Employees of Wool Dev Board face pay disparity

Sumaya Jan
Srinagar Oct 26: Mohammad Shafi (name changed) is working in the Wool Development Board for over 20-years. Shafi is now nearing his retirement. He is one among 85 employees of Wool Development Board who are on deputation to Sheep Husbandry Department since 2005. However, they are not entitled benefits at par with employees of the Sheep Husbandry Department.
“We do work like employees of Sheep Husbandry Department despite that we are not provided any benefit which employees of Sheep Husbandry Department or other departments get as per service rules,” he said.
It is becoming difficult for him to manage things at home.
“There are eight members dependent on me in my family. It becomes difficult for me to even pay fees to my three children on a meager salary. Most of employees of Wool Development Board are suffering from depression because of discrimination with us by the government,” Shafi said in a dejected voice.
It was during Ghulam Nabi Azad’s tenure as chief minister of erstwhile state that these employees were sent to Sheep Husbandry Department on deputation. Since then they are not getting benefits as per service rules like employees of other departments. “We see our future very bleak. Despite working in Sheep Husbandry Department for last 15-years and our service records have also been sent there, we are still facing pay disparity around Rs 20,000,” he added.
Another employee said that when they were sent on deputation they were told that Wool Development Board will be merged with Sheep Husbandry Department. “During Azad’s tenure, a file was also forwarded to Finance Department for approval. However, since then there has been no action,” he said.
He said the nature of job for employees of Wool Development Board and Sheep Husbandry Department is same. “Then why discrimination with us? A lower rank employee from Sheep Husbandry Department is getting Rs 40,000 salary and we are still stuck less than Rs 25,000 per month salary.”
The employees said after fall of Azad’s government, the file was shelved.
“Naveen Chowdhary when he was Principal Secretary Finance Department made a progress before he was transferred and then file remained pending,” he said.
The employees are yet to get 7th pay commission benefits neither they have 10 months leave benefits.
Principal Secretary Animal and Sheep Husbandry Navin Kumar Chowdhary said he will look into the matter. (KINS)

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