Srinagar: The State Government on Monday constituted a 4-member group of ministers to examine and make recommendations in a “time bound manner” on the proposal for funding the pension of employees of the J&K Industries Limited (JKI) and J&K Handicrafts (S&E) Corporation (JKHC, S&E).
The GoM includes Minister for Industries and Commerce (Chander Parkash), Minister for Rural Development & Panchayati Raj and Law & Justice (Abdul Haq Khan), Minister for Finance, Labour & Employment (Haseeb Drabu) and Minister for Cooperative and Ladakh Affairs (Chering Dorjay). The GoM has been asked to make the recommendations in line with Judgments of the High Court and Supreme Court.
In early 1960s, the industrial units in the state were run by the Department of Commerce and Industries Department. In 1963, the government incorporated the JKI as a private limited company under the provisions of the Companies Act 1977. Subsequently, the then governor issued an order entrusting some industrial units to the JKI Pvt. Ltd. The company framed its own rules known as Jammu and Kashmir Industries Employees Service Rules and Regulation. The employees of the JKI continued to enjoy the benefits of the government employees till 1979.
However in 1980 the JKI accepted the recommendation of Rajan Committee formed by the government to examine the wage structure. The JKI issued order in 10 November 1980 that the employees of the company would be treated under the Factory Act. Some aggrieved employees moved high court and subsequently to the Supreme Court.