Taking an important policy decision to ensure better governance in the remotest and backward areas of the Union Territory, the Jammu and Kashmir Government on Tuesday issued an order for the implementation of the provision of the J&K Reservation Act.
As per this order, all government employees appointed under the Residents of Backward Area (RBA) and Actual Line of Control (ALC) categories have to serve in their native areas for a minimum statutory period of seven years.
In this historical step, the J&K government has directed the Head of Departments (HODs) to identify the employees appointed under the RBA and ALC categories who have not served in those areas for a minimum period of seven areas and are serving outside them.
"In the interest of administration and efficient manpower management along with attending needs of the RBA/ALC areas of the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir, it is hereby ordered that such persons who have been beneficiaries of reservation under the aforesaid categories such areas for the statutorily mandated minimum period of seven years", reads the order issued by General Administrative Department on Tuesday.
"Such employees who have not fulfilled this condition and are serving outside RBA/ALC areas shall be identified by the respective HoDs and their details shared with the concerned Administrative Departments to ensure that their services are utilized for the mandatory period in these areas as per statutory regulations under J&K Reservation Act 2004," reads the GAD order.
Employees have to give an undertaking
The Government has also directed the employees who have been beneficiaries of reservations under these categories to furnish an undertaking that they have served in such areas for the statutorily mandated minimum period of seven years.
"The undertaking shall be duly authenticated from their services books by the concerned DDOs and furnished to the respective HoDs," the order further states.
The GAD directive has pointed out that a large number of employees have not fulfilled the condition of serving for seven years in their native areas despite availing the benefit of reservation under these categories. The GAD has asked the departments to submit a compliance report within a month positively.
Provision of reservation for RBA, and ALC categories in J&K
Jammu and Kashmir is the only region in the whole country where reservation has been granted on the basis of backward areas. A special category named Residents of Backward Area (RBA) has been created to provide reservations to the residents of these areas.
RBA category is getting maximum reservations in the government sector in J&K. Despite getting reservation benefits under this category, people rarely serve in the backward areas.
After the issuance of a new order by the GAD, now beneficiaries of RBA categories employees have to serve in their native places at least for seven years.
