Illegal/fraudulent drawl of salary in OPS instead of NPS continues for last 10 years

Delay is denial!

• Factual report sought by Government from Directorate of Skill Development 7 complete months back is yet pending.
• The Financial Advisor (CAO) Skill Development Department, J&K has served two letters to Director Skill Development, J&K for illegal/fraudulent drawl, first letter on 15-12-2021 and second on 22-02-2022.
• The delay or avoiding of action in this case on the part of Director Skill Development Department, J&K is unacceptable and worrisome issue.

JJ CORRESPONDENT

Jammu, Jul 27: Why the Director Skill Development Department J&K remained silent over illegal/fraudulent drawl of salary in old pension scheme instead of new pension scheme? Why has not the Director Skill Development Department J&K taken the cognizance of two letters of Financial Advisor (CAO) regarding illegal drawl of salary under old pension scheme? Which force has stopped the Director Skill Development Department to take action against those people involved in drawing illegal/fraudulent salary in old pension scheme instead of new pension scheme? Who is responsible for this illegal procedure held in Skill Development Department? These are very serious and corrupt issues but these are going inside the office of Director Skill Development Department and such practices must be wiped out.
To sit on files using archaic measure of red-tapism by baboos is still a challenge for the government to deal with. Though strict orders have been issued by the government time and again that a file should be passed on within 15 days at the most yet certain baboos with malignant intentions care least and disrespect the efforts to bring in transparency. It is clear that only that information is delayed or hindered which goes against the vested interests of a person or group of persons. It should not have been so now in this digital world when e- governance is the talk of the day.
A letter was issued by Finance Advisor/CAO, SDD to Director, Skill Development JK UT on 15-12-2021 under subject: ‘Illegal / Fraudulent drawl of salary in Old Pension Scheme instead of New Pension Scheme’. No reply was received; so on 22-02-2022 again a letter was issued for “Reminder” regarding the subject under No. DSD/Actt./83/2021-22 and the Director was requested to expedite the factual report so that further course of action in the matter can be taken. It is not a matter of 7 months only, actually.
While abusing the official position for themselves, various Drawing and Disbursing officers of Skill Development Department appointed under Non-Pensionable Scheme (NPS) are drawing their salaries from old pension scheme from the last decade.
Number of Drawing and disbursing officers of Skill development department (ITI Sector) appointed by the Government vide Order Number 92-Edu (Tech) of 2010, dated 14-5-2010 as I.T.I Superintendents under Non-Pensionable Scheme (NPS) are misusing their official position and drawing their salaries under old pension scheme, unauthorized.
The Finance Department vide No A/36/83-II\128 dated: 31-1-2011 made it clear that all the appointments made after 01-01-2010 are covered under New Defined contribution pension scheme (NPS). Under this scheme the Government employees appointed after 1.1.2010 shall contribute 10% of their basic pay +DA towards their PRAN account for which the Government makes equal contribution towards their account. The Finance Department allots separate budget for those appointed after 1.1.2010 against head 2071 as well.
Out of 17 Drawing and disbursing officers appointed by the Government on 14-05-2010 after their selection by the Jammu & Kashmir Public Service Commission, four officers namely Imran Wajahat, Principal ITI Anantnag, Ajaz Ahmad Kakroo, Superintendent Pattan, Mr Showkat Anwar, Superintendent ITI Uri and Mohsin Ali Superintendent ITI Kangan have misused their official position and adopted OPS for themselves unauthorised. Neither of the officers was working in any Government Department at the time of advertisement of the posts by the public service commission nor any of them had applied through proper channel to justify their appointment under old pension scheme.
These officers in league with the Directorate of skill Development Department have succeeded in getting salary budget under OPS for themselves and are drawing their salaries from the salary budget meant for OPS. These officers have not even applied for their PRAN Number from their concerned treasury .The concerned treasury officer was supposed to verify the necessary documents before releasing of their First pay and to see whether the officer is entitled under OPS or not. The newly appointed officers have reportedly prepared various papers like service book, relieving orders, pay fixation, No objection certificate etc to benefit themselves which all begs for an enquiry. The service books of the Drawing and disbursing officers (ITI Superintendents) need to be not in their own possession, these should be with their Controlling Officer.
It is clearly mentioned by the Finance Department vide their above circular dated 31.1.2011 that if any Drawing and Disbursing officer is found violating the terms and drawing the salary of any official or for themselves as in the instant case unauthorized, appointed after 1.1.2010, under old pension scheme, the amount so drawn will be recovered from the authority that sanctions it but here in Skill Development Department the budget is being allotted to the drawing and disbursing officer under OPS intentionally and deliberately instead of NPS and the Drawing and Disbursing officer draws their salaries from the same. The process is going on from last ten years and during this period number of IAS/KAS officers performed their duties as Director Technical Education (SDD) but nobody has been willing to raise their voice against these unscrupulous elements who are abusing their official position for their personal vested interests.
Sources told that these officers have not only drawn salary from old pension scheme but have fraudulently shown as applied through proper channel for the said post and have made their service books and fixed their salary accordingly thereby caused huge loss to the state exchequer and have hinted at proxy to open the ways for others as well who have been appointed after 1.1.2010.