University employees to get benefit of the Sixth Central Pay Commission from July, 2009

Governor, CM for mopping up resources by Universities for their sustainable growth
Shri N. N. Vohra, Governor of J&K, who is also the Chancellor of State Universities, including the Agricultural Universities of Jammu and Kashmir, convened a high level meeting here today which was attended by the Chief Minister of J&K and Pro-Chancellor of all the State Universities, Mr. Omar Abdullah, the Chief Secretary, Mr. S. S. Kapur, Vice Chancellors of the Universities of Jammu and Kashmir and Vice Chancellors of the Universities of Sher-i-Kashmir Agricultural Sciences & Technology, Jammu and Kashmir.

The issue regarding implementation of the Sixth Central Pay Commission was discussed in detail and it was decided that all the employees of the aforesaid four Universities shall be given the benefit of the revised scales of the Sixth Central Pay Commission from the month of July, 2009 (salary to be drawn in August, 2009). The State Government’s support and the Universities’ own resources would take care of the additional requirement of funds in this regard. In so far as the issue of arrears is concerned, the decision of the State Government in respect of the State Government employees shall also apply, mutatis mutandis, in respect of the employees of the Universities.

The Chancellor also exhorted the Vice Chancellors to carry out, interalia, an early internal exercise for the generation of additional resources and, side by side, effectively curtailing the non-productive expenditure with a view to improving the finances of the Universities.

The Governor also stressed the high importance of ensuring the transfer of research outcomes from the laboratories to the land through improved synergies to boost productivity and production in the agriculture and animal husbandry sectors. He observed that the State has vast potential for horticulture production which needs to be optimally harnessed for boosting the economy and generating employment avenues. This should be done by creating a dynamic and synergetic relationship between science and technology and the farmers.

The Governor also called for mobilizing all possible resources for sustainable growth of the Universities in the State by promoting excellence and merit in the fields of education, training and research.

The Chief Minister, reiterating the need for enhancing agriculture production in Jammu & Kashmir, called upon the Vice-Chancellors of both the Agriculture Universities for adopting at least one district in their respective jurisdictions or even rural Development Blocks, on a pilot project basis, where the improved agri-techniques could be intensively implemented for raising agricultural production and productivity. He said that such pilot projects could also serve as a model for other areas, to achieve the essential objective of enhancing productivity on a time-bounded basis. The Chief Minister also endorsed the Governor’s concern regarding the need for Universities to contain and curtail non-academic expenditure and, side by side, mobilize resources for continuing improvement in the academic infrastructure.

Among those who also attended the meeting included the Vice Chancellor, Jammu University, Prof. Varun Sahni, Vice Chancellor, Kashmir University, Prof. Riyaz Punjabi, Vice Chancellor, SKUAST-K, Prof. Anwar Alam, Vice Chancellor, SKUAST-J, Dr. B. Mishra, Financial Commissioner, Planning & Development, Mr. S. L. Bhat, Principal Secretary to Governor, Mr. B. B. Vyas, Commissioner/Secretary, Finance, Mr. Sudhanshu Pandey and Commissioner/Secretary, Higher Education, Mr. N. K. Verma.