Delegation meets CS; seeks rectification of pay anomaly

Jammu, Sep 17: Chief Secretary Atal Dulloo Tuesday asked the Principal Secretary Home Department to examine the issue regarding pay anomaly, in case of 1200 Inspectors Jammu and Kashmir Police (JKP) and their demand vis-a-vis implementation of Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT), Jammu judgment on this account.

Direction came in response to a petition submitted to him (Dulloo) by a delegation comprising Sudershan Mehta, a retired DySP (R) and Vivek Sharma, today at the Civil Secretariat, Jammu.

The delegation submitted another petition also to the Chief Secretary demanding an in-depth investigation by the Central Bureau of Investigation into the misappropriation of funds allotted for “Capacity building and disaster preparedness” to the Directorate of Home Guards, Civil Defence and SDRF under the World Bank Scheme.

The delegation requested the Chief Secretary to “implement long-pending CAT, Jammu bench judgement regarding pay anomaly (7450 - 11500), in favour of approximately 1200 Inspectors of J&K Police with effect from January 1, 2006.”

“Pay anomaly is adversely affecting and causing a monetary loss of Rs 9000 per month to them (Inspectors). The Chief Secretary sought details of this pay anomaly issue and further marked it to the Principal Secretary, Home Department,” Mehta stated.

“The delegation, in a separate petition, also demanded an in-depth investigation by CBI into the misappropriation of funds allotted for “Capacity building and disaster preparedness” to the Directorate of Home Guards, Civil Defence and SDRF under the World Bank Scheme.” The complaints in this regard were already registered with the Central Vigilance Commissioner, New Delhi and the Director, Central Bureau of Investigation New Delhi which were forwarded to the Chief Secretary J&K in 2022 and to the CBI J&K in 2023,” Mehta said, quoting the contents of petition.

“Since then, the complaints have been lying pending. Chief Secretary was apprised of this issue in detail where after he (CS) marked it to the Commissioner Secretary, General Administration Department (GAD) for further examination,” Mehta said.

The petition mentioned that CAT Jammu judgement was in the favour of Naib Tehsildar regarding pay anomaly raised in sixth pay commission under pay scale 6500- 10500 to 7450-11500. These two pay scales were merged by the Government of India as well as Government of J&K as one single pay scale of 7450 - 11500.

“These benefits were given to J&K’s Section officers and AAOs with effect from January 1, 2006 onwards. However, the remaining officers of different Departments belonging to the same pay scale (7450-11500) are still fighting for the implementation of the same in toto with effect from January 1, 2006. CAT Bench also directed the respondent to give monetary benefits with effect from January 1, 2006 and the same was given to AAOs and Section officers,” Mehta submitted.

“I personally requested the Financial Commissioner Home to take up the matter with Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha in the favour of all Police Inspectors that are in service and for those who have retired. The then DGP Dilbag Singh, the then Chairman of Pay Anomaly Committee, also took up this issue with the government and in May, 2024, DGP R R Swain wrote to the Principal Secretary, Home Department that this pay anomaly has adversely impacted approximately 1200 Inspectors of J&K Police with effect from January 1, 2006 and is presently causing a loss of Rs 9000 per month,” Mehta apprised the Chief Secretary and requested him to issue an appropriate order to redress the grievance of affected Inspectors.