Srinagar, March 7, KNT: Employees of the Health Department in Kashmir division have submitted a representation to the authorities seeking amendment in S.O. 334 dated July 13, 2022, raising concerns over the proposed inclusion of Family Welfare Department employees in the promotional quota for the post of Community Health Officer (CHO).
In a memorandum addressed to the Commissioner Secretary, Health and Medical Education Department, Jammu and Kashmir, the employees said the post of Community Health Officer exclusively belongs to the Health Department under the 2210 major head and should remain reserved for eligible feeding categories within the department.
The representation states that Health Educators, Sanitary Inspectors and Lady Health Visitors serving under the Health Department are the legally recognized feeding categories for divisional-level promotion to the post of CHO.
Employees expressed apprehension that staff members from the Family Welfare Department, which functions under a separate budget head (2211), may be considered for promotion to the post of CHO in Kashmir division.
According to the memorandum, such a move would adversely affect the promotion prospects of hundreds of employees working under the Health Department.
The employees also pointed out that the Family Welfare Department operates under a separate administrative structure headed by the Director Family Welfare and maintains its own cadre strength and promotion avenues.
They argued that employees of the Family Welfare Department already have separate promotional channels within their own department and therefore should not be considered for posts belonging to the Health Department.
The memorandum further highlighted that certain feeding categories of the Family Welfare Department had allegedly been included in the feeding categories of the Health Department for promotion to the post of CHO, a move the employees termed unjustified.
They also cited examples of inter-departmental discrepancies, stating that employees of the Health Department are not considered for promotions in the Family Welfare Department despite similar eligibility.
Employees urged the government to amend S.O. 334 to ensure that all vacancies of Community Health Officer are allocated strictly to the feeding categories of the Health Department and that Family Welfare Department employees are excluded from the promotional quota.
The signatories appealed to the authorities to examine the matter and take necessary steps to safeguard the future promotion prospects of Health Department employees in Kashmir division. [KNT]
