Early Times: Leading Newspaper Jammu Kashmir, Latest News about Jammu & Kashmir

NEW DETAILS

In absence of funds, GAD directs DDOs to disburse additional salaries by April 25

Govt creates fuss over one month additional salary to polling staff

Early Times Report
JAMMU, Apr 16: What indicated the chaos and confusion becoming rampant in Jammu and Kashmir's administration was the order issued by the General Administration Department (GAD) over one month additional salary to poling Staff, knowing little that requisition of funds is yet to be made available for the purpose.
Deputy Secretary to Government, JKGAD on April 16 issued a circular vide number 22-GAD of 2019 in which the Drawing and Disbursing Officers (DDOs) of various government departments were reprimanded for not disbursing the one month additional salaries of polling staff that has discharged their duties during the municipal and panchayat polls held last year in the state.
The government in the circular has directed DDOs to settle the claims by April 25, this year.
However, what is ironic is the fact that on March 3, this year the official letter addressed to Principal Secretary Finance Department by Chief Electoral Officer Jammu and Kashmir had mentioned that funds meant for the disbursement of one month additional salary to the polling staff have not been sanctioned till date and the amount needed for the purpose is whooping Rs.52 crore 52 lakhs 17,911.
The letter had reflected the sorry state of affairs within the state dispensation as one month additional salary was promised to the polling staff in October last year and in March the government was yet in a fix over the total amount needed for the purpose.
Prior to that, government had written to deputy commissioners, seeking details from them about what happened to the orders pertaining to the disbursement of one month additional salary to the state government employees who had discharged poll duties last year in October.
On December 20, last year, the Jammu and Kashmir Government ordered the release of one month salary for the employees who were deployed for conduct of Municipal and Panchayat polls this year.
An order issued by the General Administration Department (GAD) said the sanction is "hereby accorded to the payment of one month additional salary/wages/remuneration as the case may be, in respect of employees as were deployed for conduct of Municipal1 Panchayat Elections, 2018 or both."
However, more than two months have passed since the issuance of the order and the employees are still waiting for the much hyped addition wages.
Earlier, On September 25, last year, the governor's administration had announced salary incentive to its employees discharging election duties.
The government announced a month's salary as incentive to employees deputed for election duty, Chief Secretary B.V.R. Subrahmanyam said.
However as the last phase of the polls was held on October 17 with results announced on October 20, the Jammu and Kashmir's finance department is yet to issue any order related to the disbursement of one month additional salary to the government employees who discharged their duties as polling staff during these elections.
Employees told Early Times newspaper that soon after the issuance of the order on December 20, last year, they were asked to submit all the requisite details and documents at office of their respective returning officers within one day.