CM approves 3000 posts for Kashmir migrants

Government notifies appointment rules

Chief Minister, Mr. Omar Abdullah has approved 3000 posts for Kashmir unemployed migrants. These posts will be in the Departments of Education, Social Welfare, Relief Organization, Engineering, Finance, Tourism, Health and Revenue in Kashmir Division. The Jammu and Kashmir Migrants (Special Drive) Recruitment Rules shall be notified which have also been approved by the government. This is a part of the Government’s efforts to create conducive conditions for Kashmiri migrants in the valley for dignified livelihood earning. The posts will be filled up by the Service Selection Board on fast track. The Rules formulated for the purpose provide that the migrants so appointed against these posts shall have to work in the valley. The Rules also provide for constitution of Special Committees for filling up of the posts of Class-IV. J&K today notified the rules for the special recruitment drive under the Prime Minister’s Package for Return and Rehabilitation of Kashmiri migrants to the Kashmir Valley. The Notification follows the repeated commitments made by the Chief Minister, Mr Omar Abdullah and the Minister for Revenue and Rehabilitation, Mr Raman Bhalla. Significantly, the Notification has been issued a day ahead of the dead-line set for implementation of the vital component of the package. The Government had constituted a Sub Committee, on October 1 this year, to suggest measures for expeditious implementation of the package. This decision had been taken at a high level meeting of the Apex Committee on September 23. The Chief Minister and the Revenue Minister had been monitoring the progress with regard to framing of rules and procedures of the special drive. The recruitment shall be made in a time bound manner on merit basis. The Notification dwells on the process and procedures of the recruitment. Giving details of the package, the Revenue Secretary, Mr Eijaz Iqbal said that 3,000 selections shall be made in the first phase. As per the Notification, the Jammu and Kashmir Services Selection Board shall be the Selection Authority for making recruitment/selection to the non-gazetted posts. The Board will conduct a special drive to make selection on the basis of open merit, subject to provisions of the Jammu and Kashmir Reservation Act and the rules made there under. The Board, after selecting the candidates, shall forward the list to the Revenue Department and the Revenue Department shall communicate the details to the concerned Departments who shall issue their appointment and posting orders. According to the Notification, a Committee shall be constituted by the Revenue Department for making Class IV appointments. The Departments, having competence to make the appointments, shall issue appointment orders only after the selectee reports in the valley and shall allow them to join only after production of various documents, including the agreement in the prescribed form. The appointee, under these rules, shall have to work within the Kashmir Valley and shall not be eligible for transfer outside the Valley under any circumstances. The seniority of the appointees shall be fixed at the places on the posts of their first appointment in that particular grade/service. The Government has identified the departments, mentioning therein the number of posts, earmarked for the special recruitment drive, which include 1,760 in the Education Department, 234 in Social Welfare Department, 190 in Relief Organization, 191 in Finance Department, 500 in Engineering Departments, 35 in Health, 90 in Revenue and 15 in Tourism Departments. All the migrants, registered with the Relief Organization, including the internally displaced migrants (within the Valley) shall be eligible for applying for appointment against these posts. The appointees shall have to execute an agreement with the Government that they will serve in the Valley against the posts on which appointed and at a place where posted. In case the appointee migrates from the Valley again for any reason, whatsoever, shall loose the job without any notice and shall stand terminated. The Notification also prescribed the eligibility of the candidates applying for the posts. All the registered migrant unemployed youth shall be eligible for appointment against the posts and they must be within the age prescribed for entry in Government services and possess the prescribed qualification and experience for the posts. The Relief and Rehabilitation Commissioner for Migrants shall be the designate authority for authentication of the migrant status of the applicant, which shall also ensure that the applicant is a bonafide migrant.