CS directs for early switch over to online filing of APRs by all Gazetted Officers

Thrust too being laid on regular submission of IPRs

Mohinder Verma
JAMMU, July 15: Perturbed over delay in implementation of Cabinet decision, Chief Secretary B V R Subrahmanyam has issued directions for gearing up efforts for early switch over to online filing of Annual Performance Reports (APRs) in respect of Gazetted Officers of the State. Moreover, he has laid enough thrust on regular submission of Immovable Property Returns (IPRs) by all the officers and officials.
Official sources told EXCELSIOR that in order to bring objectivity, expediency and transparency in writing and processing of Annual Performance Reports in respect of Gazetted Officers on the pattern of All India Service officers and as per the fixed time-lines, the State Cabinet vide Decision No.64/2018 had given nod to the introduction of electronic online filing of Annual Performance Reports in respect of all the Gazetted Officers in the Government.
To begin with, it was decided that all the officers of the J&K Administrative Service including the Junior Scale KAS officers will file their APRs online for the year 2017-18 onwards on the online “SPARROW” platform.
Accordingly, the General Administration Department vide Circular No.13 dated May 14, 2018 directed all the officers of the J&K Administrative Service to obtain a Digital Signature Certificate and ensure the possession of Aadhaar cards by or before May 25, 2018 required for e-signing.
Thereafter, numerous instructions were issued by the General Administration Department seeking details from the J&K Administrative Service officers vis-a-vis service particulars and filing of annual property returns etc for updation on SPARROW platform, which is the replica of the mechanism adopted by the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT), Government of India.
However, this process has not reached the logical conclusion till date and the same has been viewed seriously by the Chief Secretary, who has directed for early switch over to online APR filing mechanism so as to ensure utmost transparency in writing, processing and maintenance of this vital document, sources informed.
“It has been observed that generally the filing of APRs by the State Government officers is not taken seriously and is left at the discretion of the officers concerned, who manage the remarks as per their convenience particularly at the time of promotions”, sources said.
It is pertinent to mention here that this practice is responsible for quashing of majority of the compulsory retirement cases by the High Court and Supreme Court.
The Apex Court and highest court of Jammu and Kashmir have quashed compulsory retirement orders with the common observation: “While there were favourable remarks on the APRs of the officers from the initiating and accepting authorities produced by the petitioners, the committee headed by Chief Secretary had noted in the proceedings that APRs were not readily available in the record”.
According to the sources, Chief Secretary B V R Subrahmanyam has also issued directions for following the cycle/time-frame of writing and filing APRs in vogue in respect of All India Service officers.
“With the implementation of online processing of APRs on the pattern of All India Service officers the Government would be in a position to avoid embarrassment, which it has faced before Supreme Court and High Court in deadwood cases, in future”, sources said, adding “this mechanism will also help the Government in properly examining the performance of officers of J&K Administrative Service at the time of their promotions”.
They further informed that Chief Secretary has also laid thrust on filing of Immovable Property Returns (IPRs) by all the J&K Government employees strictly in compliance to the law already enacted in the State.
“During the Governor’s Rule in 2016 much thrust was laid on this aspect but following installation of political Government this vital aspect lacked the required focus”, sources said, adding “ensuring strict compliance to the law about filing of IPRs would go a long way in checking the corrupt practices and amassing of assets disproportionate to the known source of income by the Government servants”.

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