Around 550 posts of MOs vacant across J&K: Dar
Shadow Correspondent
Jammu, Mar 18:
The honorarium of Cluster Resource Coordinators (CRCs) has been proposed at Rs. 30000 per month with the Union Ministry for School Education and Literacy.
Minister for Agriculture Production department, Javed Ahmad Dar, informed this while replying on behalf of Minister for Education to a clubbed question raised by Mohammad Yousuf Tarigami and Balwant Singh Mankotia in the Legislative Assembly.
During the reply, the Minister stated that the School Education department had been engaging Contractual Lecturers on academic arrangement basis for the academic sessions, but since 2019 the department has engaged no contractual lecturers. He added that to cope up the staff shortage in High and Higher Secondary Schools, 1496 Cluster Resource Coordinators (CRCs) have been hired on temporary basis during the academic session 2024-25 to teach specific subjects in these schools on a monthly honorarium of Rs. 25000 up to 31.03.2025 only.
The Minister further informed that Vocational/Skill education has been introduced in schools of J&K under centrally sponsored scheme Samagra Shiksha. He added that Vocational Education has successfully been
1496 CRCs hired
implemented in 1350 High and Higher Secondary Schools of J&K under Samagra Shiksha and PM SHRI Scheme.
The Minister further said that 2187 Vocational Trainers and 48 Vocational Coordinators have been engaged through the Vocational Training Partners. He added that Vocational Trainers are being paid a monthly honorarium of Rs. 20,000, but their monthly honorarium has been proposed at Rs. 30,000 for approval for the year 2025-2026, under PAB 2025-26 from the Union Ministry of School Education and Literacy.
Regarding filling up of vacancies in Chenani constituency, the Minister informed the house that the department is making all efforts to overcome the deficiency of teaching and non-teaching staff in schools by way of proper rationalization, deployment of Cluster Resource Coordinators and affecting promotions to streamline and maintain the pupil-teacher ratio in schools including those of Chenani Constituency.
He also informed that the selections are being made against 594 posts of Lecturers, recently referred to JKPSC, which will ease out the deficiency of Lecturers at the 10+2 level. He also informed that 1427 schools from Primary to Higher Secondary level are functional in Udhampur district, of which, 399 schools are existing in Chenani constituency.
Regarding Cooks-cum-Helpers working under PM POSHAN (Mid Day Meals Scheme), the Minister stated that they are being paid monthly honorarium of Rs.1000 as per the guidelines and norms of Union Ministry for Education, with the sharing pattern of 90:10 for preparation of meals and not for the whole day. He added that the demand for enhancement of the honorarium of Cooks-Cum-Helpers has been taken up with the Ministry of School Education and Literacy, GoI.
The Minister also informed the house that several Centrally Sponsored Schemes are being implemented by the School Education department in J&K like SAMAGRA SHIKSHA, PM SHRI, NILP (UJLAAS) and PM POSHAN.
Meanwhile “Around 550 posts of Medical Officers (MOs) are vacant in Jammu and Kashmir with selection of 181 MOs in process”, stated Minister for Agriculture Production Department, Javed Ahmad Dar, while replying on behalf of Minister for Health and Medical Education to a clubbed question raised by Dr. Sajad Shafi and Javed Hassan Beig in the Legislative Assembly.
The Minister informed that 57 health institutes are functional in Sheeri and Kreeri blocks of Baramulla district. The sanctioned staff including Medical Officers and paramedics in block Kreeri is 157, 121 are in place while 36 are vacant. Similarly, the sanctioned staff in block Sheeri is 330, 223 are in position and 107 are vacant. These posts included regular category and NHM, he added
The Minister said that the land acquisition in respect of CHC Chandoosa is under process and the matter has been taken up with the concerned revenue authorities for identification of state land. He added that an amount of Rs. 8 lakh has been released for land compensation of NTPHC Laridora during the year 2021-2022 which has been kept at the disposal of District Development Commissioner, Baramulla. The said amount could not be paid to the landowner due to closure of the financial year and the funds were lapsed. However, construction of NTPHC on aforementioned land has been completed and presently NTPHC Laridora has been functioning from this newly constructed building since September 2024.
The Minister informed the House that the department is making sustained efforts to address the ongoing issue of vacancies of Medical Officers, which presently stands at approximately around 550 posts. He added that the selection process for 181 Medical Officer posts is still underway with JKPSC and once the selection is completed, they will be posted to health institutions experiencing severe staff shortages.
The Minister further informed the House that the department is also in the process of operating a waitlist for 91 selected Medical Officers, who will be deployed to under-served areas across Jammu and Kashmir to strengthen the healthcare delivery.
Regarding vacancies of MOs in Baramulla district, the Minister informed the House that, out of a sanctioned strength of 275 MOs, 219 are in position and 56 are vacant across different Medical Blocks of the district. He also stated that, out of 365 recently appointed Medical Officers, 39 have been posted to district Baramulla to address the staff shortages and enhance healthcare services.
The Minister further informed that additional 11 staff members from NHM and 71 from Rashtriya Bal Swasthya Karyakram (RBSK), including doctors and paramedics, have been deployed in Baramulla which significantly improved the healthcare services, particularly in underserved areas of the district.
Legislators; Mubarak Gul and Mir Saifullah raised the supplementaries to the question.
