Jammu, September 8: The All Jammu and Kashmir Agriculture Officers’ Welfare Forum today facilitated Smt. Neetu Gupta, IAS, Secretary to the Government, Agriculture Production Department, J&K, during a programme held in Jammu.
The programme was attended by Forum President Sh. Rajesh Langar, along with key executive members, including Sh. Sanjay Anand, Sh. Aman Jyoti, Sh. Tilak Raj Sharma, Sh. Rahul Sahini, Sh. Nirmal Prakash Sharma, and other members of the Forum.
On the occasion, the Forum submitted a detailed representation to the Secretary, Agriculture Production Department, drawing her attention to an alleged pay-scale anomaly affecting Subject Matter Specialist (SMS) Grade-III officers.
The Forum urged the department to take immediate steps for rectification of the anomaly and sought the issuance of a corrigendum to Government Order No. 296-F of 2010, with retrospective effect. The Forum has specifically sought restoration of the words “SDAO and equivalent” and extension of Pay Level 8A to SMS Grade-III and Programme Officers, in accordance with the position sought in the representation.
The Forum further requested that the seniority and statutory parity of eligible officers be protected during the forthcoming Departmental Promotion Committee (DPC) exercise, so that no officer is adversely affected due to the alleged pay-scale anomaly.
The Forum expressed hope that the Agriculture Production Department would examine the matter sympathetically and take necessary corrective measures at the earliest in the interest of fairness and justice to the affected officers.
