Clerical staff appeal to ACS Shaleen Kabra over promotion bottlenecks

The Jammu and Kashmir All Departments Clerical Staff Association has welcomed the recent reorganisation of the Jal Shakti Department and expressed gratitude to Additional Chief Secretary and Financial Commissioner Shaleen Kabra for initiating the restructuring aimed at strengthening the department’s administrative and technical framework.

In a statement issued by Association president Jeelani Naik, the clerical and ministerial staff termed the reorganisation a “visionary step” that has enhanced promotional avenues for the engineering cadre through the creation of new divisions, circle offices and a separate Design, Investigation and Quality Control (DIQC) wing.

The association also appreciated the approval for creation of Administrative Officer posts in the offices of Chief Engineers of the Jal Shakti Department, describing it as a long-pending demand of the clerical cadre.

However, the association raised concerns over the absence of posts for Section Officers, Head Assistants and Senior Assistants in the newly created circles, DIQC wing and divisions, saying the omission has created administrative gaps at the field level.

The association further pointed out that no cadre review of the non-gazetted ministerial and clerical staff has been conducted since the department’s inception, resulting in prolonged stagnation and delayed promotions.

It urged the government to initiate a comprehensive cadre review and create the required ministerial posts in the newly established offices to address staff grievances and improve administrative functioning.