news details |
|
|
| J&K's clear no to 15th administrative reforms commission recommendations | | Appointment of Chief Secretary State prefers seniority over efficiency | | Syed Junaid Hashmi
JAMMU, Oct 18: Jammu and Kashmir government has decided not to implement recommendations of 15th administrative reforms commission for the appointment of Chief Secretary and Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (PCCF).
Both the posts are regarded as the most prestigious and influential posts in the state civil and forest service structure respectively. These are usually held by senior most officers of the Indian Administrative and Indian Forest Services respectively. Though respective Chief Ministers have in the past would give precedence to personal rapport of officers for appointment to these posts especially for prize posting of Chief Secretary, Omar broke the same and appointed Madhav Lal for being the seniormost IAS officer.
Many in the administrative circles hailed this decision and while terming it as landmark said "This would help in cleansing the system from unnecessary political interference." However, within eight month of Madhav Lal's assuming the highest administrative office, the same coterie officers have begun criticizing Chief Minister. They have countless grievances with the present administrative set-up.
These officers maintain that Madhav Lal has no doubt remained a meritorious student but as officer, he has field experience of four to five years and that too as Deputy Commissioner Poonch. "His longest cadre postings in Jammu and Kashmir have been as SDM between August 4, 1979 to April 24, 1982 and thereafter, as Commissioner Sales Tax from July 29, 1991 to December 22, 1993," said an IAS officer, serving in civil secretariat.
He added that Madhav Lal has spent around 16 years and 8 months of his 32 year service either on central deputation or on foreign mission which includes a year on foreign training from June 25, 1990 to June 30, 1991. Sources said that in Jammu and Kashmir, Madhav Lal has the unique distinction of having completed tenure posting of two years just twice i.e. once as SDM and second time as Commissioner Sales Tax.
Though Madhav Lal was posted as Commissioner/Secretary of General Administration (July 7, 1994 to June 3, 1995), PWD (June 10, 1996 to October 10, 1996), Education October 11, 1996 to September 2, 1997), Housing and Urban development (July 31, 2005 to June 23, 2006), Power (June 24, 2006 to June 11, 2007), Forest (March 19, 2008 to July 10, 2008), and even of Planning (July 18, 2008 to November 4, 2008) but he barely managed to stay on these prestigious postings for long.
Though it is not known, why Madhav Lal could never complete tenure of two years on a posting, his juniors told Early Times that he has his own style of working and does not go by the need of the hour. They assert that even in government, has spent most part of his service administering Finance and Company Affairs alongwith department of Micro, Medium and Small Scale Industries.
"Government should have not allowed the battle between two senior IAS officers to take toll of the administrative set-up. They should have by know accepted recommendations of fifteenth administrative reforms commission which has prescribed a well-documented way of appointing Chief Secretary. Unfortunately, government does not want to open up and share this crucial appointment," added a senior IAS officer.
They said that while there are credible reports of Chief Minister being under pressure to replace the present Chief Secretary, whether or not Omar would be able to do this is to be seen. These officers held out that they do not have any personal issues with Madhav Lal but they do accept of having problems with his style of working.
Sources said that for appointment of the Chief Secretary, the Commission had opined that there should be a collegium to recommend a panel of names to the Chief Minister or the Cabinet for this crucial post. It has said that for the post of Chief Secretary, this collegium may consist of (a) a Minister nominated by the Chief Minister, (b) the Leader of the Opposition in the State Legislative Assembly and (c) the incumbent Chief Secretary. It has strictly said that there should be a fixed tenure of two years for Chief Secretary and the selection of Chief Secretary should be widened to include all officers above specified seniority and all officers with seniority higher than prescribed limit should be eligible to be part of panel.
However, Jammu and Kashmir government has made up its mind not to heed to the recommendations of ARC. Furthermore, an IAS officer claimed that incumbent to the post of Chief Secretary is chosen by the Chief Minister of the state after consulting the Union Government. More importantly, since the Chief Secretary and the Chief Minister have to work in close association, the officer's personal rapport with the CM is of crucial consideration in Jammu and Kashmir. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
| |
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
