Avtar Bhat
JAMMU, July 6: With about 30 posts of Tehsildars vacant in the State mostly in Jammu region, the official work has constantly suffered in Revenue Department and general public has been put to many hardships.
According to reliable sources, over 30 posts of Tehsildars (Executive Magistrates) are vacant in the State out of 217 for over last three months but no steps have been taken by the Government to fill up them and the file in this regard is pending with the concerned Ministry for last two months now.
Sources said that the Revenue authorities on the last day of Governor’s rule had put up the file for posting of Tehsildars in those Tehsils of the State where the posts are lying vacant to ease the problems of the people and for the smooth functioning of the Department, but the same was not cleared by the Governor’s administration with the remarks that the same will be done by the new political dispensation.
Since then the file is pending in Revenue Ministry which has failed to take a decision and make adjustment of Tehsildars in those Tehsils where the posts are lying vacant with the result the people are suffering to a great extent and their files remain pending for disposal for days together.
Sources said delay in posting of Tehsildars has also killed the very idea of creating new administrative units the basic objective of which was to smoothen the functioning of the Department and easing the problems of the people of the State.
Though the concerned DCs have given the additional charge to Tehsildars of adjoining Tehsils as a stop gap and internal arrangement but these arrangements have not lessened the problems of the people who have to visit the Tehsil offices for formation of state subjects, verifying land records etc from time to time.
Sources said though Revenue Department is backbone of the State administration but its functioning has been affected to a great extent due to the failure of Government to fill up the vacant posts. Not only the posts of Tehsildars but one post of ACR is also vacant in Kathua district for quite a long time due to which official work has been hit to a great extent and people have been put to many problems.
According to official records 46 sub divisions, 135 new Tehsils and 301 Niabats were added to existing sub divisions, Tehsils and Niabats after the creation of new administrative units in 2014 taking the total number of Sub Divisions to 67, Tehsils to 217 and Niabats to 557 by then coalition Government for smooth functioning of the administration in the State. However many posts remained vacant since then with the result people continued to face problems.
The maximum number of these posts of Tehsildars are vacant in Jammu region, sources said, adding that respective DCs too have taken up the issue with higher authorities that work in the Tehsils is suffering as many posts of Tehsildars as well as Naib Tehsildars are vacant for months together.
Sources said the issue was also brought in the notice of Chief Minister, Mehbooba Mufti during her visit to Jammu recently by the authorities of Revenue Department but still no steps were taken to fill up the vacant posts.
As per official figures in Udhampur district out of eight Tehsils three posts of Tehsildars in Udhampur, Ramnagar and Majalta Tehsils are vacant for last two months, besides one post of District Panchayat Officer is also vacant in the district. In border district of Poonch out of six Tehsils, posts of two Tehsildars in Haveli and Mandi Tehsils are vacant while in Rajouri district out of 14 Tehsils the posts of five Tehsildars in Darhal, Sunderbani, Nowshera, Siot and Kalakote are vacant.
However there is no post of Tehsildar vacant in Ramban While in Kishtwar two posts of ADDCs and four posts of Tehsildars i.e in Kishtwar Tehsil, Nagsani, Madwa and Chatru are vacant out 11 total Tehsils.
In Jammu district itself, out of 21 Tehsils seven posts of Tehsildars in Tehsil Akhnoor, Dansal, Nagrota, Jammu West, Jammu South, Bhalwal and Bahu are vacant while in Samba district out of six Tehsils two posts of Tehsildars in Tehsil Samba and Ghagwal are vacant.
In Doda district, four posts of Tehsildars in Doda Tehsil, Chatru, Thathri and Bharat Bangla are lying vacant out of 16 Tehsils while in Reasi one post of Tehsildar in Tehsil Katra is lying vacant. Besides the post of Tehsildar Mahore is also lying vacant as the present incumbent has gone on leave.
In addition to this large number of posts of Naib Tehsildars are lying vacant in the State, sources said..
Confirming that about 30 posts of Tehsildars are vacant in the State, Commissioner Secretary, Revenue Mohammed Afzal told Excelsior that out of them two to three posts are vacant in Kashmir Valley and rest are in Jammu region.
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