Mohinder Verma
JAMMU, July 8: In order to make the civil administration responsive and conscious of its duties, Chief Secretary, Mohd Iqbal Khandey, has started seeking Action Taken Reports (ATRs) on regular basis from the Administrative Secretaries of various departments and Deputy Commissioners on the public issues which are being brought to his notice.
Reliable sources in the Civil Secretariat told EXCELSIOR that taking serious note of lackadaisical and whimsical attitude of the certain officers in the Civil Secretariat and in the districts in dealing with the public issues, Chief Secretary, Mohd Iqbal Khandey has decided to seek Action Taken Reports from the Administrative Secretaries, Divisional Commissioners and all the Deputy Commissioners so that grievances of the people could be addressed in shortest possible time.
An officer in the Chief Secretary’s office has specifically been assigned the task of forwarding the public issues coming to the notice of Mr Khandey to the Administrative Secretaries and Deputy Commissioners for appropriation action in a time-bound manner and seeking report from them for perusal of the Chief Secretary, sources disclosed.
“The objective behind seeking ATRs on the public issues is to ensure that administration remains prompt to the disposal of the public issues instead of sleeping over the matters for long time”, they said, adding “this initiative will go a long way in ensuring proper coordination between officers right from Civil Secretariat to down the line in the districts”.
In response to a question, sources said, “the perusal of the pace of disposal of public issues at the Chief Secretary’s office would help him in analyzing the performance of the officers particularly Deputy Commissioners”.
The need of making administration cognizant of its duties was felt when the Chief Secretary convened review meetings in district headquarters of Jammu division with district officers and public representatives between April 27 to May 1, 2013, to personally assess the status of developmental activities and acquaint himself of the public issues.
It came to the notice of Chief Secretary during these meetings that several public issues were remaining unresolved for quite long time due to lack of coordination between the officers in the Civil Secretariat and districts, sources said, adding “now each and every issue coming to the notice of Chief Secretary during these meetings is being regularly followed by his office with the Administrative Secretaries and the concerned Deputy Commissioners”.
Majority of the public issues, which figured during the meetings were pertaining to the Power Development, Revenue, Health and Medical Education and Roads and Buildings Departments, sources said. What to talk of major issues even the matters like provision of drinking water in a college and provision of solar lights and maintenance of link roads are being chased by the Chief Secretary’s office with the concerned departments and officers, they added.
Some of the issues of the Revenue Department, which are being chased by the Chief Secretary’s office include proposal for rehabilitation of owners of structures submerged due to impounding of Baglihar reservoir, early clearance of land compensation cases pending with PMGSY, PWD, BRO, National Highways, Railways and other allied departments in all the districts.
Similarly, the issues regarding filling of vacant posts of doctors, up-gradation of Primary Health Centres, Sub-Centres, early completion of work on infrastructure and establishment of trauma hospitals etc are being regularly followed with Health and Medical Education Department.
As far as Power Development Department is concerned, the issues like establishment of transformers repair workshops, early completion of work on ongoing power projects, sanction of mini hydro electric projects and electrification of unelectrified villages are being vigorously pursued by the Chief Secretary’s office.
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