JAMMU: The Jammu and Kashmir government on Thursday issued fresh guidelines for deputation of employees of J&K to the Union Territory of Ladakh, asking the departments to route all transfers and posting through the General Administration Department.
After the reorganisation of Jammu and Kashmir into two Union Territories, the J&K government was entrusted with the responsibility of allocating officers of the UT of Ladakh, besides further deputing officers to meet any deficiency in the service. In the past one year, a long chain of transfers and postings of officers have been affected directly by various departments, without routing the same through the GAD, however, which led to the fresh guidelines being laid today, the official sources said.
The fresh guidelines were vetted by Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha-led Administrative Council in its meeting held on November 23, they added.
The GAD department on Thursday issued the ‘guidelines for deputation of employees of Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir to Union Territory of Ladakh’ in suppression of all previous orders on the subject, and for ‘implementation with immediate effect’.
As per the fresh guidelines, the employees deputed from the UT of J&K, as far as possible, will be posted at or around the district headquarters or sub-divisional headquarters of Leh and Kargil districts.
“All proposals relating to deputation of employees to Union Territory of Ladakh and any repatriation from said Union Territory, shall be submitted to General Administration Department, J&K for seeking approval of the Competent Authority in terms of the provisions of the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganization Act, 2019,” said the guidelines.
An employee, whose order of deputation to UT of Ladakh is issued, has to be immediately relieved, and can avail joining time as provided under Jammu and Kashmir Civil Service Regulations, whereas no employee will be repatriated from UT of Ladakh unless a suitable replacement is provided by the concerned department.
The guidelines state that the transfers of teaching staff will only be ordered in April every year. “However, in exceptional cases, the transfers of teaching staff may be considered at the close of an academic session or during the academic session, in consultation with the Administration of Union Territory of Ladakh,” it added.
Speaking of the tenure, the guidelines say that the standard period of deputation to UT of Ladakh will be two years, counted from the date of joining. An employee, who has completed the prescribed tenure of two years in the UT of Ladakh, will not be deputed to Ladakh for a second term, except in case of non-availability of suitable substitute and in case of specific request made by the Administration of UT of Ladakh.
The guidelines speak in detail about the age and health factors of the employees.
Employees having residual service of less than two years will not be deputed to UT of Ladakh, except in exceptional circumstances, and, if a specific request is made by the Ladakh Administration, while it bars the deputation of Physically Challenged employee to Ladakh.
Once the transfer or deputation order is issued, it can be modified only on the ground of serious illness of the employee or their spouse or children fully dependent upon him or dependent parents. This, however, is to be certified by the Standing Medical Board of Government Medical College in the Union Territory of J&K, which shall also give a categorical opinion in such cases after examining the employee or their spouse, children or parents. If found genuine, the proposals for cancellation or modification of deputation orders has to be submitted by the concerned Administrative Department only after receiving a clear recommendation from the Standing Medical Board.
“In order to enable settlement of pension cases, employees deputed to Union Territory of Ladakh, who are having less than 6 months residual service, have to be repatriated to Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir at least 3 months prior to their date of superannuation,” it added.
In terms of incentives, the guidelines state that the employees of UT of Jammu and Kashmir deputed to UT of Ladakh are eligible for incentives, as may be made available to them in Ladakh, and upon completion of their prescribed term in Ladakh, as far as possible, they may be posted in their home districts or as per their convenience.
The government also said that if any question arises relating to interpretation or implementation of these guidelines, the matter will be referred to the General Administration Department for a decision thereon which shall be final.
