Later, a joint press conference was addressed by the head of the Cabinet Subcommittee, Abdul Rahim Rather in presence of the Members of the Cabinet Sub-Committee including Peerzada Mohammad Sayeed, Ali Mohammad Sagar,. Taj Mohi-ud-din and Surjit Singh Slathia, and representatives of Joint Consultative Committee of employees associations during which these important decisions were announced.
From the employees side, those present in the press conference included Nazir Ahmad Mir, Khursheed Alam, Abdul Qayoom, Pardeep Kumar and Ram Kumar Sharma.
Addressing the media persons, the Minister for Finance, Abdul Rahim Rather said that the Cabinet Subcommittee has agreed to implement the revised pay scales with effect from August, 2009, which will include the salary of July, 2009. He said that all the decisions taken by the Cabinet Subcommittee will be on the agenda of the Cabinet meeting, scheduled for tomorrow.
Mr. Rather said that the decisions have been taken in the best interest of the public at large as well as the employees, adding that the Chief Minister, Mr. Omar Abdullah in his very first press conference had agreed in principle to implement the recommendations of the 6th Pay Commission in the State.
The Finance Minister also said that the State Government had two rounds of talks with the Central Government so far on the issue, adding that no further leeway could be made in light of ill-health of the Prime Minister, Dr. Manmohan Singh. He praised the Prime Minister for his generous financial help to the State in the past and exuded confidence that his sympathetic attitude as well as that of the UPA Government towards the State will continue.
Rather said the Cabinet Subcommittee has also agreed to give notional effect to the grades of the employees from January, 2006, adding that the arrears on this count will be given in five instalments. However, there will be a moratorium period on the cash withdrawal of GP Fund, period of which, he said, will be lowered from present 5 years to around two to three years. He added that the employees will draw their increments as per revised norms. He also announced that a Pay Anomaly Committee will be framed that will look into anomaly, if any, on account of the implementation of the sixth pay commission.
Rather said the financial implication on account of arrears from January 2006 would be Rs. 3,800 crore, adding that another Rs.1,380 crore will be incurred as annual recurring expenditure on account of revised pay scales. An additional Rs. 300 crore will be incurred on account of payment to pensioners of the State Government.
The Finance Minister said that the employees working in PSUs will also be covered under the revised pay scales. He said that the Subcommittee will seriously consider the demands of the PSU employees regarding conversion of COLA into DA.
Giving details about the regularization of the adhoc, contractual and consolidated employees, the Finance Minister said the issue was discussed in the Cabinet Subcommittee and it was decided that no decision will be taken in haste given the legal implications involved in the matter in light of certain
In reference to a question about the regularization of the daily wagers, Mr. Rather made a specific reference to a State Administrative Council decision of 1994, in which all daily wagers who had completed seven years of service and drew wages from the State exchequer were to be regularized. He said that in the same Administrative decision, a ban was imposed on further daily wage appointments. Consequently, he said the Government regularized near about 57,000 daily wagers. Regarding appointment of daily wagers after 1.1.1995, the Minister said the Government will have to collect records and examine the same before taking any final decision in this regard. Mr. Rather also said that the Government would have to frame a policy about the already-engaged casual/temporary labourers.
On the issue of enhancement of stipend of daily wagers, the Finance Minister said that the same will also be reasonably increased.
Regarding the enhancement of retirement age from 58 to 60 years, the Finance Minister said that the Subcommittee neither accepted nor rejected it, adding that the issue needs to be further deliberated in light of the rising unemployment crisis in the State. He said the Government was concerned about the issue of joblessness of educated youth, adding that the Government will not take any decision which will be against the educated unemployed youth.
Nazir Ahmad Mir, President, Civil Secretariat Non-Gazetted Employees Association, spoke on behalf of al the employees associations and thanked the Chief Minister, Omar Abdullah for breaking the deadlock. He also expressed regret over the inconvenience caused to the public due to two days of continuous strike.
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