Pulwama, Feb 06 (KNO): The Food Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs (FCS&CA) department in South Kashmir's Pulwama is facing a severe dearth of staff as no recruitment has taken place for the district since 2013.
Official sources told the news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO) that there is not enough manpower in the department, which simultaneously has resulted in additional charges of more than 3 stores to a single employee.
They added that since last one decade, over 200 employees have reached superannuation but at their place, the department has hardly got 15 to 20 employees during this period.
They said that the department advertised over 100 posts of storekeeper, Kandaman and deport assistants since 2013, however, due to unknown reasons the recruitment process was never completed.
“In other districts, the persons who were selected through the same recruitment process have got promoted as well, however, this district continues to grapple under staff dearth,” they said.
The official sources said that for the last 12 years, the population has increased manifold but no attention has been given towards enhancing the staff in the department.
They said that even watchmen and helpers are holding charge of 2-3 sale depots besides that officials posted either at district headquarter or tehsil supply office headquarters are holding charges of one or more sale outlets in addition to their duties, which create impediments for the smooth functioning of the office.
The official sources said that in the year 2014 and 2015 the then Assistant Director of the department, who was also Chairman of the recruitment process framed the shortlist but used different criteria forcing some aspiring candidates to knock the doors of court where the case is going on for the last 6 years.
“The second recruitment process remained withheld too because some shortlisted candidates from first recruitment put a stay on it and asked authorities to first complete their recruitment process. It has been over six years since the matter is at the standstill,” they said.
They further added that more than 110 Multi Tasking Staff (MTS) posts are lying vacant in the district due to which people are suffering.
Due to staff shortage, many government sale centres are run by private dealers despite License holders can't hold many charges, he can have only one license. But they are running government sale centres which should be otherwise run by government employees not licence holders.
They further added that the post of Assistant Director Food Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs (FCSCA) is also lying vacant in the district since 30 September, 2024 and at present AD FCSCA Shopian is holding the additional charge of Pulwama.
The official remains present at Shopian mostly due to which people coming from far off places of the district like Tral, Khrew, Aripal and Sangervani have to return back without getting their work done.
The candidates who had applied for the various posts in the department have urged the government to complete the recruitment process at an earliest and post full-fledged Assistant Director in the district so that people won't suffer.
According to them, even Tehsil Supply Officer (TSO) Rajpora is having additional charge of TSO Circle Rohmoo for the last two years—(KNO)