JKEEGA delegation calls on CM, seeks ACP for engineers

Jammu, Dec 8: J&K Electrical Engineering Graduates Association (JKEEGA), led by its general secretary Sachin Tickoo, on Monday met Chief Minister Omar Abdullah at Jammu and sought Assured Career Progression (ACP) for engineers.

At the outset, the JKEEGA team expressed gratitude to the Chief Minister for the approval to the relaxation granted in “Engineering Gazetted Service” recruitment rules.

The delegation, while drawing the attention of the Chief Minister towards his address at SKICC and the IEI Srinagar Centre, acknowledging the hard work and contribution of Engineers across J&K, stated that the strong advocacy for Assured Career Progression (ACP) for Engineers by him (CM) was a very encouraging sign.

It hoped that in the ensuing budget session, the long-standing legitimate extension of ACP to engineers would fulfill their aspirations.

JKEEGA also sought consideration of the Chief Minister to the key issues in Power Development Department (PDD) vis-à-vis regularization of engineers from AE to CE levels; vacant positions from JE to CE levels; staffing challenge and reorganisation and creation of posts as per unbundling report.

They hoped that the Assured Career Progression for engineering fraternity would be incorporated in ensuing budget documents and preparation of budget, besides utilization of 20 percent quota of erstwhile departmental direct recruits (AEs) for promotion prospects of existing Junior Engineers in order to avoid unnecessary litigation.

During the meeting, JKEEGA recalled, “The historic decision was taken by the then State Administrative Council vide decision number: 258/22/2019 dated 22/10/2019, and GO No 191-PDD  of 2019 dated: 23/10/2019, directing that proposal for regular promotion in the Engineering cadre of the Power Development Department be processed for consideration of the competent authority in the government through the Establishment-cum-Selection Committee, without reference to the Jammu and Kashmir Public Service Commission, as one-time exception.”

“SAC had further directed that the process be completed by November 30, 2019. In pursuance to that decision, over the past six years, very little progress has been achieved, with engineers falling in Executive Engineer seniority, Assistant Executive Engineer seniority, having been exhausted and currently department is working on regularization of engineers who have retired or serving at level from AEE to CE and are Assistant Engineers and Junior Engineers,” the delegation pointed out.

It mentioned that nearly 109 engineers (from AE to CE) are falling in seniority of Assistant Engineers and nearly 797 engineers (degree and diploma) working in various capacities from AE to CE are falling in seniority of Junior Engineers.

“The fact is that even a retired Chief Engineer, who was appointed as Junior Engineer in 1986 batch, who rose to the position of Chief Engineer based on fulfillment of codal formalities, has yet to be regularized as even Assistant Engineer. The SAC decision has given our department so much autonomy that without reference to Public Service Commission, we have to just put the proposal for consideration of Establishment Cum Selection Committee and all promotions made till August 2018 of all engineers falling in the JE or AE seniority can be regularized up to level of Chief Engineer with the stroke of a pen subject to fulfillment of work conduct, vigilance clearance and admissibility of vacancy as per set norms of regularization process. However, very little progress has been made,” JKEEGA delegation submitted.

It stated that it was, however, rejuvenated over the track record of progress witnessed under the Chief Minister’s leadership. “Our hopes have rekindled over the fact that you will resolve our genuine issues, thus infusing a sense of motivation among the serving engineers that justice may have been unfortunately delayed but not denied,” the delegation submitted.

Other members of the delegation were Gulshan Bhagat, Ankush Sharma, Ankush Gupta, Vijay Sharma and Vipul Sharma.