Sanjeev Pargal
JAMMU, Dec 16: Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti today allocated several administrative, financial, decision-making and departmental powers to Ministers of State in Jammu and Kashmir, which would empower six junior Ministers in the Council of Ministry.
In 23-member Council of Ministry headed by Mehbooba Mufti, there are six Ministers of State while 17 others including the Chief Minister are Cabinet Ministers. BJP and PDP shared three posts each of Ministers of State. They are Sunil Sharma, Priya Sethi and Ajay Nanda (all BJP), Asiea Naqash, Farooq Ahmad Andrabi and Zahoor Mir (all PDP). Sunil Sharma holds Independent charge of Transport.
An official order issued by the General Administration Department (GAD) said the Ministers of State have been empowered with transfers of non-gazetted staff, which required approval of the Administrative Department, as per the Transfer Policy. They have also been given powers of according administrative approval to the works beyond the competence of Head of Departments up to Rs 3 crores. They will also sanction advance withdrawals up to Rs 15 lakh with the concurrence of FA&CAO.
“The transfer and posting proposals of Gazetted officers, which require approval of the Administrative Department, will be placed before the Minister Incharge (Cabinet Minister) through the Minister of State,” the GAD order said.
It added that all proposals in respect of the Public-Private-Partnership (PPP) mode and other projects related to the development initiatives, shall be placed before the Cabinet Ministers through the Ministers of State.
Further, the Government order said, all files and matters requiring approval of the Minister Incharge, shall be routed through the Minister of State and such matters/files should be disposed of by the concerned Minister of State within seven days from the date of such reference/receipt of file.
The Ministers of State have also been empowered with referring non-gazetted and gazetted vacancies to the Selections Committees, Public Service Commission (PSC) and Services Selection Board (SSB). They would also have the powers to approve blacklisting of contractors and supplies as per the norms laid down under Rule 18.1 of the Jammu and Kashmir Financial Code.
“The Ministers of State will sanction medical treatment outside the State in respect of non-gazetted staff under Jammu and Kashmir Civil Services (Medical Attendance-cum-Allowance) Rules. They will also sanction charge allowance in favour of the officers/officials, officiating on the higher posts, deputation of non-gazetted staff in connection with official work outside the State but within the country, deputation of non-gazetted staff to attend the technical conferences, festival advance in favour of the staff and approve constitutions of the Survey Committees for surplus and un-serviceable stores in the departments subordinate to them,” the Government order said.
As per the order, the Ministers of State will also have powers to sanction ‘writing off’ of irrecoverable value of stores and livestock lost when there is no fraud or negligence under Rule 18.18 of the Jammu and Kashmir Financial Code. They will also sanction condemnation of old vehicles and recommend purchase of new ones in replacement thereof, subject to budgetary allocation.
“The Minister of State will lay the reports of different Committees, wherever constituted, before the State Legislature. They will also order with-holding of increments under Rule 30 (iii) of the Jammu and Kashmir Civil Services (Classification, Control and Appeal) Rules in case on non-gazetted employees under their administrative control,” the order said.
Other powers conferred upon the Ministers of State included sanctioning local purchase of stationery articles from the contingency grants of the department, expenditure in connection with the ceremonial functions such as laying of foundation stone or opening of a public buildings, House Building Advance in case of non-gazetted employees subjection to conditions laid down in Jammu and Kashmir Financial Code and honorarium in favour of non-gazetted employees with the concurrence of the Finance Department.
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