The ratio of government employment to the population in Jammu and Kashmir is higher than that of any other state or union territory in India. This is partly because there are few businesses and employment possibilities in the private sector in both the regions Jammu and Kashmir as well, leaving many of the 20% of young people without jobs as per one estimate in the two regions—one of the highest rates in India—with little choice except to work for the government. Despite the fact that local revenue generation falls short of targets and the local administration has to rely on grants from the Government of India (GoI) to pay salaries, the GoI has provided all the benefits of central government employees to Jammu and Kashmir following the abrogation of Article 370. These benefits include salaries at par with central government employees, children’s education allowances of INR 2250 per child per month, hostel subsidies of INR 6750 per month for disabled children, and INR 4500 per month for transport allowances and loans for higher education. The GoI has also introduced a group personal insurance scheme through the same bank and has scrapped the discriminatory partial wages for the first five years that were implemented by one set of officials in 2015, which directly benefited 15,000 newly recruited employees. Additionally, the practice of not transferring newly appointed employees for the first five years has been abolished. Overall, these changes have created a more comfortable working environment for employees in Jammu and Kashmir.
To further improve human resource management in the region, the local administration has introduced the Jammu and Kashmir Human Resource Management System (JK-HRMS) portal, which records all information on the performance, tenure, and experience of employees. This has made the transfer policy and performance audit more transparent. However, it is important to note that not all government policies can be positive, and Jammu and Kashmir is no exception. In the past, there have been instances of ghost employees, employees taking paid holidays from the government, employees absent from duty for long periods of time, and employees engaging in anti-national activities while still being paid by the government. In the new Jammu and Kashmir, accountability is a key factor, and the local administration now has the power to terminate an employee after 22 years of service or at age 48 based on their performance or to dismiss an employee for engaging in anti-national activities without allowing them the opportunity to clarify their actions, under Article 226-2 of the Jammu and Kashmir Civil Services Regulations and Article 311 of the Constitution. A special task force has been formed to identify employees falling under the 311-2C category and many have already been dismissed. This includes a jailor of Dy. SP rank, principals, and others. The message is clear: either contribute to the development of the country or face the consequences under the law. In addition to dismissing those who engage in anti-national activities, the local administration is also working to identify and remove “dead wood” from the system, or non-performing employees. The Chief Secretary has highlighted how crucial it is to recognize and deal with underachievers. Roadblocks to the growth of the Union Territory are being found using the JK-HRMS data, and those who cause them will be eliminated. We will not put up with justifications or favouritism when it comes to the misuse of public funds. The new standard is to give up naivete and work toward further advancement in Jammu and Kashmir.
It is a needed step for the Jammu and Kashmir government to continue its efforts in creating a more accountable and efficient system for the benefit of all employees and the development of the region. One important aspect of this is the identification and removal of “dead wood” from the local administration. By ridding the system of non-performing employees, the government can improve efficiency and effectively utilize resources for the betterment of the Union Territory. It is important for the government to continue to monitor the performance of employees and address any issues in a timely and fair manner. By taking these steps, the Jammu and Kashmir government can create a positive working environment and contribute to the overall progress and prosperity of the region.