*Services of around 250 employees to be used effectively
Mohinder Verma
JAMMU, Oct 25: Winding up of seven State Commissions in pursuance to the provisions of Jammu and Kashmir Reorganization Act, 2019 will significantly reduce burden on the exchequer and spare crores of rupees every year for utilization in the developmental works. Moreover, services of around 250 employees of different categories will be effectively utilized in their respective departments after their repatriation from these closed statutory bodies.
Consequent upon repeal of several Acts passed by the State Legislature from time to time by the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganization Act, 2019, the Governor’s Administration has issued orders for winding up of seven State Commissions with effect from October 31, 2019.
These Commissions are J&K State Human Rights Commission, J&K State Information Commission, State Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission, State Electricity Regulatory Commission, State Commission for Persons with Disabilities, State Commission for Protection of Women and Child Rights and State Accountability Commission.
“The winding up of these statutory bodies will significantly reduce burden on the exchequer and spare crores of rupees every year for utilization in the developmental works”, official sources told EXCELSIOR, adding “besides lakhs of rupees which were being paid to the Chairpersons and Members of these State Commissions as their salary/allowance, huge amount in the shape of annual budget was also being placed at their disposal to ensure smooth functioning of these Commissions”.
Moreover, huge expenditure was being made every year on the operation and maintenance of the vehicles given to the Chairpersons and Members of these State Commissions and other staff members. “Now, entire money which was being utilized for making these Commissions functional, will now be utilized for the developmental works”, sources said.
“No doubt, making these State Commissions functional was the duty of the Government as per the Acts passed by the Legislature but most of these Commissions failed to yield the objectives behind their establishment several years back because of varied reasons”, they said.
The recommendations made by most of these Commissions rarely received any positive response from the Government as such their functioning failed to provide any benefit to the people. In this way, most of these Commissions were actually acting as ‘white elephant’ for the Government, sources added.
As per the data of the General Administration Department, with the winding up of these Commissions even services of around 250 employees have been spared for effective utilization in their respective departments, corporations and Public Sector Undertakings. “These employees had created comfort zones for themselves by evincing interest in serving in these Commissions for a prolonged period, which otherwise could not have been the situation in case of their serving in their respective departments”, sources further said.
Of these around 250 employees of different categories, maximum 71 were posted in the J&K State Human Rights Commission followed by 62 in Jammu and Kashmir State Accountability Commission. The State Information Commission despite having only one Member was having around 50 officers and officials at Jammu and Srinagar offices.
The State Commission for Protection of Women and Child Rights was having 16 employees while as there were six officials in the State Electricity Regulatory Commission and State Commission for Persons with Disabilities was having 3 officials.
“Moreover, State Motor Garages Department will get around 40 vehicles back with the closure of these State Commissions and the same can be utilized for providing facility of official cars to the officers entitled for the same as per the policy”, sources further said, adding “even those Government offices, which were functioning from rented buildings, can now be provided permanent accommodations by utilizing the infrastructure of these State Commissions handed over to the Estates Department as per the orders of the Government”.
Though only time will tell whether the closure of these State Commissions will be beneficial for the people yet burden on exchequer will get considerably reduced immediately, sources said.
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