JKEEGA appeals to CM to address HR Issues for JKPDD Engineers

Says 400 JE posts currently vacant; nothing happened despite directions from LG’s office

SRINAGAR: The Jammu & Kashmir Electrical Engineering Association (JKEEGA) has called upon the Chief Minister to urgently address a series of unresolved HR issues facing engineers within the Power Development Department (JKPDD).
Unresolved for years, these concerns include overdue regularization, filling of key vacancies, and long delays in promotion processes.
The Jammu and Kashmir Electrical Engineering Association (JKEEGA) has expressed frustration over the persistent neglect of HR issues within the Jammu and Kashmir Power Development Department (JKPDD), which has hampered the professional stability and morale of power engineers.
The association’s President, Er. Pirzada Hidayatulla, highlighted that these concerns have intensified since the unbundling of the department in 2019 into various corporations, creating administrative bottlenecks and delays in addressing workforce needs.
Adding that he said, “One of the pressing concerns remains the regularization of engineers, which the former State Administrative Council (SAC) approved in 2019 with a mandate for rapid completion. Yet, five years on, the process remains unfinished, leaving power engineers in a state of professional limbo, he said”.
Despite directives from the Lieutenant Governor’s office in August 2023, there has been no significant progress, adding to the sense of insecurity among engineers. This delay contrasts with the swift completion of regularization for engineers in similar departments, such as PWD and I&FC, leading to discontent within JKEEGA ranks, he said.
Further complicating matters, the JKPDD has faced controversy over the suspension of 12 engineers in March 2024. Although charges have been cleared for non-gazetted engineers, suspended gazetted officers continue to await resolution, with the administrative department’s slow processing creating prolonged uncertainty, he said.
As a result, engineers are burdened with additional responsibilities due to numerous unfilled positions, affecting their operational capacity, he said.
Adding that he said the shortage of personnel has been exacerbated by the lack of new junior engineer (JE) recruitment since 2016, with 400 JE posts currently vacant. Senior engineers are also facing delayed promotions, even though eligible positions are open.
JKEEGA’s appeal to the Chief Minister is a call for intervention to safeguard the future of Jammu and Kashmir’s energy sector. They urge the government to promptly address these critical HR concerns, which have left engineers demoralized and severely impacted the functioning of the department, ultimately affecting the state’s development trajectory.