Excelsior Correspondent
SRINAGAR, May 24: Minister for Revenue, Relief & Rehabilitation, Syed Basharat Bukhari, today directed the Evacuee Property Department to augment the State Government’s efforts of capacity building by making judicious and productive use of its assets.
Calling for fundamental changes in the functioning of the Revenue Department, the Minister asked the officers to change their approach towards work so that the process of justice delivery doesn’t suffer.
“We will evolve a policy to do away with overstay of low and middle rung officers at their places of posting to address the menace of corruption. We will also revisit the policy of regularization of orderlies and instead deploy them in departments wherever there are vacancies,” Bukhari said.
Mr Bukhari was chairing a high-level meeting with Financial Commissioner (Revenue), Pramod Jain, Commissioner Secretary (Revenue), Mohammad Afzal, Custodian General J&K, Javed Khan at Banquet Hall which was also attended by over 100 field officers of Revenue, Relief and Rehabilitation and Evacuee Property Department.
During nearly four-hour long deliberations, the Minister sought suggestions from the officers to improve the functioning of the Revenue Department and speed-up the process of justice delivery. He said the Revenue Department must organize a workshop for its officers to sensitize them about their powers.
The Minister sought a proposal to redefine and reorganize the Revenue Department at the administrative level and directed the officers to submit the seniority list of Girdawars, Patwaris, Naib-Tehsildars and Tehsildars along with last four posting details of the officers immediately after the Budget session.
Ordering the Revenue Department to update its records, he said the Government properties must be safeguarded from encroachments. “We will give you magisterial powers so that vested interests don’t stop you from delivering justice. We will empower you to produce challans before the courts so that our properties are safeguarded,” he said.
The Minister took note of the delay in disposal of files by various departments and directed the Custodian General’s Office to dispose off communications within seven days of their receipt.
In a significant step, Mr Bukhari ordered that the Deputy Commissioners should not send incomplete documents on land acquisition to Divisional Commissioner’s office and the later should not accept such cases. The Minister also sought details on illegal mutations from the Revenue Department which will be sent to the Law Department for cancellation.
Mr Bukhari said the property of families, who live on the other side of Kashmir, should be protected at any cost, “It is our moral duty to protect the properties of mohajir families and we should evolve a strategy to put them to efficient use till the time they are in our custody,” he said.
He ordered setting up of a committee comprising members of Law Department, Administrative Department, Financial Commiss-ioner (Revenue) office and School Education Department to settle the discrepancies of Date of Birth details of employees which will submit its report within 20 days.
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