More than 2 dozen officers holding addl charge
*Resentment among JKAS, JKPS officers for being ignored
Mohinder Verma
JAMMU, May 29: At a time when much thrust is being laid on governance and administrative reforms by the Union Government, adhocism is growing in the administration in the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir with large number of IAS and KAS officers holding the additional charge of the key posts and finding it difficult to fulfill the responsibilities entrusted to them.
Official sources told EXCELSIOR that the Department of Administrative Reforms of the Government of India in collaboration with the concerned authorities of the Government of Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir is carrying out several governance and administrative reforms for providing better services to the people.
Several such reforms have already been implemented in Jammu and Kashmir and more are in the offing but the adhocism in the civil administration that too at the highest level is creating impediments in achieving the intended objectives as officers are being assigned the duties of multiple departments, which practically are not possible to be performed up to the expectations of the Government.
As per the official data, around 20 senior IAS and KAS officers are holding the additional charge of different departments. Similar situation is also prevailing at the lowest level with several Additional District Development Commissioners, Chief Executive Officers of Tourism Development Authorities, Sub-Divisional Magistrates and Sub-Registrars have been assigned the additional charge of different posts.
“Earlier, there was an excuse for the Government that shortage of IAS officers is leading to adhocism at the highest level but at present an option is available to bring sufficient number of officers from AGMUT cadre to meet the requirements as such prevailing adhocism cannot be justified in any way”, sources said.
As per the official record, Rohit Kansal, Principal Secretary Higher Education Department is holding the additional charge of Administrative Secretary of Information Department and Principal Secretary Coordination. Similarly, M K Dwivedi, Principal Secretary, General Administration Department is holding the additional charge of Health and Medical Education Department.
Hirdesh Kumar, Commissioner Secretary Election Department is holding the additional charge of Transport Department while as Dr Shahid Iqbal Choudhary, Secretary Tribal Affairs is holding the additional charge of Chief Executive Officer Mission Youth and Managing Director Skill Development Mission.
Prasana Ramaswamy, Director Census is holding the additional charge of Managing Director JPDCL while as Rajeev Ranjan, Commissioner Survey and Land Records is holding the additional charge of Additional CEO of Land Records Management Authority.
Dr Syed Abid Rasheed, Special Secretary Finance is holding the additional charge of Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Jammu and Kashmir Economic Reconstruction Agency and Mission Director Jal Jeewan Mission. Likewise, Dheeraj Gupta, Principal Secretary Housing and Urban Development Department is holding the additional charge of Srinagar and Jammu Smart Cities and proposed New Jammu/Srinagar MRDA.
As far as KAS officers are concerned, Amit Sharma, Secretary ARI and Training Department is holding the additional charge of Mining Department while as Zubbar Ahmed, Commissioner Secretary, Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs is holding the additional charge of Culture Department. Hashmat Yatoo, Managing Director J&K Handicrafts (S&E) Corporation is holding the additional charge of MD Handloom and Handicrafts Corporation.
Anil Koul, Director Entrepreneurship Development Institute is holding the additional charge of the post of Executive Director, Entrepreneurship Development Institute while as Samita Sethi, Managing Director, SIDCO is holding the additional charge of MD SICOP. Further, Abdul Salam Mir, Director Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs Kashmir is holding the additional charge of Executive Officer, J&K Hajj Committee.
Gulzar Ahmed, Additional Director SKIMS is holding the additional charge of Administrator Associated Hospitals Srinagar while as Suraj Rakwal, Special Secretary Disaster Management Department is holding the additional charge of Ex-Officio PRO Jammu.
“There is also resentment among several JKAS, JKPS and non-JKAS officers who effectively handled whatever duties were assigned to them by the successive Governments from time to time for being completely sidelined by the present dispensation”, sources said, adding “in order to bring an end to the adhocism the Government should utilize the services of these officers so that the governance and administrative reforms as well as implementation of schemes and programmes are ensured up to the expectations of the Government of India”.
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