Srinagar: The Jammu and Kashmir government on Sunday announced a special travel allowance of Rs 25,000 to Darbar Move employees irrespective of whether they move to Srinagar or work from Jammu in view of the rise in COVID-19 cases.
“Approved Special Move TA @ Rs 25,000 per employee to be paid to all move employees, irrespective of whether they move to Srinagar or work from Jammu. This is a special dispensation because of the COVID-19 situation,” Lt Governor Manoj Sinha wrote on micro-blogging site Twitter on Sunday.
The Jammu and Kashmir government on April 15 deferred the biannual darbar move to Srinagar, saying that the civil secretariat, which is the seat of the Union Territory administration, shall function both from Srinagar and Jammu cities.
As part of the pre-independent biannual darbar move, the Raj Bhavan and other offices were scheduled to close in Jammu from April 30 to May 1 and start functioning in the summer capital of the Union Territory from May 10. “In view of sharply rising cases of COVID in J&K, the government has taken few important decisions ensuring the safety of employees. Darbar’s move deferred because of COVID. Secretariat to function in both #Srinagar & #Jammu. Office functioning not to be affected because of eOffice,” Mr Sinha tweeted on April 15.
“As J&K is witnessing a surge in Covid cases, the threat it poses to people/ staff on the move and the implementation of eOffice in both the Secretariat, in move offices, it has been decided to defer the #DarbarMove this time,” he said.
However, he said Secretariat will function in both Srinagar and Jammu with staff equitably split between two Secretaries will function from both locations in an equitable manner. “Office functioning will not be affected as files to move electronically between both Secretariats in eOffice,” he had said.