Jammu: Cutting across political divide, various parties welcomed the Jammu and Kashmir government's decision to abolish an appointment rule under which an employee used to get only basic pay for first five years of service.
Under the Statutory Regulatory Order (SRO) 202, also known as J&K Special Recruitment Rules 2015, government appointees used to get only basic pay for the first five years.
In a significant decision, the administrative council headed by Lt Governor G C Murmu on Monday decided that fresh recruitments would not be made as per the SRO-202, while the probation period of old appointees was reduced from five to two years.
While the BJP termed the decision historic, the Congress, National Conference and the National Panthers Party expressed satisfaction over the withdrawal of the unjust and exploitative provision, introduced by the previous PDP-BJP government about five years ago.
The abolition of SRO-202 is a historic decision which will end the woes of youngsters of Jammu and Kashmir our party always took a strong stand for the youngsters who toiled hard for its removal, J&K BJP president Ravinder Raina told reporters here.
He thanked Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Minister of State Jitendra Singh and other senior leaders of the party for their efforts to ensure its revocation.
Reacting to the withdrawal of the provision, Jammu and Kashmir Pradesh Congress Committee chief spokesperson Ravinder Sharma said it was a partial victory for the youth and the opposition who were unanimous in their demand for its withdrawal.
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The government has finally accepted that the SRO brought about by the previous PDP-BJP government was totally unjust and exploitative. The youth had to come on roads time and again against the arbitrary provisions which finally forced the government to succumb after five years, the Congress leader said.
He demanded that the entire SRO should be declared as null and void ab initio and the arrears of full salary of all recruits should be released from the date of appointment.