Promotion avenues get stalled, no alternate mechanism evolved
We are receiving similar complaints from other deptts: GAD
Mohinder Verma
JAMMU, Nov 17: Transfer of posts from the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir to the Union Territory of Ladakh has virtually rendered the Department of Archives, Archaeology and Museums incapacitated as it was already grappling with manpower crisis despite being assigned the important task of identifying and preserving rich cultural heritage.
Official sources told EXCELSIOR that ever since its creation several decades back with the sole objective to identify and preserve the rich cultural heritage in the different forms like archival records, archaeological monuments and antiquities the reorganization of the Department of Archives and Archaeology and Museums has not taken place mainly because of lack of interest from the successive Governments in Jammu and Kashmir.
“During the past several years many officials of the Department of Archives, Archaeology and Museum have attained superannuation but no serious attention has so far been paid towards filling up of the vacant posts as a result of which the department is not in a position to perform its duties up to the desired level”, they said.
The recent exercise of transferring the posts from the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir to the Union Territory of Ladakh has rendered the department completely incapacitated as no serious attention was paid towards the prevailing crisis in the department, sources informed, adding “while undertaking the exercise of transfer of posts no alternate mechanism has been evolved by the Government of Jammu and Kashmir Union Territory so as to ensure smooth functioning of the department”.
Giving details, sources said that there were only two sanctioned posts of Deputy Directors in the Department of Archives, Archaeology and Museums and one has been transferred to the Union Territory of Ladakh thereby leaving only one post of Deputy Director. Similarly, against two sanctioned posts of Assistant Directors one has been shifted to Ladakh.
“Due to this, not only the functioning of the department will suffer immensely but even there will be no promotion avenues for the officials”, they further said, adding “the most astonishing fact is that after many decades the Dogra Art Museum received permanent Curator recently but this post too has been transferred despite the fact that there is no museum in Ladakh Union Territory”.
Similar is the fate of non-gazetted posts as against two sanctioned posts each of Head Assistant and Research Assistant one each has been transferred to the Union Territory of Ladakh, sources further informed, adding “it is really a matter of serious concern that while identifying posts for transfer to Union Territory of Ladakh, no serious attention was paid towards already existing manpower crisis and how an incapacitated department will identify and preserve the rich heritage of Jammu and Kashmir remains a million dollar question”.
When contacted, an officer in the General Administration Department, while wishing anonymity, admitted that not only Department of Archives, Archaeology and Museums has suffered because of transfer of posts to the Union Territory of Ladakh but similar situation has also emerged in some other departments.
“Such a situation was bound to emerge during the apportionment of posts between the two Union Territories and the Government will definitely evolve a mechanism to overcome this problem but the same will take some time”, he said.
It is pertinent to mention here that apportionment of assets, liabilities and posts of the erstwhile State of Jammu and Kashmir between the two Union Territories was notified vide SO 339 dated October 30, 2020.
The annexure to the SO 339 provides for detailed listing of additional 325 gazetted and 3000 non-gazetted posts from the overall strength of Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir to the Union Territory of Ladakh.
The matter regarding listing of additional posts was taken up with the UT of Ladakh, which vide communication dated December 14, 2020 provided the lists of posts identified for their transfer to the UT of Ladakh. In pursuance to the provisions of SO 339 dated October 30, 2020 the listing has now been done and Administrative Departments/ Organizations have been directed to make necessary changes in the relevant recruitment rules on account of transfer/listing.
Follow our WhatsApp channel
