‘Ensure that no official overstays on a particular post’
Lays thrust on strict adherence to Transfer Policy provisions
Mohinder Verma
JAMMU, Jan 19: In a development aimed at reducing the chances of corrupt practices, the Government of Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir has directed all the departments to rotate staff from sensitive to non-sensitive positions and ensure that no official overstays on a particular post without any compelling circumstances. Moreover, thrust has been laid on strict adherence to the important provisions of the Transfer Policy which was laid down way back in 2010.
“It has come to the notice of the Government that in many departments large number of officers/officials are occupying particular posts for the past quite long time although voices were raised over this practice by other employees of the departments and concern was even conveyed to the respective Heads of the Departments”, official sources told EXCELSIOR.
They further said, “no doubt there may be certain cases where continuation of some officers/ officials on particular posts for unspecified period was imperative due to compelling circumstances/ technical grounds but this practice cannot be allowed to persist as the same amounts to giving sufficient chances for the development of vested interests of the officials concerned”.
“Moreover, allowing certain officials to handle the particular task for prolonged period leads to dependence of the department on such employees and make them indispensable, which further leads to chances of corrupt practices”, sources further said, adding “there are numerous instances of blue-eyed officials holding important positions in key departments not only in the field level offices but in the Civil Secretariat also for quite long time”.
These aspects came up for discussion at the highest level in the Government few days back and accordingly it has been decided to do away with this practice so as to further minimize the chances of corrupt practices in the departments, sources said while disclosing that Chief Secretary has issued explicit directions to all the departments to rotate staff from sensitive to non-sensitive positions and ensure that no official overstays on a particular post without any compelling circumstances.
“The departments will shift the officers/officials in their respective departments as have completed their term to ensure that no officer/official overstays on a particular post”, sources said quoting the communiqué addressed to all the Administrative Secretaries and Heads of the Departments by the General Administration Department on the directions of the Chief Secretary.
They further said, “specific instructions have been issued for rotation of staff in the Revenue Department after analysis of stay of the officials in the subordinate offices”, adding “Financial Commissioner Revenue, who is also holding the post of Administrative Secretary of the Revenue Department, has already started detailed exercise in this regard”.
“The instructions vis-à-vis rotation of staff from sensitive to non-sensitive posts assume more importance in the Revenue Department, which has direct interface with the people and at the same time remains in the limelight for corrupt practices at the field level”, sources said.
Had serious attention been paid towards implementation of important provisions of the Transfer Policy, which was notified vide Government Order No.861-GAD dated July 28, 2010, the Government would have not been compelled to issue instructions for rotation of staff, sources further said.
The General Principles of the Transfer Policy reads: “Postings shall be made on a rotational basis to sensitive and non-sensitive posts. Every department shall identify sensitive and non-sensitive posts and evolve a roaster for posting of officers”.
About tenure of postings, the policy states: “The minimum tenure for a Government employee on a post shall be two years and a maximum of three years”. In the policy, sufficient thrust has been laid on linking performance of the employees with the transfers, which otherwise has not received due attention till date.
“The Government can order transfer of employee even before the completion of minimum tenure if it is not in public interest or in the interest of the administration to allow the employee to continue on a post for a full term”, read the policy.
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