CM was very positive; so deferred strike
Srinagar: The state government has virtually agreed to go for enhancement in retirement age (from 58 to 60 years)–a long pending demand, of the Joint Coordination Committee (JCC) of the government employee unions that recently deferred protests in Jammu as a ‘goodwill gesture’.
Two cabinet ministers who are in cabinet subcommittee holding deliberations with government employees told KNS that the government has passed directions to the Chief Secretary and the authorities at the helm of affairs in general Administration Department (GAD) to work out a proposal in this regard.
“The Chief Secretary has been asked to talk to talk to the employees leadership and issue the necessary directions to chalk out a proposal on the enhancement of retirement age taking all the prerequisites into consideration,” the two ministers told KNS pleading anonymity.
Pertinently, over 10-days ago, Employees Joint Action Committee (EJAC) chairman Abdul Qayoom Wani who also heads JCC had called on Chief Minister Omar Abdullah in Jammu. The meeting between the two witnessed hectic deliberations on employee demands. “The meeting was held in a cordial atmosphere and the honorable Chief Minister Omar Abdullah was very positive about meeting our demands which includes enhancement in retirement age,” Wani told KNS Friday on phone from Jammu.
He said the JCC’s decision to defer the proposed two days agitation was in view of the ‘positive approach’ of Chief Minister and employee friendly attitude of Cabinet Ministers regarding the implementation of agreement reached between the JCC Leaders and the state government on the instructions of Chief Minister Omar Abdullah. Earlier JCC had given a two days strike call beginning from February 14.
“We want that JCC should not be labeled as a confrontationist leadership that is why we deferred our strike programme. We want to give chance to the state government to fulfill our demands amicably. Now the ball lies in the court of State Government and they shall be responsible for resolving or not resolving the issues and conditions thereof,” Wani told KNS while hoping the State Government shall understand the sensitivity of issues and in the wider perspective shall take the positive steps and discard the policy of delaying tactics.
He said that he met almost all the cabinet subcommittee members including Taj Mohi-u-Din, Ghulam Hassan Mir, Sham Lal Sharma, Mir Saifullah and Abdul Rahim Rather and the approach of all these members towards addressing the demands of employees was ‘positive’.
However, Mushtaq Bukhari, Secretary GAD when contacted told KNS: “I don’t know anything about this issue. Neither have I have received any instructions from the Chief Minister’s or Chief Secretary’s office in this regard.” (KNS)