Power employees in J&K on war-path against indifferent attitude of authorities [details]

Higher-ups in the Power Development Department swung into action to placate the annoyed employees who have announced to hold a symbolic protest against the failure of the authorities to fulfill their long-pending demands,

Enraged over the indifferent attitude of the authorities, some unions of the employees of the Power Development Department (PDD) announced to hold a protest on September 11.

"We have already started discussions with the employees who have announced to hold a symbolic protest", Principal Secretary Power Development Department J&K Government H Rajesh Parshad told The International Bussiness Times.

He further said that "fruitful" talks were held with the employees on Friday and discussions will continue further to address all their genuine grievances.

The Principal Secretary said that employees of the PDD are not going on strike but they have announced a sort of symbolic protest to highlight their demands.

"The Department has already taken note of the demands being raised by the employees", he said and exuded confidence all issues will be sorted out.

Power employees announced to hold a protest on September 11

The Jammu and Kashmir Electrical Employees Union and Jammu and Kashmir Non-Gazetted Electrical Employees Union have already announced to hold a protest on September 11 at Srinagar to highlight their long pending demands.

The employees' unions regretted that took up their issues with the concerned authorities but nothing concrete has been done to solve their just and genuine demands.

Employees demanded salaries must to released on time and their salaries should be linked to the Treasury in the same way as other government departments are paid through the budgetary spot.

The employees also demanded that all existing PDLs and TDLs be made permanent. Rules for compassionate appointment of next of kin of the deceased should be included in the order. Unpaid, wages of PDL and TDL employees should be released. By trying to complicate the GP fund cases unnecessarily, the employees are suffering a lot, Instead of giving them more time, the GP fund should be released in favor of the employees to meet their needs.

Employees agitating in Jammu also

Power employees are also agitating in Jammu province in support of their long pending demands. Different unions of employees started protests at different places on the issue of the inordinate delay in the filling up of the vacant positions across the hierarchy of the department, which has severely dented not only the morale of the officers but also badly affected the delivery of public service and grievance redressal.

The employees alleged that the government has failed to fulfill commitments even after nearly two years, made under the legal framework of the agreement dated 21.12.2021 signed between representatives of the government and the representatives of the power employees after four days of confrontation.

Employees' unions appealed to the Lieutenant Governor to intervene and direct the competent authority to issue the approvals of the proposals recommended for promotion and regularization of the eligible officers before the said date so that confrontation shall be avoided.