*GAD admits blatant violation of LA Rules by deptts
Mohinder Verma
JAMMU, May 30: Waking up from the deep slumber, the Government has directed all the Administrative Secretaries to implement recommendations of the Committees of State Legislature within the period specified under the rules and submit Action Taken Reports (ATRs). They have also been impressed upon to ensure proper coordination with the Legislative Assembly and Council Secretariat so that objective behind framing of House Committees is achieved.
In the recent past, EXCELSIOR carried series of news-items mentioning inordinate delay on the part of Government departments in acting on the recommendations made by the House Committees. It was revealed that even the grave issues highlighted by various Committees of both the Houses of State Legislature were not taken seriously by the bureaucrats thereby defeating the objective behind framing of Committees of Legislators.
EXCELSIOR had also revealed that majority of the Government departments have developed the habit of dumping the assurances given by the Ministers on the floor of the State Legislature for unspecified period instead of fulfillment of the commitments for the benefit of the common masses and addressing the grave issues.
Due to non-cooperation from the concerned departments even the Chairmen of the House Committees were fuming and they had started gathering an impression that there was no utility of exercise being carried out by them in coordination with the MLAs/MLCs.
These issues were raised by the Chairmen of various House Committees during a meeting convened by the Speaker Legislative Assembly Kavinder Gupta few days back and they stressed that unless Government departments implement the recommendations of House Panels in a time bound manner and furnish the Action Taken Reports (ATRs) there was no fun in setting up of Committees, sources told EXCELSIOR.
Some of the Chairmen also referred to the series of news-items carried by EXCELSIOR and stressed that Speaker should vociferously take up this grave issue with the Government so that recommendations of the House Committees yield effective, meaningful and result oriented results on ground, sources further said.
Accordingly, the Speaker asked the General Administration Department to ensure proper coordination in the implementation of the recommendations and observations of the House Committees failing which serious view will be taken of non-cooperative attitude of the bureaucrats, sources informed.
Now, the Government has finally come out of the deep slumber and issued directions for implementation of recommendations of the House Committees.
“In pursuance of Rule 308-A of the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business in Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly, the Government is bound to implement the recommendations contained in a report/interim report within six months from the date of presentation of such report in the House”, reads a circular issued by Khurshid Ahmed, Commissioner/Secretary to Government, General Administration Department.
“It is impressed upon all the Administrative Secretaries to strictly adhere to Rule 308-A of the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business in J&K Legislative Assembly and implement the recommendations contained in the reports laid on the table of the House from time to time”, the GAD Secretary further said in the circular.
He has assured that the General Administration Department will ensure close coordination between various departments and Assembly Secretariat for making the functioning of the House Committees effective, meaningful and result oriented.
When contacted, an officer of the General Administration Department, on the condition of anonymity, admitted that bureaucrats were not taking reports/recommendations of the House Committees seriously despite the fact that the same is binding on them.
“In J&K, voluntary compliance to the rules is a rare phenomenon and unless directions are issued from the top no action is taken even on the grave issues”, the officer said while justifying the concern of the Chairmen of the House Committees.
According to the sources, Government is also likely to come up with a mechanism to ensure proper follow-up action on the announcements of Budget, which otherwise remain unattended for quite long time.
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