SRINAGAR: The Divisional level Departmental Promotion Committee (DPC) constituted for screening promotion cases of different categories of employees in the Directorate of Handicraft and Handloom, Kashmir has mired into controversy over allegations of gratification, nepotism and favouritism.
Sharing details about alleged irregularities committed in promotion cases, an official posted in the Directorate of Handicraft & Handloom, Kashmir (DHHK) confiding anonymity, told JK Global News that promotion cases recommended in favor of certain employees by DPC is full of irregularities as the same is not in accordance with rules and regulations.
Enraged over allegations of large scale irregularities, the agitated employees have dashed missives to ACB as well as Advisor demanding probe into the matter. “There is blatant violation of rules and regulations in promoting certain blue eyed employees in the DPC which needs indepth investigation by an officer of known integrity” rued an official of DHHK.
Further giving details of irregularities, he said “One employee of Handicrafts department namely Wajahat Rasool was confirmed as Senior Assistant in District Budgam by the DPC vide order No. 533-DHHK of 2021 dated 06.09.2021 despite the fact no post of Senior Assistant exists in the sanctioned strength of District Budgam.
Similarly, rules and regulations were thrown to wind while promoting several class IV employees to next higher grade viz Junior Craft Instructor and Junior Assistants”.
“In most of the cases, the DPC recommended promotion of class IV employees by illegally altering their District Cadre to Divisional Cadre, alleged an employee wishing anonymity”.
As per SRO 375/2010, promotions can be made within the cadre or from District to Divisional and from Division to UT cadre but there is no such rule which attributes promotion from Divisional Cadre to District cadre, added sources. The District cadre Jr. Craft Instructors were placed in Divisional Cadre basis without any amendment in SRO-924 issued by the Government, reveals insiders.
Not only this, even two senior assistants namely Naseer Ahmad and Zubaida of Handloom wing, Kashmir were promoted to the post of Head Assistant in violation of SRO 272 OF 2008 and the Government Order No. 318-JK(GAD) of 2021 dated 08.04.2021 which envisages that promotions to the post of Head Assistant can be affected among those senior assistant who have qualified the mandatory Secretariat Assistant Training Course Examination.
Even as this was not enough, Head Assistant namely Syed Ishfaq was promoted as Section Officer in incharge capacity by Joint Director Handicrafts Kashmir without any final seniority vide order No. 40-JDHK of 2017 dated 09.08.2017.
This blue eyed SO currently drawing charge allowance of SO post when the matter of fact is that his promotion to the post of SO (Incharge) was kept in abeyance by the High Court vide it’s judgement dated01.08.2018.
When contacted, Director, Handloom/Handicraft Kashmir, Mehmood Shah telephonically clarified that consequent upon the merger of Department of Handicrafts as well as Handloom in 2020, all the posts have been merged based on which the employees were accorded promotion through DPC in a transparent and fair manner.
However, reliable sources in DHHK said that posts have not been merged as on date since the modalities are yet to be finalized and the Industries & Commerce Department J&K (Administrative Department) has constituted DPC Committees for promotion of employees in their separate respective subordinate services vide Government order No. 115-IND of 2021 dated: 15.04.2021.