Address problems of govt employees: PDP to authorities

Srinagar, Nov 30: PDP chief spokesperson Syed Suhail Bukhari has urged upon the concerned authorities to address the problems being faced by government employees.

In a statement he expressed concern over the “plight of government employees in Jammu and Kashmir.” The BJP leader alleged alarming trend of systematic victimisation, denial of rights, and a disregard for the well-being of the hardworking employees. “ The employees, numbering in the lakhs, are facing multiple challenges that range from economic hardships to a stifling suppression of their voices. On one hand there is no respite from the escalating inflation, and on the other hand, their legitimate rights are being blatantly denied," Bukhari said.

He added that one of the primary concerns is the delay in releasing Dearness Allowance (DA), causing financial strain on the employees who are grappling with the rising cost of living. “Pre August 5, 2019, the employees of the state would get the enhanced DA in a time bound manner soon after it was announced for the central government employees, but in Naya Kashmir and during the Ache Din that remains a distant dream,”the PDP leader said.

“Even as the DA has been released for the government employees in Ladakh, there seems to be a different yardstick for the employees of J&K,” he said. Bukhari expressed dismay at the withholding of employees' hard-earned money saved in the form of the General Provident Fund (GP Fund), which is critical for their future financial security. “Claims for partial withdrawal of GP Fund by the employees are pending for years and the amount runs in not less than hundreds of crores. This is the money that an employee saves for rainy days and emergencies. And when they need it the most, they don’t get money from their own savings,” he added.