Srinagar, Jan 5: In a major administrative push, the Jammu and Kashmir Power Development Department (PDD) has issued a series of regular promotion orders, bringing long-awaited relief to engineers and marking what many describe as a turning point for the power sector.
The promotion orders, issued earlier this week, have resulted in the regular elevation of 34 Assistant Executive Engineers, 28 Executive Engineers, 13 Superintending Engineers, and three Chief Engineers.
Officials and engineers alike say the move has helped unclog long-pending seniority issues at various levels, particularly at the Assistant Engineer cadre, and has opened the door for addressing the long-standing Junior Engineer seniority backlog.
Engineers’ bodies termed the development historic, stating that years of ad-hoc arrangements and career stagnation had adversely impacted morale as well as administrative efficiency within the department.
“This is not just about promotions, it is about restoring institutional stability,” an officer said, adding that regular postings at senior levels would improve decision-making and accountability in the power sector.
A significant aspect of the recent exercise is the filling of vacancies at the top administrative tier.
The department has cleared proposals for promoting Superintending Engineers to the level of Chief Engineer, a step aimed at strengthening governance and improving the functioning of various power corporations.
“This move strikes at the root of the additional charge culture that had crippled the department for years. With full-time officers in place, the system will function more smoothly and transparently,” an official said.
Reacting to the development, President of JKEEGA, Pirzada Hidayatullah, expressed gratitude to the J&K leadership for addressing the long-pending issue.
“The engineering fraternity is deeply thankful to the Hon’ble Chief Minister of J&K, the Chief Secretary, and especially the Financial Commissioner (ACS) JKPDD for taking this bold and much-needed step,” he said.
Hidayatullah also appreciated the role of the Establishment-cum-Selection Committee in clearing the regularisation proposals.
Welcoming the move, he said engineers were hopeful that the government would continue the momentum.
“We expect early action on Junior Engineer seniority as well, so that the entire backlog is cleared and regular promotions become the norm rather than the exception,” Hidayatullah said.