Mohinder Verma
JAMMU, Dec 1: Exhibiting height of non-seriousness towards ensuring transparency in the implementation of Centrally Sponsored Schemes, the State Government has abandoned the exercise initiated for appointment of Ombudsmen under Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee (MGNREGA) Scheme more than three years back and decided to initiate the process afresh. However, keeping in view the dilly dallying approach adopted towards this mandatory provision of the scheme till date whether the fresh exercise will reach to its logical conclusion remains a million dollar question.
As per the provisions of MGNREGA Scheme, which was initially launched in six districts of the State in 2006 and later extended to whole of Jammu and Kashmir, the Government was required to appoint Ombudsmen in each district in order to address the complaints relating to the implementation of the scheme.
But this vital aspect of the scheme was not given due consideration by the Government prompting the Union Ministry of Rural Development to issue repeated instructions to the Rural Development Department of the State Government to strictly comply with this stipulation laid down under the scheme.
After sleeping over the issue for four years, the Rural Development Department on October 16, 2010 invited applications through a proper advertisement for the appointment of Ombudsmen in each district. In response to the advertisement, more than 100 applications were received for filling up the posts. The applicants were retired Judges, bureaucrats and social activists. During the scrutiny of the applications, 12 were rejected on the ground of applicants not fulfilling the eligibility criteria.
“Thereafter no serious effort was made to shortlist the applicants and conduct the interviews for taking the exercise to the logical conclusion”, official sources told EXCELSIOR, adding “the fate of exercise continued to hang in balance despite the fact that Union Rural Development Ministry repeatedly pointed out State’s slackness in this regard at different forums and through official communications”.
Even in the month of September this year, the Union Ministry made serious observations on inordinate delay in the appointment of Ombudsmen and asked the Government to come clean on the issue through a proper official communication, sources informed.
“Interestingly, the Department of Rural Development has abandoned the exercise initiated in October 2010 and made up mind to initiate fresh process for appointment of Ombudsmen thereby indicating the height of non-seriousness towards taking steps, which are aimed at ensuring transparency in the implementation of the flagship scheme of the Union Government”, sources rued.
When contacted, Commissioner Secretary, Rural Development Department, Farooq Ahmed Peer confirmed that fresh exercise is being initiated for appointment of Ombudsmen. “As the applicants who had applied in 2010 might have crossed the prescribed age, they cannot be considered for the posts of Ombudsmen”, he added.
“However, keeping in view the fate of the exercise initiated in October 2010, whether the fresh exercise, which is yet to be initiated, will reach the logical conclusion remains at million dollar question”, sources said.
According to the provisions of MGNREGA, Ombudsman is required to be appointed in each district to consider complaints relating to the implementation of the scheme and take legal action. An Ombudsman has the powers for issuing directions for spot investigation, lodging of FIRs against the erring parties, initiate suo-moto proceedings and take disciplinary and punitive actions.
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