Adhocism responsible for slow developmental activities
Mohinder Verma
JAMMU, May 14: Defeating the objective behind their creation, the Government has failed to provide full time Chief Executive Officers (CEOs) to one third of the Tourism Development Authorities in the State and is running their affairs through adhoc arrangements during the past quite long time. Due to this, creation of tourism promotion infrastructure by these Authorities has failed to gain momentum.
There are around 24 Tourism Development Authorities in different parts of the State. Of these, five were created by two different Government orders in 2003 while as 14 were created in the year 2005 by way of two separate Government orders. Similarly, one more Tourism Development Authority was created in 2010 and four were constituted in 2007 through two separate Government orders.
All these Tourism Development Authorities were constituted after ascertaining the feasibility, accessibility, tourist potential, tourist footfall and availability of resources for the purpose as well as on the demand of people and their elected representatives.
The purpose behind creation of these Development Authorities under the administrative control of Tourism Department was to ensure integrated development of tourism sector by way of creation of necessary infrastructure that too without interfering with the natural beauty so as to attract tourists to unexplored areas.
However, one third of the Tourism Development Authorities don’t have full time Chief Executive Officers (CEOs) despite the fact that major decisions taken in the Governing Body meetings of these Development Authorities are required to be implemented under the close supervision of CEOs, official sources told EXCELSIOR.
“Instead of making available full time CEOs along with sufficient supporting staff and adequate financial assistance the Government is running the affairs of one third Tourism Development Authorities through adhoc arrangements during the past quite long time”, they said.
Kargil and Zanskar Tourism Development Authorities, which were created vide Government Order No. 209-TSM dated September 27, 2005 and Government Order No.261-TSM dated December 27, 2005 have no full time Chief Executive Officers during the past quite long time and charge of these posts has been given to Deputy Commissioner Kargil and Sub-Divisional Magistrate Zanskar respectively.
Similarly, charge of the post of Chief Executive Officer of Nubra Tourism Development Authority has been given to Chief Executive Officer of Leh Tourism Development Authority and no full-time officer was ever posted to make the Nubra Authority functional, sources informed.
The CEO of Yousmarg Tourism Development Authority has been assigned the additional charge of Tossamaidan Development Authority which was created vide Government Order No.248-TSM dated June 29, 2017. Likewise, Gulmarg Development Authority CEO is looking after the functioning of Haygam-Nangli Tarzoo Development Authority, which was created vide Government Order No.246-TSM dated June 28, 2017.
The charge of the post of Shopian-Dubjan-Pir-Ki-Gali Development Authority, which was created vide Government Order No.78-TSM dated March 3, 2017 has been given to CEO of Aharbal Development Authority.
Moreover, Billawar-Duggan Development Authority (erstwhile Lakhanpur-Sarthal Development Authority), which was created vide Government Order No.209-TSM dated September 27, 2005, and Bani-Basohli Development Authority, which was set up vide Government Order No.79-TSM dated March 3, 2017 don’t have full time Chief Executive Officers during the past quite long time.
“It is due to adhoc arrangement that developmental activities in the areas under the jurisdiction of these Tourism Development Authorities have failed to gain momentum as it is difficult for one officer to do justice with two Development Authorities simultaneously”, sources said, adding “by not posting full time CEOs of these Development Authorities the Government is itself defeating the objective behind their creation”.
Holding General Administration and Tourism Departments responsible for prolonged adhocism, sources said, “neither GAD is keeping in mind the vacant posts of CEOs of these Tourism Development Authorities while making frequent transfers of the officers nor Tourism Department, which has administrative control over these Authorities, is exerting pressure for providing full time CEOs”.
When contacted, an officer handling the affairs of two Tourism Development Authorities said, “it is really a daunting task to look after all the development related aspects of two organizations simultaneously”, adding “the Government should ponder over what objective it is achieving by running the affairs of Development Authorities through adhoc arrangement”.
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