JKCEGA, JKMEGA urge Govt to implement ACP scheme, regularise engineers

sameer
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19 Jan 2026

Srinagar, Jan 18: The Joint Coordination Committee of the Engineering Graduates Association—an amalgamation of the J&K Civil Engineering Graduates Association (JKCEGA) and the J&K Mechanical Engineering Graduates Association (JKMEGA) Monday raised career stagnation issue and sought immediate solution long pending issues. As per a statement issued here, while addressing a press conference in Srinagar, the Association heads highlighted long-pending issues confronting the engineering community, particularly Civil and Mechanical Engineers across the Union Territory. Er. Farooq Ahmed Ganie, President JKCEGA and Er. Firdous Ahad Bhat, President JKMEGA, expressed serious concern over the prolonged stagnation in the regularisation of engineers. They noted that while the issue had seen notable progress in earlier years—especially in the Jal Shakti Department and the Mechanical Wing of the Roads and Buildings (R&B) Department—no tangible headway has been made over the past two years, particularly in PWD (R&B). They warned that the situation is likely to deteriorate further unless immediate corrective steps are taken. The leaders also highlighted that the Assured Career Progression (ACP) Scheme, despite having been approved by the Cabinet and backed by budgetary provisions in 2018, remains unimplemented. This inordinate delay, they said, has deeply demoralised the engineering fraternity, which has been striving for its legitimate career progression for over two decades. “Engineers are the architects of development and the backbone of infrastructure growth. Career progression is our rightful entitlement and cannot be denied indefinitely,” they asserted. Expressing hope, the committee said it expects the assurances given by the Hon’ble Chief Minister regarding the implementation of the ACP Scheme to be fulfilled during the forthcoming budget session for the financial year 2026–27 in the UT of J&K, with the issuance of a formal SRO during the session itself. The leaders further urged the government to address longstanding pay anomalies across various engineering cadres in the proposed 8th Pay Commission. They said resolving disparities in pay scales is crucial, particularly in view of the stagnation likely to persist across several cadres for the next fifteen years. With many engineers expected to receive only one or two functional promotions during their entire service, measures such as the ACP Scheme and rectification of pay anomalies remain the only safeguards for financial progression. The Joint Coordination Committee also raised alarm over the acute shortage of Junior Engineers, especially in the Mechanical discipline, due to pending recruitment processes. This shortfall, they said, is severely affecting the execution of public welfare and development projects on the ground, making the immediate referral and filling of vacancies both unavoidable and urgent. Appealing to the government for swift intervention, the committee urged that cases related to regularisation be referred without delay to the Public Service Commission (PSC) for Departmental Promotion Committees (DPCs), to ensure the complete elimination of adhocism. The committee’s key demands include the immediate implementation of the ACP Scheme with fresh budgetary provisions in the current financial year; resolution of long-pending pay anomalies, particularly at the Junior Engineer level, with suitable provisions in the forthcoming pay commission; time-bound placements at all levels; and urgent referral and filling of vacancies, especially Junior Engineer (Mechanical) posts, to ensure the smooth execution of development works. Concluding the press briefing, the committee reaffirmed that the engineering community remains committed to public service and development, but seeks justice, dignity and rightful career progression to continue contributing effectively to the growth and development of Jammu and Kashmir.