Srinagar, July 14: All J&K Rehbar-e-Janglat Employees Association on Tuesday demanded government to review the “Rehbar-e- janglaat policy as ‘promised’ previously and make the already constituted committee headed by Chief Secretary “functional”.
Tariq Ahmad, President of the Association, said that previous J&K State government formulated the “ Rehbar-e- Janglat” policy in 2017 on the pattern of Rehbar-e-Ziraat with the purpose for development, optimum utilization and proper management of forests by utilizing the services of technically qualified unemployed youth i.e. B.Sc Forestry, M.Sc forestry, Ph.D Forestry and DDR trained.
“The forestry technocrats were unemployed from past 15 years due to older service recruitment rules duly framed in 1960s which unfortunately doesn’t prescribe the forestry degree (BSc Forestry/MSc Forestry/Phd forestry) as an eligibility criteria for most of the posts in the department. Thus keeping in view the same, the J&K State Government formulated the Rehbar-e- Janglat policy for the qualified forestry technocrats,” he said.
As per the implemented Rehbar- e- Janglat policy, he said, the forestry professionals will be regularized after five years in the pay scale of 5200-20200, Grade pay 1900 whereas “Rehbar-e- Zirat” were regularized by creation of 2642 posts of Village Agriculture Extension Assistants in the pay band of 9300-34800 with applicable Grade pay of 4200/-
“Contrary to “Rehbar-e- Zirat”, the “Rehbar-e- Janglat” employees were not given the same pay grade and post which is a clear discrimination for educated forest technocrats. It seems sheer injustice with us that the two policies, having identical genesis and objectives are implemented on diametrically different tracks when it comes to pay grade,” Tariq said, adding, “This disparity has created huge indifference.”
He said “Rehbar-e- Janglat” employees have crossed the age mark of 40 and their chances of promotion in the department are minimal at this level “thus further depriving us from any ray of hope.”
“At the time of we were promised modification of policy but since then two years have elapsed. We approached successive governments for the same but only verbal commitment were given but no result oriented action was taken in the implementation or modifications in the policy.”
After the conversion of state into union territory, Tariq said: “We approached central Ministry of environment and forest New Delhi as well Lt. Governor Shri G.C. Murmu, Advisor Farooq Khan and Commissioner/Secretary Forest Sarita Chauhan. With the result, Govt. Constituted a Committee with Chief Secretary as its chairman to look into the matter on 27-02-2020. However, since then there has been no progress regarding our issues.”
The Association urged the government to kindly make the committee “functional” and review the policy.
