20 days on, IIOJK tourism employees vow to continue sit-in
Unpaid salaries, 52 months of PF dues and stalled promotions fuel protest
Jammu: Mounting frustration over unpaid salaries, 52 months of outstanding provident fund contributions and nearly 12 years without departmental promotions has driven tourism employees in Indian illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK) to continue their indefinite peaceful sit-in, which entered its 20th consecutive day on Saturday, with their long-pending demands still unresolved.
According to Kashmir Media Service, the Jammu and Kashmir Tourism Development Corporation (JKTDC) Employees Union (Jammu division) has expressed serious concern over the continued delay in addressing employees’ genuine grievances, which include unpaid salaries, outstanding Contributory Provident Fund (CPF) and Employees’ Provident Fund (EPF) contributions, retirement benefits, regularization of eligible daily-rated workers and departmental promotions.
Union President Qamar Din appealed to the IIOJK Chief Minister, the Chief Secretary and the Managing Director of JKTDC to intervene personally and ensure a time-bound settlement of all pending issues.
Highlighting the prolonged stagnation in employees’ careers, the union said that the Departmental Promotion Committee (DPC) had not been convened for nearly 12 years. It called for the clearance of outstanding retirement benefits, adequate budgetary support for the corporation, regularization of eligible workers who have served for over 20 years, filling of vacant posts and timely payment of wages and other admissible service benefits.
The union also called for a comprehensive policy to revive and modernize JKTDC, strengthen its institutional stability and ensure its long-term financial sustainability.
It said employees had continued to serve the tourism sector with dedication despite prolonged financial hardship and uncertainty. However, the persistent failure to resolve their grievances had adversely affected their morale, financial security and the livelihoods of their families.
Reiterating its commitment to a peaceful and democratic struggle, the Union said that the indefinite protest would continue until concrete measures were taken to address the employees’ long-pending demands.
