JKCSEU hails Governor for scarping fraudulent insurance policy

Srinagar: While appreciating governor Satya Pal Malik for scarping the contract for employees insurance with Reliance Group, J&K Civil Secretariat Employees Union (JKCSEU) President, Ghulam Rasool Mir on Sunday demanded that money deducted from the accounts of employees shall be repaid with interest immediately.

Mir also demanded that those employees or their relatives who have been admitted to hospital on the insurance policy shall be provided continued treatment and expenses shall be borne by the government so that such patients do not suffer. “The government shall write to the hospital authorities that their payment against treatment to the employee or relative as was entitled in the policy shall be made by it,” Mir said.

Mir said that “culprits” responsible for such insurance policy shall be exposed and dealt with sternly so as to regain the faith of the common people in the governance of the state and give a clear message that those indulging in corrupt practices shall not be spared and punished according to the law of the land.

In a memorandum submitted to the governor, the civil secretariat employee union had agitated about the scheme. “The insurance policy is not employee friendly but imposing unexpected conditions and rides which should have not been a consideration in a policy ensuring lives.” It had pointed out that there was non-inclusion of Kashmir and Jammu based private hospitals in the facilities regarding cashless treatment to the employees.

The employees union had resolved that finance department should not release payment to the insurance company, deducted much early from the salaries of employees as a premium for the month of September 2018 onwards and that no premium shall be deducted from the employees’ salaries.

The Group Medical Policy with Reliance General Insurance was scarped and the Governor in an interview yesterday said that within four to five days of his takeover in August, the bureaucrats came to him and briefed him that the Policy has been well drafted and studied and was required to be implemented for benefit of employees and pensioners.

“I gave go ahead but when Government employees and others started raising fingers over the Policy. I had a detailed and fresh look at it and found discrepancies. I ordered scrapping of the contract,” he said, adding he knows who got what (in the scam), who is behind this (the Policy). “But, I will act when the inquiry is completed,” he added.

He revealed that he has asked the Vigilance Organization to complete the probe within two months. “I will tell the Vigilance people to stop all their work to complete the inquiry. I’m going to lodge even criminal case against those found guilty,” he said and assured that no big fish will go scot free. “All those found guilty will be punished,” he said.

JKCSEU demands probe, action against chairman JK Bank over selections of political favourites

J&K Civil Secretariat Employees Union (JKCSEU) President, Ghulam Rasool Mir also demanded a full-fledged inquiry into the appointment of nearly 600 political favourites in Jammu and Kashmir bank during erstwhile PDP-BJP regime and underlined that the chairman of the bank cannot escape responsibility for betraying the public trust.

“Youth is upset and there is need to have a fair selection process in the state. The chairman of the J&K Bank cannot escape responsibility if 582 political favourites were appointed in the J&K Bank by PDP-BJP. JK Bank involves trust and money of the common people of Jammu and Kashmir and how can chairman or somebody else misuse it,” Mir said.

“There should be a full-fledged inquiry and those responsible shall be punished for benefitting political or other favourites,” he said.

He said there are numerous businessmen including those from outside state who have availed huge loans from J&K Bank and are not paying it back.

“Enquiry should be ordered and those bank officers responsible for the loss to the bank shall be punished,” he added.

Mir’s demand follows disclosure by Governor Satya Pal Malik that PDP-BJP changed the entire select list of J&K Bank to appoint their political favourites, numbering 582.

In an interview with Times Now, Malik said a complete selection list of 582 candidates in Jammu and Kashmir Bank was set aside to appoint political workers in their place. Malik also raised a serious question mark on the working of Public Services Commission (PSC) saying a youth was selected for KAS even without appearing in the examinations.

The Governor said 40 youth approached him, saying they had cleared all examinations and figured in the selection list of Jammu and Kashmir Bank but were replaced by relatives and workers of political parties.

“I called the Jammu and Kashmir Bank Chairman. He told me that the number was not 40 but all 582 youths recruited by the Bank had been replaced with the political appointees, recommended by the leaders from every constituency. I asked the Bank Chairman to give the youth their due. I also called the Finance Secretary and finally a resolution was adopted and all 582 candidates have been given appointment letters,” he said, adding if such a justice is done with the youth, there will be no stone pelters. “The youth were in dark. They were dejected. As there was none to help them,” he said. (GNS)