news details |
|
|
| Planning being run on adhoc basis; Power, PHE, Health going headless soon | | Administrative anarchy in J&K? | | Syed Junaid Hashmi
JAMMU, Nov 20: Inability of state government to manage its administrative machinery especially officers heading various vital departments is likely to increase governance deficit and further trim down already staggered pace of development.
New Delhi has repeatedly snubbed Chief Minister Omar Abdullah about governance and developmental issues but to no avail. Adhoc transfer and posting policy has resulted in acute governance deficit. 17 IAS officers are on central deputation, another one is on an extraordinary leave while two others are facing penalization for reasons other then those related to their administrative capability and competence. A reflection of the inapt administrative decision making is anarchy prevailing in the extremely important planning department. State found none of its senior IAS officers competent enough to take over this extremely crucial department after the exit of 1982 batch IAS officer Khursheed Ahmed Ganai, who went on central deputation and is presently, Joint Secretary in the Union Ministry of Information and Broadcasting.
The charge of planning department was given to Principal Secretary to Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, B.B.Vyas. Besides being Chief Minister's official extension, Vyas apart from planning department holds the charge of Civil Aviation, Estates, Hospitality and Protocol and Information Department. He is also Chief Executive Office (CEO) of Economic Reconstruction Agency (ERA).
Hence, the planning department is being run on Adhoc basis and if the sources are to be believed, on the aid and advice of certain KAS officers manning operative positions in the planning department. Power Department would become headless by next month and if the government is unable to locate an officer, charge of this department is also likely to be handed over to the Chief Minister's office on Adhoc basis.
Ironically, state government despite being aware of the complexities and innumerable issues of Power Development Department (PDD) has repeatedly kept it under an Adhoc arrangement. Prior to Basharat Ahmed Dhar, who took over as Commissioner/Secretary of PDD in August 26, 2010, present Home secretary B.R.Sharma was doing the job apart from being Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) of the state. Leaving aside the controversies associated with Basharat Ahmed Dhar, his 15 month contribution in PDD includes the dismal power scenario in Jammu region during the entire summer season, inability of PDD to switch over to APDRP system and failure of the department to install mandatory shunt capacitors. With Dhar retiring in next month, government seems to be waiting for December 31 to appoint his successor.
More importantly, government has not even bothered to take note of the fact that Commissioner/Secretary PHE is retiring in next 10 days. For efficient administrative functioning, PHE secretary's replacement should have assumed office by now but the government seems to be in a wait and watch situation. The said officer spent just eight months in office and if the officers who have manned this department are to be believed, making significant contribution in such short tenure is impossible.
Placement of an officer in such a crucial department for such a short tenure reflects administrative immaturity of the planners. PWD is the only department where the government has placed an IAS officer with independent charge and if not replaced in the next month or so, he would achieve the unique distinction of contributing in an important department for tenure longer than few months.
Besides, the 1985 batch IAS officer Krishan Ballabh Agarwal is among few of the direct recruits IAS officers manning an important department or in other words ministry in Jammu and Kashmir government. Another feather in the cap of administrative planners of the present government is posting of Ghulam Ahmed Peer as Commissioner/Secretary Health and Medical Education.
Peer was handed over the charge of Health and Medical Education on June 23, 2011 i.e. 5 months from today. Peer is retiring in March 2012. The planners did not take into account the fact that the said officer would not be able to contribute much in speeding up developmental initiatives going on in Health and medical education sectors. They posted him and are now, waiting for his retirement.
To be continued….. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
| |
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
|
|
STOCK UPDATE |
|
|
 |
| BSE
Sensex |
 |
| NSE
Nifty |
|
|
| |
CRICKET UPDATE |
|
|
|
|
| |
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
