Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Jan 11: Governor NN Vohra today held his first high level review of security situation and developmental work in the State after imposition of Governor’s Rule in the State on January 9 in the wake of death of Chief Minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed and delay in formation of the new Government.
Chairing a meeting of all Administrative Secretaries during his first visit to the Civil Secretariat here this morning, the Governor directed the bureaucrats to ensure that the developmental works didn’t suffer in the absence of popular Government. He directed the officers that all works under execution must go on with full pace and there should be no leniency.
Directing the officers not to effect any transfers in the administration, Vohra directed that the transfer orders only under unavoidable circumstances or where the officers were awaiting adjustments should be sent to him. Excelsior had today reported exclusively that the Governor had directed Chief Secretary BR Sharma not to order any transfers in the bureaucracy as he anticipated that the Governor’s Rule was for short duration and popular Government will take over soon.
Official sources told the Excelsior that the Governor directed the Finance and Planning and Development Department Secretaries (the charge of Planning is held by the Chief Secretary himself) to pursue with the Centre the release of funds as just a little over two and half months were left for the current financial year.
He told the bureaucrats that the funds would be no problem if the State Government continued to submit Utilization Certificates (UCs) to the Centre. It may be mentioned here that the Centre has gone very strict on the UCs and decided not to release fresh funds for developmental works till the UCs were submitted.
He was reported to have assured the officers that he will also take up the issue of funds with the Centre, if required, but by then the bureaucrats must fulfill all conditions.
The Governor directed the officers to ensure that the Government staff and pensioners get their salaries and pension well in time. At the same time, he called for maintenance of discipline in the Government offices and called for use of biometric attendance system. Noting that biometric attendance system has worked efficiently in Raj Bhavan of Jammu and Srinagar, he said all Government departments should switch over to this system.
In a separate meeting, Principal Secretary (Home) RK Goyal and Director General of Police (DGP) briefed the Governor on internal security situation in the State.
Calling for strict surveillance on the situation, he stressed for beefing up security situation in the State particularly in the wake of militant attack at Pathankot. He directed that security agencies must have close liaison and take all steps to ensure that the militants didn’t succeed in their designs.
Sources said the Governor was likely to meet Army and para-military force officials separately to acquaint himself with situation prevailing along the borders including the Line of Control (LoC) and International Border (IB) following inputs that terrorists were planning to carry out strikes.
He asked the Chief Secretary, who briefed him about all important matters which were pending since late December 2015, to review, department wise, and ensure urgent disposal of every pending cases.
Among the matters discussed with the Chief Secretary, the Governor reviewed the status of implementation of works for the permanent restoration of assets damaged during the September, 2014 floods and measures underway for providing relief and rehabilitation of Kashmiri migrants.
He asked the Chief Secretary to especially review the pendency of cases under SRO-43, implementation of Centrally Sponsored Schemes and every matter pending decision in the Power Development Department.
Later, during his meeting with DGP K Rajendra and R K Goyal, Home Secretary, the Governor was briefed about the internal security situation in the State.
The Governor asked the DGP to closely monitor the ground situation and ensure effective policing in all parts of the State. Among other matters the Governor was informed about the pending enhancement in the rate of rental compensation for lands under occupation of the Army, increase in the honorarium of SPOs, cases pending under SRO-43 in respect of police personnel killed while fighting militants etc.
Goyal apprised the Governor about the present status of implementation of the important decisions taken in the Civil Military Liaison Conference particularly about the vacation of lands by the Army and establishment of new firing ranges.
Meanwhile, the Governor directed the Secretaries to personally review and ensure prompt and efficient delivery of various public services to the people of the State. He asked the Secretaries to personally review and ensure prompt and efficient delivery of various public services to the people of the State.
Vohra asked them to earmark at least one hour in the latter part of the day to meet and hear complaints and grievances from the public and ensure that these were given prompt attention.
He cautioned that complaints regarding delays, irregularities and corruption must be dealt with most sternly and those responsible should be proceeded against without any fear or favour.
Before commencing discussions, a two-minute silence was observed as a mark of respect to late Chief Minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed. Vohra spent about three-and-a-half hours in the Secretariat.
The Governor asked the Chief Secretary to urgently have prepared department-wise lists of all pending cases and personally monitor to ensure that every important matter was timely disposed of and all cases which required higher level approvals should be sent to the Governor.
He expressed concern about the timely utilization of all available resources, particularly the funds available under the State Plan and the various Centrally Sponsored Schemes.
He particularly referred to the need of ensuring that funds available under NABARD, MGNREGA, SSA and other important schemes are fully utilized before the end of the financial year.
He also directed the Finance Department to ensure that the balance funds under the State Plan and the State Share of the Centrally Sponsored Schemes were released without any delay whatsoever so that there was no reason left for the non implementation of all development programmes and projects in the State.
The Governor asked the Chief Secretary to regularly review at his own level and ensure that the Food Security Act was implemented within the time-frame decided by the previous Government.
He also asked the Chief Secretary to take early meetings to review the implementation of the Action Plan for Road Safety and also particularly monitor the implementation of the various schemes relating to the handicapped and other disadvantaged segments of the society and reports on all such reviews should be sent to him.
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