GAD asked to cull out list of non-performing panels
CS again conveys serious concern to Administrative Secys
Mohinder Verma
JAMMU, Dec 18: There is no end to the slackness in timely submission of reports by the committees of bureaucrats constituted to look into different administrative matters despite repeated directions and this has once again been viewed seriously by the Chief Secretary BVR Subrahmanyam, who has directed the General Administration Department to cull out the list of non-performing panels.
Ever since the imposition of Governor’s Rule in Jammu and Kashmir on June 20, 2018, almost all the pending issues relating to providing good governance and on different matters pertaining to employees and judiciary received due attention of the administration and accordingly different Government orders were issued assigning these issues to the committees of bureaucrats for deliberations and submission of reports.
The issues regarding hanging fate of the developmental works and financial and other difficulties being encountered in providing benefits of the Centrally Sponsored Schemes to the targeted population also received due attention of the administration and accordingly task of examining these issues and making necessary recommendations was assigned to different committees of officers.
In each and every order, time-line was specified for submission of reports with the objective to resolve the issues as early as possible. However, majority of the committees failed to submit reports within the stipulated time-frame and this was viewed seriously by the Chief Secretary BVR Subramhamyam.
Accordingly, in a number of Committee of Secretaries meetings in the month of August this year the Chief Secretary conveyed his displeasure to the concerned Administrative Secretaries and asked for expeditious submission of reports by these committees. He even conveyed to the Administrative Secretaries that vital administrative and governance issues cannot be allowed to be held hostage by the slackness of the officers.
The issue of submission of reports by the committees again came up for deliberations in a meeting of the Committee of Secretaries held on December 9, 2019 and the Chief Secretary observed that there was no end to the slackness in submission of reports.
While expressing serious concern over this, the Chief Secretary directed the Administrative Secretaries to strictly adhere to the timelines as fixed for submission of reports by the committees constituted after June 23, 2018 and in particular after October 31, 2019 when the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir came into existence as per the provisions of J&K Reorganization Act passed by the Parliament in the first week of August this year, official sources told EXCELSIOR.
The Chief Secretary has directed the General Administration Department to cull out the list of committees constituted where the reports are still awaited, they further said, adding “based on the list so prepared by the General Administration Department the Chief Secretary will take decision on further action”.
“The submission of reports especially by those committees which were constituted after October 31, 2019 assumes much importance vis-à-vis smooth functioning of Government under new mechanism of governance”, sources said.
The committees which were constituted after October 31, 2019 particularly by the General Administration Department were assigned the task of finalizing the draft of the notification for declaring Dal Lake and its surrounding areas as Eco-Sensitive Zone; roll out of the computerized registration system across the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir; preparation of comprehensive proposal on de-addiction with focus on various elements like prevention, cure and rehabilitation; examination of issues relating to Vigilance Commission; examination of issues relating to Right to Information Act; examination of all aspects relating to academic arrangements in various departments etc.
Since June 23, 2018, other departments too have constituted a number of committees on several issues including those related to conduct of enquiries, personnel, court and administrative matters etc and reports from these committees are still awaited, sources said, adding “what to talk of those committees which have been given limited time of 15 or 20 days even the panels having timeline of several months have failed to act as per the directions of the Government”.
It is pertinent to mention here that EXCELSIOR is continuously publishing news-items highlighting the failure of numerous committees of bureaucrats to meet the deadline for submission of reports.
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