Process completed in 8 deptts, under progress in 6 others
Law Deptt to resolve issues hindering promotions: Govt
Mohinder Verma
JAMMU, Jan 14: Even after repeated instructions from the Government of Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir, around 29 departments have yet not started conducting meetings of the Departmental Promotion Committees (DPCs) as a result of which promotions and regularizations are getting delayed much to the disappointment of the employees.
Official sources told EXCELSIOR that in numerous meetings chaired by the Lieutenant Governor and Chief Secretary, instructions were issued to all the Administrative Secretaries for timely holding of meetings of Departmental Promotion Committees so that promotions and regularizations of the employees are not stuck up for want of procedural formalities on the part of the Government.
In order to facilitate the departments in timely conduct of such meetings even detailed instructions were issued vide circular dated June 11, 2021 by the Jammu and Kashmir Public Service Commission so that proposals along with pre-requisite documents are forwarded well within the time for clearance.
Moreover, the Chief Secretary Dr Arun Kumar Mehta, while chairing the meeting of Committee of Secretaries in the month of December 2021, had directed all the Administrative Secretaries to submit proposals for conduct of DPC meetings to the Public Service Commission only after strictly following the check-list devised by the Commission keeping in view the relevant rules and Government instructions issued from time to time.
EXCELSIOR had also exclusively highlighted in the month of December last year that submission of incomplete proposals to the Jammu and Kashmir Public Service Commission by the Government departments was leading to delay in conduct of meetings of the Departmental Promotion Committees.
However, even after repeated instructions the situation has not improved up to the desired level and this can be gauged from the fact that out of total 43 Administrative Departments of the Government of Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir only eight have conducted the respective Departmental Promotion Committees meetings, sources informed.
These departments are Tourism, Forest, Skill Development, Transport, Administrative Reforms and Trainings, Industries and Commerce, Labour and Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs. The same exercise is under process in the departments of Revenue, Power Development, Mining, Housing and Urban Development, Jal Shakti and Floriculture. However, the remaining 29 departments have yet not started the exercise on different grounds, sources further informed.
In a recent high-level meeting, it was pointed out that several departments are facing issues related to pending court cases, verification of academic documents and reservation in promotion, which are hindering the smooth conduct of Departmental Promotion Committee meetings.
Reiterating the direction of regular conduct of DPCs, the Chief Secretary has advised all these departments to consult the Law Department to expedite resolution of such issues. Further, he has directed the General Administration Department to obtain status of Departmental Promotion Committees in such departments.
The Chief Secretary has further reiterated that the departments should submit proposals for conduct of DPCs meetings to the Public Service Commission only after strictly following the check-list devised by the Commission keeping in view the relevant rules and Government instructions.
The Public Service Commission has fixed 90 days time-frame for completion of DPCs but because of non-compliance to the check-list by the departments and inordinate delay in obtaining mandatory clearances the process gets delayed much to the disappointment of the officers being considered for promotions.
Actually, the departments are supposed to submit the proposals for conduct of DPCs vis-à-vis promotions from non-gazetted to gazetted and within gazetted cadres only after completing the formalities as per the check-list of PSC which is even available on the website of the Commission but generally it has been seen that departments don’t follow the same strictly.
“While considering the proposals, the PSC points out deficiencies keeping in view the check-list and accordingly return the same to the concerned departments for corrective measures and submission of proposals afresh in a time bound manner. But either the departments don’t come up with rectified proposals or again leave the glaring shortcomings as such promotions and regularizations get hindered”, sources said.
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