EJAC demands completion of Handicrafts-Handloom Deptt merger
Srinagar, Feb 3: The Employees Joint Action Committee (EJAC) has intensified pressure on the government to complete the long-pending merger of Handicrafts and Handloom Departments, a process initiated by a government order in March 2020 but left unresolved for five years.
According to the statement, EJAC President Wajahat Hussain Durrani highlighted the cascading administrative challenges arising from the delayed merger. Employees have been systematically blocked from career progression, with Departmental Promotion Committees (DPCs) unable to conduct promotions due to the unresolved administrative status.
EJAC has appealed to Deputy Chief Minister Surinder Choudhary and Chief Secretary Atal Dulloo to expedite the merger process. Despite the Chief Secretary's recent directive mandating regular promotion committees, employees of these departments remain in professional limbo.
The protracted delay has created significant professional uncertainty, eroding employee morale and institutional efficiency. EJAC argues that the merger's incomplete status represents a fundamental breach of administrative commitment and employee rights.
The committee is demanding a transparent, structured approach to finalize the merger, emphasisng the urgent need to restore professional pathways and institutional credibility for affected employees.