J-K Cabinet approvs engagement of 4,700 lecturers, teachers on academic arrangements

In an effort to provide adequate teaching staff at government-run educational institutions, theJammu and Kashmir Cabinet today approved engagement of over 4,700 lecturers and teachers on academic arrangements.

The cabinet, which met under the chairmanship of Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti, approved enhancement of perks of chairman, executive councillors, councillors of LAHDC, promotion of officers of accounts (gazetted) service and time-bound grade promotion for the KAS officers, cadre review of secretariat subordinate services, an official spokesperson said.

The Cabinet also approved re-engagement of constable (Operators) as wireless assistants and enhancement of duty allowance of volunteer home guards, he said.

Giving details, the spokesperson said the Cabinet approved temporary engagement of 2,200 lecturers and 400 teachers under the upgradation programme on academic arrangement basis for the academic session 2018-19.

In addition, he said it also referred 2,154 posts of teachers to the Service Selection Board.

He said pending selection against the referred posts, the school education department would make academic arrangement for the session 2018-19 in respect of all the vacancies for all districts, except Jammu and Srinagar, where there is saturation of staff.

He said the move is to address the deficiency of teachers, especially in far-flung areas, and the academic arrangement would subsist till regular selections are made.

The Cabinet approved enhancement of salaries and allowances of chairman, executive councillors and councillors of the Ladakh Hill Development Council (LAHDC), he said.

The spokesperson said the Cabinet also approved promotion of seven officers of accounts (Gazetted) service to the super time scale, approved promotion of five other officers, besides approving grant of time-bound grade promotion for the KAS officers.

He said the Cabinet approved cadre review of secretariat subordinate services and approved measures to fast-track promotion of officers belonging to the secretariat sub-ordinate service.

The Cabinet approved re-engagement of constable (Operators) as Wireless Assistants who were disengaged earlier owing to wrong advertisement, the spokesman said.

According to the decision, they will be called as 'Wireless Assistants' and entitled to honorarium of Rs 25,000 per month and entitled to regularisation against commensurate positions after completing 10 years of continuous working and will be called designated wireless operators, he said.

He said the Cabinet approved the enhancement of duty allowance of volunteer home guards from Rs 90 to Rs 300 per day.

The proposed enhancement will benefit 4,300 Home Guards in the state, he said.

According to the decision, the Volunteer Home Guards will be entitled to Rs 300 per day instead of Rs 90 which will cover both the training period of two months and three months call up duty in a year, the spokesperson said.

He said the enhancement in remuneration or honorarium would be borne by the state government and above the central share.