Despite financial crunch in state, each politician to get Rs1.5 lakh per month
Contrary to its claims of taking austerity measures to reduce the burden on the state exchequer, the government today appointed 16 politicians of the PDP and the BJP as vice-chairpersons of the financially overburdened public sector enterprises (PSEs).
These politicians are entitled to a monthly salary of Rs 80,000 per month, besides hefty perks and allowances to “serve” the PSEs which are already facing huge losses for the past many years.
A senior officer in the General Administration Department (GAD) today said each of these ruling coalition politicians would be paid Rs 1.5 lakh per month from the coffers of the state government, which is already facing financial crunch. Besides the monthly salary, perks, allowances and other benefits, these politicians are entitled to chauffeur-driven vehicles, personal staff and other advantages.
Sources said the GAD had already issued orders for the appointment of 16 politicians, and the formal appointment letters would be given soon.
In contrast, daily wagers and other contractual employees of the PDP-BJP government have been denied wages due to financial crunch in the state.
A couple of years back, the CAG in its report had pointed out that PSEs and two statutory corporations of J&K owe Rs 1,450 crore to the state exchequer as successive governments could not initiate remedial measures in the state PSUs since 1996.
The sources added Abdul Salam Reshi will be the vice-chairperson of the State Forest Corporation; Gulzar Ahmad of J&K Industries Ltd; Mir Bashir (J&K Minerals Ltd); Parvez Ahmad (J&K State Road Transport Corporation); Vijay Dogra (J&K Women’s Dev Corporation); Manmohan Singh (J&K Medical Supplies Corporation); Rashid Ahmad (J&K Agro Industries Dev Corporation); GM Mir (J&K Horticulture Development Corporation); Khalid Jehangir (J&K Projects Construction Corporation); Virender Singh (J&K Police Housing Corporation); Balbir Ram (J&K Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and Other Backward Classes Development Corporation); Munish Sharma (JAKFED); Nizam Ud Din Bhat (J&K Handloom Dev Corporation); Nazir Itoo (J&K Cements Ltd); Ali Mohd Mir (J&K Small Scale Industries Dev Corporation); and Subash Jandial (J&K State Industries Dev Corporation).
The government has already appointed Peerzada Mansoor Hussain as the vice-chairman of the J&K Khadi and Village Industries Board and Rafi Ahmad Mir as the vice-chairman of the J&K Tourism Development Corporation.
