Excelsior Correspondent
SRINAGAR, Oct 22: Government had to defer review meeting of District Development Board Kupwara as heads of various departments were absent from the meeting.
Minister for Consumer Affairs & Public Distribution and Tribal Affairs Chowdhary Zulfkar Ali who is also chairman of District Development Board Kupwara, took strong notice of absence of HoDs and deferred the meeting. Minister for Rural Development Abdul Haq Khan along with all legislatures of Kupwara were present in the meeting.
The Minister was supposed to review the development activities of Kupwara district at SKICC Srinagar. However, the meeting was deferred after Minister observed the absence of many HoDs from the meeting.
Many HoDs had sent their subordinate officers for the meeting. Few officers remained absent citing health issues while some said due to restrictions they were not able to attend the meeting.
Zulfkar who was accompanied by Minister for Rural Development and Panchayati Raj Abdul Haq Khan later sought explanation from the officers regarding their absence and asked them to report in his office on Friday.
“The aim of convening meeting in Srinagar is just to ensure presence of HoDs but it is unfortunate they are not present here too,” he added.
He said that DDB is having big importance in single line administration and an officer cannot skip it at any cost. He said in future only HoDs will be allowed to attend review meeting and no representative will be allowed. Minister said this callous attitude is the mockery of the system which will not be tolerated at all.
The officers who were absent from the meeting include Director Tourism, Director Youth Services and Sports, Director General Fire Services and Managing Director JKPCC.
Minister for Rural Development Abdul Haq Khan along with all Legislatures also expressed concern over non seriousness of officers in attending DDB meet.
Earlier, Deputy Commissioner Kupwara Kumar Rajeev Ranjan informed the minister that 58 percent of total allocated budget for the current financial year stand expended.
DC Kupwara informed the Minister that Lolav-Zungli Byepass, Badpura Bridge and Children’s park Langate has been completed and may be inaugurated next month while Hapat’naar Irrigation Tank and SDH Sogam will be completed by the end of December.
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