Srinagar, Jammu and Kashmir – Unemployed agriculture graduates in Jammu and Kashmir have called off a 42-day-long protest following productive discussions with the Minister for Agriculture, Javed Ahmad Dar. The minister assured the graduates that their demands would be addressed promptly, leading to the resolution of the prolonged agitation.
Information was available with The Chenab Times that the breakthrough occurred after the minister engaged with the protesting graduates on two significant proposals concerning recruitment. These proposals included a 50:50 recruitment formula for gazetted posts and the potential merger of two non-gazetted cadres to establish a unified post at the panchayat level.
Minister Javed Ahmad Dar stated his commitment to resolving the genuine concerns of the unemployed agriculture graduates, acknowledging their issues after meeting with a delegation. He assured them of prompt fulfillment of their demands and indicated further discussions would take place to finalize outstanding matters.
Representatives of the graduates confirmed the conclusion of their strike, citing the assurances provided by the minister as a basis for further engagement with the government. They described the meeting as constructive, with detailed discussions on their demands and a positive acknowledgement of their concerns from the minister.
Regarding gazetted cadre positions, the minister proposed a recruitment formula where half of the posts would be filled through direct recruitment and the other half through departmental candidates. This approach aims to balance opportunities for both new entrants and existing departmental personnel.
In relation to non-gazetted recruitment, the graduates’ delegation noted the minister’s proposal to merge the roles of Agriculture Extension Assistant (AEA) and Junior Agriculture Extension Officer (JAEO) into a single cadre. This merger would be implemented without reducing the combined strength of these positions and would create a unified post at the panchayat level, potentially streamlining recruitment processes within the Agriculture Department.
The graduates indicated that these proposals would necessitate further detailed discussions before a final decision can be reached. They expressed their decision to end the strike based on the minister’s assurances and stated their intention to actively follow up on these issues, expecting concrete steps from the government.
The delegation also extended their gratitude to the Vice-Chancellor of SKUAST-Kashmir for their support and to the Director Agriculture Kashmir for facilitating the talks with the government. The graduates further acknowledged the solidarity shown by students, researchers, scholars, and others who supported their 42-day agitation.
While the strike has now concluded, the proposed recruitment formula and cadre merger remain under active consideration. Further dialogue between the government and the agriculture graduates is anticipated to formalize the resolution of their demands.
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The Chenab Times News Desk
