Govt to give 30,000 jobs during 2026
*No increase in electricity tariff since December 2023
Sanjeev Pargal
JAMMU, Feb 20: Chief Minister Omar Abdullah today snubbed National Conference MLA from Bijbehara Dr Basheer Ahmed Veeri indirectly saying that he shouldn’t have contested the elections if he can’t face the people and assured that next time (elections) this arrangement can also be made.
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Omar denied that there has been any hike in the power tariff in Jammu and Kashmir since December 2023.
Omar, who holds charge of the Power Development Department, was responding to first written question of the day raised by Dr Veeri during Question Hour in the Legislative Assembly.
Veeri said he didn’t sleep last night after reading reply of the question that there was no hike in power tariff as he claimed that the consumers in his constituency have been receiving bills of increased rates.
Veeri, who had defeated PDP’s Iltija Mufti in Bijbehara, said the Power Department officials have no accountability and behave arrogantly when asked about increased rate bills of electricity by the people.
Categorically denying that there was any increase in electricity tariff, the Chief Minister said the flat rates are decided based on load but when the department monitors load and consumption of electricity, there is mismatch.
Raising supplementary, Veeri countered the Chief Minister saying he has been conducting research on the bills since June last year and found discrepancies. He said he has to face protests from the consumers. He also alleged that tariffs from security establishments are not being realized.
Omar said: “We are all MLAs before becoming Ministers and if he (Veeri) is not ready to listen to his people, he shouldn’t have become (an MLA). However, in the next election, we will make this arrangement”.
He said the figures of department and his (the MLA’s) research are different. “Either I will convince him or he will convince the people”. However, the CM said he will give the figures of the MLA to the department for examination.
Earlier, Omar, responding to Veeri’s question that he couldn’t sleep during the night after reading the reply, said if he doesn’t sleep properly, he suffers mishap and then we have to go to hospital to meet him. “We want the MLA to sleep properly”.
It may be mentioned here that Dr Veeri had a fall in the house recently and had to be hospitalized. He didn’t attend the Assembly for few days.
Replying to Veeri’s question, Omar said electricity billing in metered areas is being carried out strictly based on actual consumption recorded, leaving no scope for arbitrariness.
In non-metered areas, he said, bills are raised on a flat-rate basis in accordance with the agreed load as per existing norms.
The power tariff determination and any rationalisation, if required, falls within the jurisdiction of the Jammu and Kashmir Electricity Regulatory Commission (JKERC), the Chief Minister said.
He clarified that during the determination of tariffs, the regulatory authority follows prescribed procedures, parameters and rationale laid down under the law.
The transmission losses are not realised from the consumers, he added.
Meanwhile, Omar said his Government is committed to filling vacancies in a time-bound manner, announcing that over 30,000 posts will be filled in the current year.
He gave this information while replying to a question of BJP MLA Gharu Ram Bhagat.
“The vacancies arise from time to time in various Government departments, including field-level posts, due to retirements, promotions, resignations and other administrative reasons. There are institutional mechanisms in place for periodic assessment of vacancies and timely referral to the concerned recruiting agencies in accordance with the statutory provisions,” Omar said.
He further noted that to ensure essential services, the field-level functions are not adversely affected and adequate staff strength is maintained across departments.
“Wherever necessary, interim administrative arrangements are adopted in accordance with established rules”, he said.
The Government has taken several measures to expedite the filling up of vacancies including advance identification and consolidation of vacancies, time-bound referral of requisitions to recruiting agencies, streamlining of procedural requirements, regular monitoring at the administrative level, and ensuring efficiency and transparency in the recruitment process, the chief Minister said.
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