Financial Distress Grips IIOJK Ahead of Eidul Fitr

With only a week left for Eidul Fitr, the government treasuries in Indian illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK) remain empty leaving employees and contractors fuming.

According to reports, the treasuries are running high and dry in IIOJK due to which government employees have been without salaries for the past several months, said a group of contractors while protesting outside District Treasury Office Budgam.

Officials told the media that treasuries across IIOJK have a liability of more than Rs 300 crore due to which government employees, pensioners and contractors are suffering immensely and are running from pillar to post to get their claims realized.

“Leave aside daily wagers, even the permanent employees of various government departments have been without salaries for the last couple of months,” said the protesting contractor, adding therein that they are only concerned with cash flow management.

One of the contractors said that the BJP-installed government of IIOJK has become bankrupt and it does not have funds to clear the liabilities of employees. “How could it pay the bills of contractors when it even doesn’t pay its permanent employees,” an employee said.

Scores of claimants are complaining that they have been awaiting payments for months but every day they return disappointed. “My General Provident Fund (GPF) bill is gathering dust as there is no money available in the treasury,” one of the government employees said adding that he was expecting that the government would release his payment as Eid is advancing.