PAC Calls for Hardship Allowances for Employees in Remote Areas
SRINAGAR: The Public Accounts Committee (PAC) of the Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly convened a meeting at the Assembly Complex, Srinagar, to review audit paras related to the School Education Department.
The meeting was chaired by PAC Chairman Sham Lal Sharma, with members Mubarak Gul, Nazir Ahmad Khan (Gurezi), Qaysar Jamshaid Lone, Devinder Kumar Manyal, and Sajad Shaheen in attendance. The Committee examined Audit Paras 3.5 (2002–03), 2.1 (2018–19), and 4.2 (2019–20) concerning the department.
Discussions focused on key issues such as the construction of the DIET in Poonch, establishment of Model Schools, and optimal utilization of funds for infrastructure and other facilities across Jammu and Kashmir. Chairman Sharma emphasized the need for a robust transfer policy and the deployment of category-based teachers and lecturers in their local remote areas to improve educational outcomes. “Those who have benefited under categories including SC and ST should serve their own communities first in these remote regions,” he said.
The Committee advocated providing hardship allowances to employees posted in far-flung areas and stressed the importance of delivering quality education in government schools to enhance overall educational standards in the region. Members also urged the expedited recruitment of staff to fill vacancies, instructing departments to quickly refer openings to recruitment agencies.
The PAC highlighted the need to hold officers accountable for delays in infrastructure development, which have hindered benefits to students under various schemes. The Chairman directed authorities to rationalize staff across schools and ensure that students in remote areas have access to quality education and necessary facilities.
A fresh safety audit of all school buildings, particularly in flood-prone areas, was also ordered, with immediate measures to safeguard lives. Members called for the timely completion of ongoing projects and prompt maintenance of damaged school buildings, emphasizing that pending works must be finished within stipulated timeframes. Accountability for project delays was to be fixed, and a comprehensive report on violations was sought.
Reiterating PAC’s mandate to ensure transparency, fiscal discipline, and accountability, the Committee recommended adopting vertical construction models to make efficient use of available land while providing the best facilities to students.
The meeting was attended by Principal Accountant General J&K K. P. Yadaw, Secretary School Education Ram Niwas Sharma, Secretary Legislative Assembly, Director General Accounts and Treasuries, Directors of School Education Kashmir and Jammu, and other senior officials.
