*New mechanism of skill development remains on papers
Mohinder Verma
JAMMU, Aug 22: In a glaring example of bureaucratic sluggishness, several directions issued by none else than the Chief Minister, Mehbooba Mufti for improvement in public service delivery system and ensuring monitoring of developmental works in coordinated manner, have yet not been taken seriously by the officers of the concerned departments despite lapse of considerable period of time.
While chairing a meeting of Administrative Secretaries, District Development Commissioners, Managing Directors and Heads of the Departments on June 15, 2016, the Chief Minister, Mehbooba Mufti had passed several directions, which were aimed at bringing radical changes in the functioning of the departments and to make them responsive.
As per the minutes of the meeting, which were circulated to all the concerned officers by the Chief Minister’s Secretariat vide communication No.HCM/AS/2016-17/154-170 dated July 14, 2016, the copy of which is also in the possession of EXCELSIOR, it was stressed that prompt action must be taken to translate directions into reality and action taken reports be submitted to the Chief Minister’s Secretariat for review.
“However, the ground situation is totally contrary as majority of the decisions have remained only on the papers till date because of non-serious approach at different levels in the State’s bureaucracy”, official sources told EXCELSIOR while disclosing that none of the concerned department has so far submitted the action taken reports to the Chief Minister’s Secretariat as they have nothing to boast of.
About improvement in delivery system, it was directed that all Government offices must be responsive and sensitive towards improvement in delivery system and also efficient of public service delivery which shall also be reflected in the public domain through interactive website. Even the Administrative Secretaries, Divisional Commissioners, Deputy Commissioners and Heads of the Departments/Corporations were directed to have interactive website for online tracking of communications and also responsive to public queries.
“However, there is not much improvement in delivery system and people are still crying for timely delivery of services as majority of the departments have yet not come up with interactive websites”, sources said, adding “Revenue Department for which timeline of 15 days was fixed for launch of interactive website, has failed to accomplish the task till date and its old website doesn’t contain any information about delivery of services”.
“The situation in respect of departments dealing with essential services particularly Power Development Department and Public Health Engineering Department remains worst notwithstanding the fact that lack of responsiveness in such departments was viewed very seriously by the Chief Minister”, sources said while disclosing that practice of disposing of the issues of public in dilly-dallying manner still persists in majority of the departments providing essential services. They specifically pointed out that grievances of the people vis-à-vis unscheduled power cuts and erratic water supply are not being addressed timely by the PDD and PHE authorities.
As far as Centrally Sponsored Schemes are concerned, it was directed that Heads of the Departments and District Officers concerned under the supervision of District Development Commissioners shall ensure timely expenditure of funds under CSS and ensure advance coordination for planning of projects.
“However, the much needed coordination is still missing and Heads of the Departments don’t share the details of the Centrally Sponsored Schemes with the DDCs without being sought”, sources said. “Even the DDCs remain in darkness about release of funds under the Centrally Sponsored Schemes as under the present system funds are not being routed through them”, they further said, adding “the delay in furnishing of Utilization Certificates (UCs) as is being repeatedly pointed out by the Ministers concerned is the testimony of lack of coordination among different agencies”.
About the skill development, which is the major area of concern for the Chief Minister, it was directed that the present system of departments organizing skill development programmes at their own level shall be dispensed with and a committee headed by DDC and comprising of District Officers of the concerned departments, representative of Jammu and Kashmir Entrepreneurs Development Institute and technical experts shall devise specific placement linked skill development courses under various schemes as per local needs and available avenues.
However, in majority of the districts such committees have not been framed till date thereby creating impediments in skill development of the unemployed youth, sources regretted, adding “none of the concerned department has so far evinced any interest in ensuring proper coordination in giving required impetus to the skill development”.
“The non-serious approach towards these vital directions of the Chief Minister clearly indicates that some drastic steps are required to be taken to make the bureaucrats accountable for furnishing action taken reports so that real objective of such directions is achieved”, sources stressed.
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