Kashmir government increases employees retirement age to 60

The Jammu and Kashmir government Tuesday enhanced the retirement age of its employees to 60 years from the existing 58.

The decision was taken by the state cabinet at a meeting chaired here by Chief Minister Omar Abdullah.

Abdullah has been taken quick administrative decisions and making "people friendly" announcements after the debacle of the ruling National Conference(NC)-Congress coalition in the Lok Sabha elections in which it did not win a single of the state's six parliamentary seats.

The state government also released 10 percent additional dearness allowance to its employees in addition to increasing the monthly medical allowance of its employees from Rs.300 to Rs.1,000.

Earlier Tuesday, the chief minister met leaders of the Jammu and Kashmir government employees joint coordination committee (JCC) headed by its president, Abdul Qayoom Wani.

During the meeting, the chief minister had announced his intension to enhance the retirement age of employees as well as the upper age limit for youth to obtain government jobs from 37 to 40 years.

The state government employees had been agitating for the increase in the retirement age to bring the same at par with that of the central government employees.