The Chief Secretary, Dr Arun Kumar Mehta inaugurated the portal for Jammu and Kashmir Rehabilitation Assistance Scheme (JKRAS), 2022; thus removing the manual interface of the applicants with the government for applying for compassionate appointments.
The new Scheme replaces the J&K Compassionate Appointment Rules, 1994 under which the dependents of the deceased government employees applied manually for compassionate appointments.
Administrative Secretaries of various departments were present on the occasion.
The new Scheme was rolled out on 6th of this month and while it is chiefly modeled on central government’s compassionate appointment scheme, it also caters to the unique local requirement of J&K.
The new Scheme will apply to the dependent family member of a government employee who dies in harness; retires on invalid pension; dies as a result of militancy related action or due to enemy action on the Line of Control or International Border within Jammu and Kashmir and is not involved in militancy related activities.
It will cover only a government servant appointed on a regular basis and not one working on daily wage or casual or apprentice or ad-hoc or contract or re-employment basis.
However the application for compassionate appointment or monetary compensation online under the Jammu and Kashmir Rehabilitation Assistance Scheme, 2022 on the designated portal will not be considered, if the same is not made within one year of the death or retirement on invalid pension of the government servant.
Administrative Secretary General Administrative Department (GAD) will be competent authority to make compassionate appointments and grant monetary compensation under this Scheme.
Besides, the Lieutenant Governor through Chief Secretary in coordination will be the competent authority for making compassionate appointments in the cases where relaxations are involved.
Under the Scheme, the appointments can be made only against the posts for Multi Tasking Staff or equivalent or lowest non-Gazetted cadre posts in the Department. Applicant, who is a Graduate or having higher qualification, can also be considered for appointment against a lowest non-gazetted post or MuIti Tasking Staff post notwithstanding the bar on higher qualification prescribed in the extant Rules.
He or she (applicant) will be assessed with regard to the Relative Merit Points Assessment Scheme (RMPAS) on a 100 point scale and will be required to meet the standards laid down for compassionate appointment with regard to RMPAS.
The Scheme also provides that if the applicant fulfils the eligibility criteria prescribed in this Scheme for compassionate appointment into the Government service and is considered for compassionate appointment under this Scheme, he or she will have the option to refuse the appointment. In case, the applicant chooses to do so, he or she will be entitled to a monetary compensation of Rs 5 lakh in lieu of appointment on compassionate grounds in the Government service.
The dependant, who does not meet the standards laid down for compassionate appointment to the government service with reference to RMPAS will be considered for grant of monetary compensation. The dependents of the deceased employees will be paid monetary compensation of Rs 5 lakhs.
Appointment on compassionate grounds will be made only on a regular basis and that too only, if regular vacancies meant for that purpose are available and will be made in a centralized manner in the General Administration Department. GAD will every year hold back up to 5 percent of vacancies in the categories across all the departments to be filled by direct recruitment through J&K Services Selection Board or otherwise, so as to fill such vacancies by appointment on compassionate grounds.
The vacancies against which compassionate appointments can be considered under this Scheme will be computed every year as on the first January of the year in which compassionate appointments are to be made. In case, eligible applicants may exceed the posts available in a given quarter, their list will be carried forward to the next quarter and the applicants considered against the posts available in that quarter up to and including the fifth year from the date of application submitted by the applicant after which he or she will be delisted.
The unfilled vacancies in a year shall be carried forward to the next year and shall be available for appointment on compassionate grounds under this Scheme. 5 percent of the total vacancies identified for compassionate appointments in a particular year will be available for consideration in relaxation of rules with the approval of Chief Minister/Lieutenant Governor through Chief Secretary in Coordination.