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| No effective use of video-conferencing in JK | | Officials waste funds on small meetings | | Ishtiyaq Ahmad
Early Times Report
Srinagar, July 29: Even as the state and central government having advised officials to use video- conferencing as far as possible for their official work to save costs entailed in convening physical meetings, it has been seen that the large number of bureaucrats in J&K are still visiting from one station to another even for small meetings.
In order to promote fiscal discipline, the government had ordered its officials to avoid unnecessary expenditure in functioning of the departments.
The government has directed departments to ensure that they remain within the allocated budget for the same.
The departments have been told that facility of video-conferencing must be used effectively and travel for the purpose of attending meetings should be avoided to the extent possible.
"But 90 percent departments don't use such facility and would travel to Jammu or Srinagar by air, putting a huge burden on the state exchequer," an official said.
"There are departments where employees are without salaries for months but their authorities would spend lakhs annually on travel expenses," he said.
Further the officials have been directed to travel only by economy class regardless of entitlement within the country.
In all cases of air travel, the lowest air fare ticket available for entitled class is to be purchased/ procured, says the government instructions. "The Finance department had issued these instructions as most of the heads of departments have spent crores on travel within and outside the country. The functioning of several departments have been affected for want of funds due to unnecessarily expanses by several bureaucrats. Despite these instructions there is no change and bureaucrats travel within and outside country on the money of state exchequer," a senior official of Finance department said.
The government had issued instructions in view of the increasing liabilities of various departments as bureaucrats and politicians had spent crores of rupees "unnecessarily" over the years thus putting a huge burden on the state exchequer.
The Finance department of Jammu and Kashmir has also asked administrative secretaries to adhere to its instructions for promotion of fiscal discipline and to ensure balanced pace of expenditure.
Further, departments were asked to have utmost economy in organizing conferences, seminars and workshops. The departmental heads were instructed that only conferences, workshops seminars shall be held which are 'absolutely essential'.
According to these instructions, holding of exhibitions, fairs, seminars, conferences outside the state is strongly discouraged except in the case of exhibition for tourism or handicraft promotion. Government has also put a ban on holding of meetings and conferences at private hotels instead government buildings and premises should be utilized for the same. Purchase of new vehicles to meet the operational requirement is permitted, but only against condemnation as a replacement measure.
"None of these directions have been followed by the departments," the official maintained. |
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