* Vows to address public grievances, strengthen citizen connect
Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, June 20: Chief Minister Omar Abdullah today inaugurated the Chief Minister’s Public Services & Outreach Office, Raabita, at Canal Road, Jammu, aimed at strengthening the Government’s outreach to citizens and addressing public grievances more efficiently.
The Chief Minister was accompanied by Deputy Chief Minister Surinder Kumar Choudhary, Advisor to the CM Nasir Aslam Wani, MLA Gulabgarh Er. Khurshid Ahmad, Additional Chief Secretary to the Chief Minister Dheeraj Gupta, and other senior officers during the inauguration ceremony.
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Underscoring his Government’s commitment to inclusive governance, the Chief Minister stated, “It is the endeavour of my Government to address and reach out to the maximum number of people and address their grievances irrespective of whether these are big or small.”
Speaking on the occasion, the Chief Minister emphasized the importance of accessible governance. “After the success of Raabita at Srinagar, it was obvious that we shall have a similar facility at Jammu for the public,” he remarked.
Emphasizing the need for a citizen-centric administration, Omar Abdullah observed, “It may not always be convenient for a common man to visit the Civil Secretariat and so in that sense this office will serve as an accessible platform.”
He assured that “public grievances at Raabita shall be attended to and appropriately addressed in a time-bound manner.”
Highlighting the successful implementation of the Public Service Guarantee Act in Jammu and Kashmir and its gradual extension with the inclusion of more services and departments as a major achievement, the Chief Minister expressed his confidence that this new office would further bolster public trust.
The Chief Minister informed that officers and ministerial staff would be posted in the Raabita office to register public grievances both in offline and online mode, ensuring quick disposal and accessibility to this office for all citizens.
After the formal inauguration, the Chief Minister interacted with several delegations as part of the outreach programme.
Notable among them were Arun Gupta, President of the Chamber of Commerce & Industry Jammu; Nirmal Kotwal of the J&K High Court Bar Association; Navy veteran Lakhbir Singh; members of the Jewellers Association led by Aditya Manyak Kapoor and Lt. Gen. Rakesh Kumar Sharma (Retd.), President of the J&K Ex-Servicemen League.
The delegation of J&K Ex-Servicemen League was comprised of Lt Gen Rakesh Kumar Sharma, president JKESL, Col KS Jamwal, Col SA Qureshi and Lt Col OS Chouhan, secretary JKESL.
The delegation urged for issuance of orders to DCs of Jammu and Samba for early completion of Rajinder Vihar and Kargil Vihar colonies, increase in ESM Quota for Re- Employment from 6% to 13% with vertical representation, formation of Sainik Corporation, allotment of land for JKESL office as per Government Order of 1999 in city limits on subsidized rates.
In addition, the CM was also requested for issuance of necessary directions to all concerned departments by Chief Secretary including formal meeting with JKESL delegation at the earliest to resolve the major issues concerning Ex-servicemen.
A delegation from the Jammu & Kashmir Branch of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (ICAI) led by branch Chairman Sourav Pargal and comprised of immediate past Chairman and co-opted member of the ICAI Public Relations Committee Vineet Kohli and branch secretary Jatin Malhotra also met CM and presented a comprehensive set of proposals aimed at strengthening Financial Governance (FG), institutional capacity and professional development across the Union Territory.
During the meeting, the representatives submitted a formal memorandum out lining key recommendations to support the UT’s economic administration and fiscal transparency initiatives.
The members proposed reforms emphasized Enhanced institutional collaboration between the ICAI and Government departments, involvement of Chartered Accountants in policy advisory roles and development of professional infrastructure to meet future governance demands.
The delegation reiterated ICAI’s commitment to partnering with the UT Government to promote robust financial practices and uphold the principles of accountability and transparency.
They also extended ICAI’s support in conducting structured training programs for Government officials, aiming to build capacity and improve financial literacy within the administrative framework.
A delegation of Pt Prem Nath Bhat Memorial Trust also called on CM and demanded law for protection and management of Hindu Shrines and Temples in Kashmir.
The Trust also handed over a book written by Dr R L Bhat on Hindu Shrines and Temples of Kashmir to the Chief Minister during the meeting.
The delegation of Trust was led by Roshan Lal Pandita its Chairman and among others B L Saraf (retd) Principal and Sessions Judge, Dr R L Bhat, Hira Lal Bhat and Shadi Lal were other members accompanied him.
The Chief Minister gave a patient hearing to each one and assured them that all genuine concerns would be resolved on a priority basis.
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