Akshay Azad
Early Times Report
Jammu, Apr 17: Several villages in Samba district have received the notification nearly nine months after they were given Reserve Backward Area (RBA) status, underlining the sluggish functioning of the government departments in the state.
Early Times had earlier reported about delay in issuance of the notification as former Deputy Commissioner of Samba had been repeatedly saying that they hadn't received any notification, hence RBA certificates could not be issued.
When contacted, Secretary, Social Welfare Department Sanjeev Verma said the notification was issued many months ago. "The notification was issued after only few days of the cabinet decision, probably nine months ago," he said, adding that after issuance of the notification it was forwarded to the respective district headquarters.
But for the last nine months, the district administration of Samba didn't issue any RBA certificate to residents of newly declared RBA villages. "Whenever we approached the officials, they kept on saying that official notification was yet to issued," said one of the members of Backward Area Action Committee.
He said that few days ago they called on members of Backward Area Commission and Additional Secretary of Social Welfare Department.
"An official informed us that he had personally handed over the copy of notification dated July 24, 2014 to the then Deputy Commissioner Samba, Mubarak Singh", the committee members said. "If the notification was issued months ago, why are the residents deprived of benefit of the RBA category?"
The committee members said that on their request, an official in Civil Secretariat gave them a copy of the notification, which was later handed over the ADC Samba, who then forwarded the same to Tehsildar.
"We have been moving from pillar to post for the last nine months but the officials in DC office kept on giving lame excuses," they said.
They said that some of the panchayts fall under another Tehsildar who was yet to receive a copy of the notification. "Strict action should be taken against the officials who had kept on giving excuses," they said.
According to the notification number SWE/BCC/19/2014, dated 24/7/2014, a copy of which is with Early Times, Gursai, Fazalabad and Pamrote (Poonch), Dehri Ralyote, Churang, Rajdhani, Lower Bhatian, Hasyote, Saim Sammat, Dodsan Payeen, Ghaikhakha (Doda), Dragu (Jammu), Majoor, Sandal, Mawa Brimana, Balsaroo, Kadyal, Lathari, Godhan, Sumah (Samba), Rajool, Kummi, Partyal, Padal, Mohargarh, Talhar, Kathar Brahmana, Dhergarh, Deon (Ganderbal), Sehpora, Watalbgh, Khanpora, Shikhpora (Anantnag), and Audsoo, Ganoora Lalan (Bandipora) have been given the RBA status. |
