*State Administrative Council constituted
Neeraj Rohmetra
JAMMU, Feb 4: Governor NN Vohra today appointed Parvez Dewan, a top retired bureaucrat and Khurshid Ahmad Ganai, who had retired in the rank of the Chief Secretary but had been re-employed as Chairman, Bureau of Public Enterprises (BPE), as his Advisors.
Vohra also allocated charge of the departments to his two newly appointed Advisors apart from Chief Secretary BR Sharma and Financial Commissioner BB Vyas, who was virtually without any work after the death of former Chief Minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed. Vyas was Principal Secretary to Sayeed.
Official sources told the Excelsior that Parvez Dewan, who had taken voluntary retirement last year, barely a month ahead of his retirement after holding several prestigious postings at the Centre as well as in State, took charge of the Advisor today while Khurshid Ganai, who was in Hyderabad, was likely to return here tomorrow to take the charge.
In another decision, Vohra has constituted the State Administrative Council (SAC). The Governor will be Chairman of the SAC while the two Advisors will serve as its members.
The SAC will dispose of cases mentioned in the Second Schedule of the Jammu and Kashmir Government Business Rules or such matters as the Governor may direct to be placed before it. The Chief Secretary will function as Secretary of the SAC while the Governor could invite the Administrative Secretaries of Planning and Development Department, Finance, Law, General Administration or any other departments to the SAC from time to time.
Sources said the Governor had ordered appointment of Advisors in consultations with the Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), which wanted senior, competent and officers (retired) with integrity as new Advisors.
Official sources said that Governor would utilise the services of his Advisors to initiate major reforms in all sectors within the shortest possible time and initiate “people friendly measures”.
“Dewan met the Governor in afternoon and later visited Secretariat today. He took meeting of the Administrative Secretaries of the Departments under his control,” sources said.
Dewan, a 1977-batch IAS officer, had taken voluntary retirement on October 20, 2014 after serving as Union Tourism Secretary. He had earlier served as Divisional Commissioner of Kashmir in early 2000s.
Dewan had also worked as Union Secretary in Tourism Department, Managing Director, Indian Tourism Development Corporation (ITDC) and Secretary in the Ministry of Overseas Indian Affairs.
A prolific writer, Dewan had taken voluntary retirement to focus on his literary works.
Ganai, a 1982-batch IAS officer, also took premature retirement last year as he was overlooked for the post of Chief Secretary following premature retirement of then incumbent Mohammad Iqbal Khandey.
Ganai has served in various capacities in the State and Union Government including Divisional Commissioner Kashmir, Financial Commissioner, Industries and Commerce Department.
Ganai had been re-employed as Chairman, Bureau of Public Enterprises (BPE), a post declared equivalent in status to the IAS cadre post of Chief Secretary for the period till his term ended.
The State was put under Governor’s Rule on January 8, a day after death of Mufti Mohammad Sayeed.
Appointments of the Advisors assumed significance as the Governor hadn’t appointed the Advisors last year when the Governor Rule had lasted from January 7 to March 1. This year also, the Governor Rule was imposed on January 8.
PDP president Mehbooba Mufti and BJP president Sat Sharma CA had met Governor NN Vohra on February 2 on an invitation from him. While Ms Mufti wanted declaration of Confidence Building Measures (CBMs) by the Centre before formation of the Government, the BJP had sought time of eight to 10 days to make its stand clear.
An official order issued by the Raj Bhavan said the Advisors shall exercise the powers of Minister under the Jammu and Kashmir Government Business Rules.
Parvez Dewan shall be Incharge of the departments of School Education, Higher Education, Technical Education, Youth Services and Sports, Health and Medical Education, Consumer Affairs and Public Distribution, Transport, Public Works (R&B), Information Technology, Floriculture, Garden and Parks, Tourism and Culture.
Similarly, Khurshid Ahmed Ganai shall be Incharge of the departments of Agriculture Production, Horticulture, Animal/Sheep Husbandry, Co-operative, Rural Development and Panchayati Raj, Forest, Environment and Ecology, Labour and Employment, PHE, Irrigation and Flood Control, Social Welfare and Tribal Affairs.
The Governor has also directed that the matters relating to the departments of General Administration; Administrative Reforms, Inspections and Training, Stationery and Printing; Elections; Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs; Home; Power Development; Science and Technology; and Industries and Commerce shall be submitted to B R Sharma, Chief Secretary.
The matters relating to the departments of Planning and Development; Ladakh Affairs; Finance; Housing and Urban Development; Civil Aviation; Estates; Hospitality and Protocol; Information; Revenue; and Relief and Rehabilitation will be submitted to B B Vyas, Financial Commissioner.
With a view to ensure efficient disposal of various matters, it has been ordered that the Administrative Secretaries shall continue to exercise the powers already delegated to them vide SRO 10 of January 14, 2016.
Sources said the Administrative Secretaries will submit their agenda to the SAC through the Chief Secretary for disposal.
The Raj Bhavan spokesperson recalled that the Governor had held detailed discussions with the Chief Secretary, yesterday to discuss restructuring of the present decision making process with a view to ensuring that every important matter receives timely attention. The departments have been organised in four clusters keeping in view the need for synergy and convenient transaction of Government business.
Name of the Advisor Departments assigned
Parvez Dewan 1. School Education
2. Higher Education
3. Technical Education, Youth Services & Sports
4. Health & Medical Education
5. Consumer Affairs & Public Distribution
6. Transport
7. Public Works (R&B)
8. Information Technology
9. Floriculture, Garden and Parks
10. Tourism
11. Culture
Khurshid Ahmed Ganai 1. Agriculture Production
2. Horticulture
3. Animal/Sheep Husbandry
4. Co-operative
5. Rural Development and Panchayati Raj
6. Forest, Environment & Ecology
7. Labour and Employment
8. PHE, Irrigation & FC
9. Social Welfare
10. Tribal Affairs
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