All Admn Secys again asked to stay in Srinagar till Oct 30
*Mechanism remained applicable only for 2 months
Mohinder Verma
JAMMU, Sept 25: Within few months of its start, the Government has almost put an end to the practice of operating Civil Secretariat at Jammu and Srinagar simultaneously by dividing the departments as all the Administrative Secretaries have once again been asked to remain present in Srinagar till October 30, when the Darbar will close at summer capital of the Union Territory.
For the first time, the Government had in the month of June this year divided departments at the Civil Secretariat level between two capitals of the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir so that people of either of the two provinces don’t face any difficulty in projecting their issues or grievances before the Government departments during the prevailing COVID-19 situation.
By way of a Government Order No.649-JK(GAD) dated June 17, 2020, it was directed that 19 departments along with their Administrative Secretaries will function from the Srinagar Secretariat and 18 departments from the Jammu Secretariat.
It was further directed that the Administrative Secretaries will retain the main record of their departments at their respective Secretariats and those holding office at Jammu Secretariat will ensure suitable number of staff of their respective departments at Srinagar Secretariat and similar arrangements will be made by the Administrative Secretaries holding office at Srinagar Secretariat.
However, vide Order No.765-JK(GAD) dated August 17, 2020, the Government carried out modification in the order of June and ordered that all the Administrative Secretaries will remain present in Srinagar from August 24, 2020 till September 25, 2020 in view of the forthcoming review by the Lieutenant Governor of the issues relating to all the administrative departments.
Today again the Government has issued an order in continuation of order dated August 17, 2020 and ordered all the Administrative Secretaries will remain present in Srinagar till October 30, 2020 except for specific tasks assigned to them.
“This means that till the closure of Darbar at Srinagar all the Administrative Secretaries will remain stationed at summer capital of the Union Territory and due to this the practice of operating Civil Secretariat at Jammu and Srinagar simultaneously by dividing the departments as was decided in the month of June has almost been stopped by the Government”, sources said, adding “the mechanism remained applicable only for two months”.
“Except for specific tasks” provision has been kept in the latest order in order to ensure that Administrative Secretaries don’t face difficulties in visiting the districts allotted to them during the ongoing Jan Abhiyan and forthcoming Back to Village Phase-III, sources informed.
How would the Government justify bringing an end to the practice, which was welcomed by the people particularly of Jammu region, especially when it was mentioned in the order of June that simultaneous operation of Civil Secretariat at both the places would help the people of either of the two provinces in timely projecting their issues or grievances before the Government departments, sources asked.
As per the order of June, Forest, Ecology and Environment, Health and Medical Education, Home, Housing and Urban Development, Information, Jal Shakti, Planning Development and Monitoring, Power Development, Revenue, Rural Development and Panchayati Raj, Transport, Tribal Affairs, Animal and Sheep Husbandry, Cooperative, Disaster Management, Relief, Rehabilitation and Reconstruction, Election and Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs Departments were to function from Jammu Civil Secretariat.
Likewise, Civil Aviation, Culture, Estates, Finance, Floricul ture, General Administration, Horticulture, Higher Education, Hospitality and Protocol, Industries and Commerce, Information and Technology, Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs, Labour and Employment, Public Works, Social Welfare, School Education, Skill Development, Tourism and Youth Services and Sports Departments were to function from the Srinagar Secretariat.
Pointing towards the past practice where-under Summer and Winter Secretariats were established to facilitate the people of both the divisions during the shifting of Main Darbar, sources said, “either this practice should be resumed or some alternative mechanism be evolved so that people don’t face difficulties in projecting grievances before the Administrative Departments”.
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