Non-implementation of instructions on e-office taken seriously
Admn Secys asked to pass on explicit orders to HoDs
Mohinder Verma
JAMMU, Mar 3: Taking serious note of non-implementation of repeated instructions regarding switching over of Heads of Departments to e-office, the Government has made it clear that no physical file will be entertained in the Civil Secretariat with effect from March 7, 2022. Moreover, all the Administrative Secretaries have been asked to pass explicit orders in this regard to those HoDs, who have been acting as impediment in ensuring effective and transparent inter and intra-Government processes.
The Government vide Order No.363-JK(GAD) dated April 23, 2021 ordered that the 45 offices outside the Civil Secretariat will adopt e-office software of the National Informatics Centre (NIC) as the only mode of transaction of official business/file work by May 30, 2021 while as 96 will switch over to e-office by June 15, 2021.
Thereafter, the Government vide Order No.820-JK(GAD) dated September 2, 2021 appointed Nodal Officers and Assistant Nodal Officers to assist the departments in switching over to e-office and fixed timeline of one week for the same.
On September 20, 2021, the General Administration Department observed, “pursuant to earlier directions, it has been reported that offices of 199 HoDs have been provided necessary assistance by way of facilitating them with VPN connections, creation of jk.gov.in email IDs and training of local admins etc”.
“With a view to ensure complete switch over of these offices as also any other left out office to e-office mode of working, it is again reiterated that all HoDs shall contact the Nodal Officers for any further assistance/handholding, after which it shall be presumed that all HoDs are functioning on e-office only. Failure of any Head of the Department in switching over to e-office mode shall be his/her personal responsibility and invite appropriate action”, the General Administration Department had made it clear in the circular of September 20, 2021.
Vide Circular No.44-JK(GAD) dated November 12, 2021, it was reiterated that any HoD office, which is yet to initiate the implementation of e-office, shall immediately contact the Nodal Officers by or before November 20, 2021 for any further assistance and failure in switching over to e-office mode shall be his/her personal responsibility.
It was further clarified that HoD offices whose scanning activities have not yet been started shall immediately start using e-office with current dak without waiting for scanning of all files/documents. Even the Administrative Secretaries were directed to intervene personally and issue necessary directions to all the concerned that communication/files are entertained only through e-office mode from their HoDs after November 30, 2021.
However, despite all these instructions there is no compliance from all the HoDs and this can be gauged from the circular issued today by the Principal Secretary to the Government, General Administration Department Manoj Kumar Dwivedi.
“All the HoDs (move as well as non-move) were provided the necessary assistance by the Information Technology Department by way of provisioning of the VPN connections, creation of domain IDs and training of local admins/master trainers etc. However, notwithstanding the instructions, extension of timelines and the arrangements put in place, it has been observed that many HoD offices are still not fully operational on e-office mode and continue to send physical files/daks to their respective Administrative Secretaries, a matter which has been viewed seriously by the authorities”, read the latest circular.
Now, all the Administrative Secretaries have been enjoined upon to direct HoDs working under their administrative control to immediately switch over to e-office mode of working. “Further, no physical file/dak shall be entertained in the Civil Secretariat with effect from March 7, 2022”, the Principal Secretary to the Government, General Administration Department has made it clear.
It is pertinent to mention here that e-office aims to support Governance by ushering in more effective and transparent inter and intra-Government processes. Moreover, e-office improves efficiency, consistency and effectiveness of Government responses; reduces turnaround time to meet the demands of the Citizens Charter; provides effective resource management to improve the quality of administration; reduces processing delays and establishes transparency and accountability.
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