The Department of Personnel and Training has relaxed the deputation rules to encourage IAS officers and other all-Indian service officers as well as officers of Central Services to get posted in Jammu and Kashmir. Several steps are being taken to address the shortage of officers in the newly formed Union Territory. Due to this relaxation, 22 officers belonging to various services and different cadres are posted in J&K at various levels at a crucial time.
A major contribution has been made by DoPT in facilitating induction of J&K Administrative Services Officers into the IAS by coordinating with the UT of J&K, Ministry of Home Affairs, and UPSC. Union Minister for Personnel, Public Grievances, and Pensions Dr. Jitendra Singh mentioned few initiatives including special concessions/incentives to Central Government employees working in Kashmir Valley in attached and subordinate offices and public-private companies. “They have been extended special concessions for a period of 3 years w.e.f. 1st August, 2021 and the incentives include an additional house rent allowance, composite transfer grant, per diem allowance, incentive for period of temporary duty, messing allowance, facility to draw pension at place of settlement in relaxation of relevant provisions.”
In addition, the Minister informed that the facility for retention of general pool accommodation is extended to officers posted in Jammu and Kashmir on the same basis as officers posted in north east states.
The home LTC can be utilized to visit J&K and Ladakh, for which guidelines have been notified by DoP&T. This will promote tourism in Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh and provide central government employees with an opportunity to travel to those areas, Singh added.
