Jammu and Kashmir to give part of salaries in cash

Srinagar: Even though Jammu and Kashmir, unlike many other parts of the country, has not seen chaotic situation at banks or ATMs in the aftermath of the demonetisation move, the state government on Saturday decided to release part of its employees’ salary in advance in cash.

A statement issued in the winter capital, Jammu, said that in order to alleviate the inconvenience faced by the employees and general public due to demonetisation, all non-gazetted and class 4th government employees will get part salary for the month of November 2016 in advance in cash. “The decision was taken in a meeting to review the inconvenience faced by the employees and general public due to demonetisation and subsequent directions passed by the chief minister, Mehbooba Mufti, in this regard,” it added.

State finance minister Haseeb A. Drabu said that as per the directions of the chief minister, Rs 10,000 out of the salary for the month of November will be paid in cash by November 24 to all the non-gazetted employees of the state government. He added that due to demonetisation of Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 currency note, there has been acute shortage of currency notes in circulation resulting in inconvenience to the cross-sections of society and in particular, lower income sections of the society including Non-Gazetted/Class-IV employees.

The finance minister said the employees who do not wish to receive the cash pay-out of the part salary in advance may give their option in the prescribed proforma to their respective drawing and disbursing officer by November 22. “In that case, their salary will be credited to their account on the last working day of November 2016, as usual,” he said adding that in case no option is received by the said date, it will be presumed that the employee has opted for cash pay-out.

“Residual part of their salary payable for the month of November 2016 will be released as per the existing procedure,” he said, hoping the move will mitigate the inconvenience of the employees to some extent as they will not be forced to queue-up in the banks and thereby rush in the bank branches will also reduce.