Hundreds of employees in Jammu and Kashmir’s Agriculture Department face an anxious Eid-ul-Azha as salaries remain unpaid for over a month due to a bureaucratic logjam.
Employees told that the recent transfer orders issued by the Agriculture Production Department (APD) have left more than 20 key offices without Drawing and Disbursing Officers (DDOs), bringing salary disbursements to a grinding halt.
The affected offices include District Agriculture Officer (Extension) Pulwama, Assistant Director of Vegetables (Pulwama), Assistant Director of Vegetables (Anantnag), Sub-Divisional Agriculture Officer Achabal, Sub-Divisional Agriculture Officer Basoli, Agriculture Subordinate Training Institute Dharnari…along with 17 other critical offices awaiting DDO appointments.
The affected employees, from field staff to office personnel, are struggling to make ends meet ahead of the festive season. “Eid is a time of joy, but how can we celebrate when our salaries are stuck?” asked a distressed employee from Pulwama. “We’ve been patient, but the administration’s silence is deafening.”
Despite repeated appeals, officials have offered little reassurance. When approached for comment, the Director of Agriculture and the Principal Secretary of APD remained unavailable, citing prior engagements in meetings.
“This isn’t just about delays—it’s about livelihoods,” said a senior staffer in Anantnag. “Many of us rely on Eid advances to cover expenses. Now, we’re left borrowing just to put food on the table.”
With no resolution in sight, frustration is mounting among employees, who accuse the department of indifference. “Transfers happen every year, but why weren’t replacements ready?” questioned another employee. “The least they could do is issue temporary orders so we aren’t penalized for their lapses.”
As the festival nears, the only certainty for these employees is an Eid overshadowed by uncertainty—and empty pockets. (KDC)
