CIC Operators of RDD Appeal to PM for Intervention in Long-Pending Regularization

In anticipation of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Jammu and Kashmir on January 13, 2025, the CIC Operators of the Rural Development Department (RDD) have made a heartfelt appeal to the Hon’ble Prime Minister, urging his immediate intervention in resolving their long-standing struggle for regularization.

The operators, who have dedicated their services to the state for over two decades, have been at the forefront of rural development efforts in J&K, but their calls for regularization have so far been ignored. In a statement released ahead of the PM's visit, they highlighted the significant steps taken in their favor, including a 2014 J&K Cabinet decision acknowledging their contributions and approving their regularization. Further support came with the creation of 172 Data Entry Operator posts under Government Order 320-RD & PR of 2016. Despite these approvals, the implementation has remained pending, leaving the operators in a state of uncertainty.

The CIC Operators of RDD also pointed to the backing they received from the Finance Department’s Empowered Committee, as well as legal endorsements from the Advocate General and the Department of Law, Justice, and Parliamentary Affairs. However, despite these significant legal and institutional nods, the operators continue to work under deplorable conditions, surviving on a meager monthly salary of just Rs 10,000.

The operators, many of whom hold advanced qualifications such as MCA, MSc, and BE/B.Tech degrees, were recruited through a transparent process in 2004. Despite their qualifications and years of dedicated service, their appeals for regularization have not been addressed by the authorities.

In their appeal, the operators have implored Prime Minister Modi to intervene personally and ensure justice and dignity for the employees who they claim are the backbone of the Rural Development Department in the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir. With hope and anticipation, they await decisive action during his upcoming visit to the region.

"We humbly appeal to the Hon'ble Prime Minister that your intervention is critical to ensuring justice for us. We have served with utmost dedication to the development of rural J&K, and it is time that our contributions are recognized and honored," said one of the operators, speaking on behalf of the group.

The operators are now looking forward to the visit with renewed hope, hoping that their decades-long wait for regularization will finally come to an end.