Should there be any sort of incongruence between concepts or ideas and actions in respect of administration and allied matters, particularly when they are related to knowing the problems faced by the people and the need to resolve them? Most probably, neither should that state of affairs happen nor allowed to happen which in other words means, that situation should not be tolerated at all. There are various decisions taken at the higher administrative levels in consonance with the directions and the policies of the Government – all in favour of the public, especially pertaining to the redressing of their grievances, one of which is “bringing administration right at the door steps of the people” which needs to be percolated down to the ground levels in letter and spirit. The idea is not somewhat utopian or swamped with improbabilities or involving out of box efforts but conducting tours of districts by the respective district authorities, particularly the Deputy Commissioners. Not only the Lieutenant Governor but even the Chief Secretary has been instructing from time to time these authorities to tour the areas under their jurisdiction in the district, interact with people, know the problems faced by them on day to day basis and try to resolve them. Most of such problems and grievances can be sorted out, resolved and necessary instructions issued right on the spot. That would really carry the message across that the Government really believed in deliverance and mitigating people’s problems. What is, however, required is to reach the people in those areas which are far flung and where hardly any UT Authority would otherwise like to visit even in routine, to call a spade a spade. Just by visiting such far flung areas, we can safely say that the fruits of better administration are reaped on an even basis across a district. It is, however, observed that several Deputy Commissioners are showing reluctance in conducting “extensive” tours of their respective districts in the UT of Jammu and Kashmir and that too when numerous directions from the Lieutenant Governor as also by the Chief Secretary have been issued from time to time. Routinely, otherwise also, the General Administration Department has been issuing circulars and necessary instructions of the Government in this behalf. Times are changing fast, gone are the days when the citizens, as a fait accompli, would keep on visiting Government offices on umpteen times to get their problems resolved and be at the mercy of the whims of the bureaucracy. It is now the other way. The administration must evolve workable mechanism and keep it changing in tune with requirements from time to time, whereby grievances and problems of the people could get addressed and resolved fast. In an era of IT revolution when most of the things in offices are now required to be done through on-line mode and where nothing can be manipulated or altered under the system, transparency and accountability are getting more and more desired importance. Now, moves are afoot only to “recognise” correspondence – letters, information, of different hues – only through e-Mail mode. In order to give credence to speed and accuracy as also the time factor, more and more emphasis is laid on using IT related modes in Government offices. In other words, an air of stress on improving overall work culture is gaining momentum. Anyone of whichever rank or status in Government service has got to adopt oneself to these changes or quit. It is , therefore, imperative that the District Authorities complied with the instructions of the Government to make ”field visits” a part and parcel of their official duties and in addition to that, earmark two days in a week to hold grievances redressing interaction with the people in their respective offices so as to resolve their pending genuine issues. It is a praiseworthy decision of the Government to document such visits by the Deputy Commissioners of the areas falling in their respective districts and submit it to the General Administration Department on quarterly basis. Though we feel submitting such information on quarterly basis needs to be made at least on bi-monthly basis, it should, however, be ensured that such information reached GAD within the due date of each quarter to know the position in respect of both the performing as well as the defaulting distric
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