Committee to probe ‘illegal appointments’ of JK-SRTC

Kashmir Life: Srinagar: Tuesday, 17 March 2015.

The Jammu and Kashmir Government Monday said that it will constitute a committee to probe the “illegal appointments” made in State Road Transport Corporation (SRTC) which had filled dozens of post as apprentice engineers without any proper advertisement.

The Corporation had filled dozens of post as apprentice engineers without any proper advertisement and surprisingly without referring these posts to any of the government recruiting agency. The Corporation obtained approval of then Minister for Transport, who happened to be the Chairman of JKSRTC.

When KNS brought the issue into the notice of the Transport Minister Abdul Gani Kohili, he said that he will constitute a committee who will probe the issue.

“Government will probe the matter thoroughly and will constitute a committee to scrutinize all the illegal appointments in the transport department. If at all any illegal appointment will be found in the department the government will take immediate action according to the law,” he said.

It is pertinent to mention here that as per the government reply to the Right to Information (RTI) application, the Department has neither record traceable nor any consolidated information with regard to the number of apprentice engineers engaged from time to time in the Corporation. The Corporation in the RTI had also admitted that some of the selected engineers have been terminated after discrepancies were found in their certificates and at least 12 candidates were sent on deputation on Motor Vehicle Department as Motor Vehicle Inspectors.

General Manager, Administration, JKSRTC had also replied in written after an information was sought under RTI application No. JKSRTC/GMA/PS/J/337, dated 04/03/2014 that the apprentice engineers initially were engaged on consolidated wages in 1996-97 and then were regularized as Junior Inspectors in 10/2002.

The RTI had also revealed that one of the candidates who is JE Mechanical PWD (R&B) have been placed at the disposal of Transport Department vide Government order No 24 PW(R&B) of 2010 dated 22/01/2010 issued by the Public Works (R&B) Department under endorsement No PW/M&S/30/2005 dated 22/12/2009 for his posting in Motor Vehicle Department for a period of two years which expired on 21/01/2012.