Industrial crisis: J&K SIDCO faces 51% staff shortage
Srinagar, Jan 31: Jammu & Kashmir State Industrial Development Corporation (SIDCO) faces a critical staffing shortage that threatens industrial development in the union territory.
In an RTI filed by MM Shuja, SIDCO has revealed that out of a total of 498 sanctioned posts, only 244 positions are filled —a staggering 51% vacancy rate that imperils the corporation’s operational capabilities.
The skeletal workforce comprises 140 regular employees, 26 deputations, 72 consolidated workers, and 6 temporary employees from SICOP, struggling to manage an extensive industrial infrastructure spanning 20,955 kanals and hosting 1,730 industrial units across various sectors.
According to SIDCO’s official website, the corporation manages flagship industrial complexes, including the Bari-Brahmana Industrial Complex with 464 units across 6,152 kanals and IGC Lassipora with 117 units spanning 6,193 kanals, which continues to operate under extreme human resource constraints.
The corporation’s strategic mandate encompasses developing industrial complexes, implementing centrally sponsored schemes, and creating specialized economic zones including Export Promotion Industrial Parks, Food Processing Zones, and Software Technology Parks. However, the current staffing crisis significantly undermines these critical objectives.
Two major industrial estates in Kathua and Ompora remain under development, with the personnel shortage casting serious doubts on the corporation’s ability to execute expansion plans effectively, according to the official website.
Industrial experts warn that the persistent staff deficit could potentially delay critical infrastructure development impede potential investment opportunities, compromise project implementation and restrict the region’s economic growth potential
As a fully government-owned enterprise established to catalyse industrial growth in Jammu and Kashmir, SIDCO’s current state represents a significant setback to the region’s economic aspirations. The corporation’s leadership remains conspicuously silent on addressing the critical staffing shortfall.
Stakeholders are unanimously calling for immediate intervention, including comprehensive recruitment drives, strategic workforce planning, and transparent accountability mechanisms.
The future of Jammu and Kashmir’s industrial landscape hangs in the balance, with SIDCO’s ability to overcome its staffing challenges crucial to the region’s economic transformation.