news details |
|
|
| CM blows no-extension trumpet, govt re-engages retired Babus | | Are in-service officers incompetent, inexperienced? | | Syed Junaid Hashmi
JAMMU, Mar 12: In breach of Chief Minister's vehement claim of no-extension to the retiring officials, state government has not only re-employed several retired officials but is contemplating to bring back few others.
From Chief Minister's secretariat to office of Chief Electoral Officer (CEO), extension and re-employment has seemingly remained top priority of NC-Congress coalition government during the last three years. General Administration Department (GAD) has been working overnight to clear cases of IAS, IPS and IFS officers seeking re-employment even after having retired at the age of 60 years, which is two years higher than the superannuating age of state service officials.
The practice to grant extensions to officials is in breach 2007 government order which clearly states that extension in government service and or re-employment of a retired government servant shall be strictly for a maximum of one year. But on ground, some officials, who happen to be close to power corridors, are in service even years after their retirement and if their plans are any indication, they would be around till 70.
Managing Director (MD) of Jammu and Kashmir State Power Development Corporation (JKSPDC) Bashaarat Ahmed Dhar retired in December 2011 and was re-employed. He did not even spend one day as retired official and was re-engaged on the pay scale on which he retired. In Chief Minister's secretariat, two senior officers have been engaged for performing job of a single man. Both had retired.
While one was re-engaged immediately after retirement, another was brought out of retirement. Ex-Chairman of Jammu and Kashmir Bank Mohammed Yousuf Khan, who is also Chairman of Development Banking Advisory Council at Yes Bank Ltd, was appointed as Chairman of Chenab Valley Power Development Corporation (CVPDC) and he has also been provided with services of some retired KAS officers.
Ex-Commissioner/Secretary Animal and Sheep Husbandry Mohammed Deen is heading a cooperative society. Five retired IAS officers are in Public Service Commission and atleast dozen others are trying to secure a berth in this high profile commission. Documentary evidence available with Early Times reveals that from high-ranking bureaucrats to lower rung employees, state government hasn't given up practice of picking up its 'efficient officers' for re-engagement, extensions or re-employment.
Early Times has a list of around 25 middle ranking officers, considered support staff of certain IAS Babus, who have been engaged on re-employment basis since 2009 in the Chief Electoral Officer's organization. The list, among others, includes a top official in Commercial Taxes Department, a former Managing Director of Jammu and Kashmir Tourism Development Corporation, who is now consultant to government on handicrafts sector, a former Chief Engineer PHE, now consultant to the department, former DG, Archives and Museums, who is now a consultant on cultural affairs.
Also, a former additional deputy commissioner was given one-year extension as special officer Auqaf while a special secretary to former Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad was also given one-year extension and appointed as principal of Sainik School at Manasbal. Ministers, both of cabinet and state rank, are no different when it comes to the re-employment policy. Many have re-engaged retired officials on positions as private secretaries, Officers on Special Duty (OSD) and Special Assistants.
For the past four years government has been quietly extending re-employment of a retired section officer at a key position in the Chief Minister's secretariat. The norms have been flouted in favour of at least 8 officials of the Election Department who have been granted extension post re employment three times under the pretext of their requirement for assisting in polls. One Nazir Ahmad Parray, retd Assistant Chief Electoral Officer is stated to be the close aid of the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO), has completed over two years continuously enjoying re employment from the date of retirement.
Reemployed after retirement in the year 2008 under the GAD order 1103, 20-8-2008, at least three officials in the Department M.K.Pandita , Nanak Chand and Bashir Ahmad Bhat all Election Naib Tehsidars in three districts of Srinagar, Udhampur and Pulwama were given extension in this reemployment in the year 2009 under the fresh order 431-GAD of 2009. The order reads: As recommended by the Chief Electoral officer J&K, and in continuation of government order no. 1103 of 2008, ex-post facto sanction is accorded to the extension in reemployment of all the three Naib Tehsildars for further period upto 30-7-2009. The extension was this time sought by the authorities for their assistance during the conduct of General elections to J&K Legislative Assembly.
While Pandita and Nanak Chand were given fresh extension in their reemployment period last year under GAD order No. 366 of 2011, this time under the pre text of their requirement for assisting in the conduct of Panchayat Elections, apart of them, five more officials of the Department were granted reemployment under the same order. They include Nazir Ahmad Parry, Retd Assistant Chief Electoral Officer, Abdul Majid Wani Retd Naib Tehsidar, Bhushan Lal Raina -Retd Election Assistant, Mohammad Ashraf Khan Retd Election Assistant, Roshan Lal Bhat- Retd senior Assistant and Abdul Ahad Baht Retd Election Officer, all of whom were granted extension.
Attributing the same reasons of their requirement in conduct of polls, the Election Department sought 'retention' of the three officials as post their retirement who included Abdul Majid Wani- Election Naib Tehsildar, Mohammad Ashraf Khan and Bhushan Lal Raina both Senior Election Assistants , who were given reemployment in 2008 after their retirement. The government order stated that 'these officials were retained in the Department even after retirement so that their experience in the election related work could be gainfully utilized in general election to legislative assembly 2008.'
Besides these officials reemployment was also given on individual basis in favour of one Jagdish raj Gupta, Private Secretary in the office of Chief Electoral Officer followed by extension in the re-employment period. Re-employment was also given to one Chaman Lal Sharma Naib-Tehsildar for a period of six months last year for assisting in conduct of Panchayat Elections. Similarly, re-employment was given to two more officials, Abdul Rahim Akhoon -retd Naib-Tehsildar and Mohammad Yousuf Sofi also Naib-Tehsildar.
Officers at the top admit that no fixed criterion is followed for re-engaging people. Officials said the retired officials are seldom held accountable. "They don't have anything at stake. They resort to wrongdoings and get away with them which is not the case with in-service officials who can be suspended, terminated for any irregularities. Their promotions can also get hampered," the official said. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
| |
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
|
|
STOCK UPDATE |
|
|
 |
| BSE
Sensex |
 |
| NSE
Nifty |
|
|
| |
CRICKET UPDATE |
|
|
|
|
| |
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
