 Early Times Report
JAMMU, Dec 4: The President of the National Mazdoor Conference (NMC), Subash Shastri, made a fervent appeal to Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor and Chief Secretary Atal Dulloo for the prompt release of the pending instalment of a four percent Dearness Allowance (DA), due from July this year. Shastri highlighted that several Central and State governments, including Ladakh, have already released the said DA to their employees and pensioners.
Speaking to the media, Shastri emphasized that DA is an integral part of the salary and a routine financial matter, urging for its immediate release without any delay. He underscored the necessity of addressing this issue promptly, considering the inflation and rising prices of essential commodities.
Shastri also called for the exemption of DA from the ambit of Income Tax, citing its linkage with the price index. Additionally, he urged the Prime Minister to expedite the appointment of the chairman and other members of the 8th Pay Commission. This, he asserted, would facilitate discussions with representatives from both Central and State government employees and pensioners, thereby alleviating confusion and uncertainty on the matter.
Highlighting the need for confidence-building measures, Shastri urged the Prime Minister to restore the old pension scheme in place of the National Pension System (NPS). He pointed out that several states, including Himachal Pradesh, Rajasthan, Punjab, Karnataka, and Sikkim, have already reinstated the old pension scheme for NPS employees.
Shastri expressed hope that these issues would become significant political considerations in the upcoming general elections in 2024. He further urged the Prime Minister to declare both Jammu and Srinagar as B-1 Cities, anticipating that such a status would attract more funds for upgrading infrastructure and modernizing civic amenities in the capital cities.
Other demands presented by Shastri included a separate wage head for the regular disbursement of monthly salaries to daily-rated workers until their regularization, an increase in their wages to Rs. 600 per day, regularization of their services under SRO 64, clearance of pending GP fund cases, and the establishment of a Labour Welfare Board. Additionally, the implementation of all Central Laws in Jammu and Kashmir and granting a Medical Allowance of Rs. 1000 per month to pensioners at par with the Central Government were also sought.
The occasion saw the presence of various dignitaries, including Rajan Babu Khajuria, B.S Jamwal, Surinder Kumar, Ramesh Sharma, Sarpanch Sukhdev Singh, Darshan Baba, Ghara Ram, Mohammad Sadiq, Mushtaq Ahmed, Tarsem Sharma, Ram Singh, Raman Sharma, Ashok Khajuria, and others. |
