To stem the rot in Jammu and Kashmir Bank and following detection of “legal infirmities” in the recruitment of 250 probationary officers and 1,200 banking associates, lieutenant governor GC Murmu on Thursday scrapped the entire process and ordered a “fresh, new and fair norm-based transparent recruitment to be completed within three months.”

“The administrative council that met under the L-G noted that the issue of recruitment in J&K Bank had been ongoing since 2018. The council has directed the finance department to advise J&K Bank to initiate a fresh, new, fair norm-based and transparent recruitment process for 250 POs and 1,200 banking associates in the Bank through IBPS in a fair and transparent manner,” government spokesperson Rohit Kansal told.

Kansal said the entire process will be completed on a fast-track basis within a period of three months. “The detailed modalities will be worked out by the Bank’s board and will be announced in its next meeting,” he added.

However, all the applicants found eligible for recruitment in the last process, which now has been cancelled, will be considered eligible for fresh recruitment.

In December 2019, the Anti Corruption Bureau (ACB) had filed a charge sheet against 17 bank officials, including two chairmen Sheikh Mushtaq and Parvez Nengroo in the infamous J&K Bank recruitment scam. The scam surfaced in 2018 after the ACB received inputs that J&K Bank made 3,000 illegal appointments contrary to the rules and norms.

Power amnesty for consumers
In order to give an opportunity to power consumers to prevent disconnections and facilitate easy payment, the council also approved an amnesty scheme for domestic, industrial and institutional power connections.

The scheme will come into effect from March 1 and envisages payment of arrears in three easy installments wherein 25% payment has to be completed by March 31 and 40% by April 30 while the remaining by May 31.

On timely and complete payment of all installments, a full waiver of interest and penalty will be provided by the power development department.

However, in case of consumers miss the first installment, they will have to forego 5% benefits and those missing the second installment will have to forego 10% benefits. “Failure to pay all the installments by May 31 will lead to disconnection. After June 1, no power will be provided to defaulters unless the arrears are cleared,” Kansal said.

It is estimated that waver of penalty and interest will cost around ₹600 crores to the government. He said the amnesty was meant to recover pending dues of ₹3,000 crores.

Local industries to be incentivised at par with investors
The LG has directed the finance department to prepare an estimate of the interest liabilities of industries operating in J&K owing to the situational difficulties faced by them.

“The council has asked the industries department to engage stakeholders to prepare a policy for incentivising local industries on similar lines as is being done for attracting investment from outside J&K. These consultations by the industries department will eventually lead to a comprehensive package to have a vibrant industrial and tourist eco-system,” he added.

L-G approves sector-specific policies
In run-up to the Global Investors’ Summit to be held in the UT, the L-G has approved sector-specific policies for four sectors in order to help J&K attract investment.

“A total of 14 sectors have been identified as focus sectors for inviting investment. Sector specific policies are being prepared and four have been approved,” Kansal said. He said in the backdrop of enthusiastic and encouraging response from potential investors to the summit, the L-G also approved the creation of a post of industries commissioner.