track the regularization of ad-hoc employees and generate thousands of jobs for the youth stating that the decision to increase the retirement age would in no way impede the job-creation for the youth. Nasir said that the policy decisions to create new jobs for around One Lakh unemployed youth was an iconic initiative by youth icon Omar Abdullah to tackle unemployment in the State in an unprecedented manner. Nasir said that the government would in the coming days explore every possible avenue to further add to the job availability in the State. Nasir said that the delay in the retirement of thousands of employees would leave money in the coffers of the State to be channelized towards new job creation avenues for unemployed youth.
Meanwhile, National Conference Organizer for Trade and Employees Unions Mohammad Amin Khan has also congratulated the Chief Minister on behalf of employees community and said that this decision would be remembered as a magnanimous, landmark initiative for ages to come. Khan said that the government's initiative to look into the grievances of government as well as non-government employees spoke volumes about National Conference's dedication to the cause of dignity of service and employment and protection of workers' rights. Khan has said that it was during the tenure of Omar Abdullah led government that the minimum wages were increased for laborers and non-skilled workers as well. Various other senior National Conference leaders, Ministers, Members of Legislative Assembly, Legislative Council and senior party activists and workers have also hailed the landmark decisions taken by the Omar Abdullah led government and have said that this was yet another proof of this government's belief in actions and not just mere words.