*Concern likely to be conveyed to CM, CS shortly
Mohinder Verma
JAMMU, May 13: Transfers of IAS and KAS officers in violation of policy laid down by the State Cabinet and posting of junior officers on higher posts have become a routine in the civil administration in Jammu and Kashmir. Due to this, resentment is brewing among the neglected but eligible officers of Jammu and Kashmir Administrative Service and they have decided to vociferously take up the issue with the Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti as well as Chief Secretary B B Vyas in the coming days.
As per the Cabinet Decision No.156/12/2010 dated July 27, 2010, the General Administration Department vide Order No.861 dated July 28, 2010 came up with the Transfer Policy in supersession of all previous orders and circular instructions on the subject.
In the policy, it has been explicitly stated that the minimum tenure of a Government employee on a post shall be two years and a maximum of three years and pre-mature transfers shall be generally avoided. It has further been mentioned that pre-mature transfer will be made if the performance of the employee is found to be below job requirement or if there are grounds for initiating enquiry or disciplinary proceedings against the officer.
“However, transfers and postings made by the Government during the past some months clearly indicate that there is no taker of Transfer Policy of 2010”, sources told EXCELSIOR, adding “the pre-mature transfers of IAS as well as KAS officers have virtually become routine in Jammu and Kashmir and in majority of the transfers and postings made during the past some months provisions of the Transfer Policy were blatantly violated”.
“On one side Government is not shying away from ordering pre-mature transfers and postings and on the other side no attention is being paid towards those KAS officers who have completed their tenure on particular posts only because they don’t have links with the politicians”, sources said.
What to talk of pre-mature transfers and postings even junior officers have been posted on senior positions much to the disappointment of the eligible officers, they said, adding “this is being done in clear violation of State Administrative Council Decision No.62/8/2016 dated April 2, 2016 whereby directions were issued for strict compliance to rules and regulations governing officers of Jammu and Kashmir Administrative Service”.
Quoting some examples, sources said that a Joint Director in a department under the administrative control of Industries Department has been posted as Director despite the fact that he was not eligible for such a posting. The officer is of Additional Secretary rank but has been given the post which otherwise is meant for Special Secretary rank officer. In doing so, the Government has by-passed around 40 KAS officers, who were eligible for posting as Director.
Similarly, an Accounts Cadre officer has been posted as Director of a department despite the fact that he is not even KAS officer. In this way, the Government has done injustice with those KAS officers, who are of the rank of Special Secretary and could have easily been given the assignment of this post. In the past this post was held even by IAS officers.
“Even a Munsiff in the State Judicial Service has been posted as Managing Director of a Corporation under the administrative control of Transport Department only because he enjoys the backing of certain politicians”, sources said while dubbing this as a glaring instance of the violation of rules and regulations governing the State Administrative Service.
Moreover, an officer has been given the charge of Director of a department despite the fact that some of the KAS officers in this particular department are senior to him. This particular case is not only the instance of posting of junior officer on senior position but also clear violation of Transfer Policy as Director of this particular department has been changed thrice during the past few months, sources further informed.
Quoting more instances, they said that a KAS officer having rank of Deputy Secretary is holding the post of Additional Secretary in a Tourism Development Authority in the erstwhile Doda district. Likewise, a Deputy Secretary rank officer in the Planning Department has been given the charge of Director, which post otherwise is meant for Special Secretary rank officer.
Moreover, a Joint Director in the Tourism Department has been given additional charge of Director as well as Managing Director of a Corporation in blatant violation of rules and regulations. Does this mean that there is no competent KAS officer to hold the posts of Director as well as Managing Director?, sources asked.
“An officer in a Municipal Corporation is holding the post of Additional Secretary rank despite being Deputy Secretary rank officer”, sources further informed, adding “all these instances clearly indicate Government is considering only those officers who are either enjoying the political patronage or have links with the top bureaucrats”.
They informed that resentment is brewing among large number of senior KAS officers who have been discriminated with in these and other transfer orders issued during the past some months and they have been left with no other option but to take up their concern with the Chief Minister and Chief Secretary.
“A deputation of senior KAS officers is likely to meet Chief Minister and Chief Secretary shortly and they will press for strict adherence to the Transfer Policy as well as rules and regulations governing Jammu and Kashmir Administrative Service officers”, sources further said.
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