Govt has already worked on transfer policy, but it was put on hold after complaints: Sakina Itoo

Srinagar, Oct 28  : Education Minister Sakina Itoo on Tuesday said that the government had already worked on the transfer policy, and the process was put on hold after receiving several complaints from public representatives.

Speaking in the Assembly, Itoo said the transfer exercise began from Rajolipur in Jammu and Kashmir province but was halted following complaints. “A committee has been constituted to examine the matter after concerns were raised by elected representatives,” she said, adding that the decision to pause transfers was taken to review the issues in detail.

Referring to a query raised by a member about vacancies in government departments, the minister said that after 2019, a blanket ban was imposed on new appointments in the education, health and other departments. “Even recruitment boards were not referred cases for new recruitments,” she said as per KNS.

Itoo said the impact of the ban is visible across departments, particularly in the education sector where vacancies have reached thousands. She said the government has decided to review the policy and take corrective measures.

“I want to thank the Chief Minister for agreeing to defreeze 50 percent of the posts that were frozen over the past 10 years,” she said. According to her, this step will help address the shortage of staff in key departments, especially education and health.

She questioned why earlier governments had imposed and continued the blanket ban for a decade, leading to staff shortages and affecting functioning in essential sectors.

“The question that needs to be answered is why such a ban was imposed and maintained for years,” Itoo said, urging the concerned members to respond on the matter.

Minister said the government is committed to addressing the issue of pending transfers and vacancies in a systematic manner through the newly formed committee.(KNS)