Despite lapse of 6 months, vital decisions of Cabinet gathering ‘dust’ in official files

*No mechanism to periodically review follow-up actions
Mohinder Verma
JAMMU, Apr 13: In the absence of any mechanism to periodically review follow-up action on the directions of the State Cabinet, two vital decisions taken by the supreme authority have been gathering dust in the official files during past six months thereby putting a big question mark on the performance of those at the helm of affairs in the concerned departments.
The State Cabinet in its meeting held under the chairmanship of Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti on October 14, 2016 had accorded sanction to the creation of a corporation under the name and style of “J&K Human Resource Supply and Service Corporation” to regulate the supply of labour force in accordance with the demand in various Government departments.
It was observed by the Cabinet that there were roughly 61,000 persons working in different capacities-daily rated workers, work charge employees, casual labourers and seasonal labourers in various departments, who otherwise were engaged without following any defined criteria. However, majority of these workers are poor and don’t possess the requisite academic or technical qualifications. Moreover, many of them are reported to be skilled to handle department specific tasks.
Keeping these aspects in mind and to utilize their services optimally besides addressing their issue of wage payment, it was decided to create the corporation, which will complete the skill profiling of these workers and deploy them as per the requisition made by various departments.
However, despite lapse of six months no headway has been made towards creation of “J&K Human Resource Supply and Service Corporation”, sources told EXCELSIOR, adding “at certain level there is even a confusion that which department will have to initiate the steps in this regard”.
“By not ensuring follow-up action on this decision the concerned authorities have undermined the authority of the Cabinet otherwise six months time-frame is sufficient to complete the exercise vis-à-vis setting up of Corporation”, sources said, adding “the top echelons of the civil administration also owe an explanation as they should have passed strict directions for action on the Cabinet decision in a time bound manner”.
Similarly, the Cabinet on October 14, 2016 had accorded nod to creation of a separate Skill Development Mission Society as an inclusive and dedicated structure for implementation of all skill development initiatives in the State and to bring all departments undertaking skill development activities under one umbrella, sources informed.
It was explicitly mentioned in the Cabinet decision that the society will be set up under the name and style of Jammu and Kashmir Skill Development Mission Society and it will work to integrate the skill development programmes of Centre and the State Government in consultation and collaboration with all the concerned departments.
Moreover, it was announced that the society will have two tier structures constituting a Mission Body and a Governing Council and each of these structures will have own set of objectives and functions, sources said.
In order to ensure that there is no confusion vis-a-vis initiatives to be taken in this regard the Cabinet authorized the Technical Education Department to approach the Registrar of Societies for registration of J&K Skill Development Mission Society under the J&K Registration of Societies Act, 1998.
“However, this decision of the Cabinet is yet to be implemented despite lapse of six months”, sources said while disclosing that the Technical Education Department has yet not formally approached the Registrar of Societies for registration of Skill Development Mission Society. This is notwithstanding the fact that registration under Societies Act is the foremost step to achieve the objective behind setting up of Society.
When contacted, Sanjeev Verma, who was recently posted as Commissioner/Secretary, Technical Education, said, “we have finalized the aims and objectives of both the structures of the Society and obtained signatures of almost all the concerned authorities on the same”, adding “I have issued directions for formally approaching the Registrar of Societies in the coming days so as to give practical shape to the decision of State Cabinet”.
“It is only because of lack of proper monitoring mechanism that no timely action is ensured on the decisions of State Cabinet”, sources said while suggesting that Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti should order setting up of a dedicated cell in her Secretariat for better coordination with all the concerned departments so that decisions of Cabinet are given practical shape in a time-bound manner otherwise dilly-dallying approach sends a wrong message vis-a-vis importance of highest decision making body.

LEAVE A REPLY

Please enter your comment!
Please enter your name here