Will be on automated mode with new software
Top brass will be able to monitor status regularly
Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Apr 29: The Jammu and Kashmir Government is going to make Regular Departmental Actions (RDAs) in the Enquiries completely transparent, time-bound and more effective with the inclusion of experts from various departments or even outside to ensure that they are not just treated “acquittals” and action is initiated timely as per the norms.
And, wherever, the complaint turns out to be hollow and without any substance, the Government officer/official will be acquitted well in time and his promotional aspects will not be marred due to lingering enquiries.
A software with automated mode has been developed by the General Administration Department (GAD) of the UT Government and will be in place soon.
“This will be completely a new and transparent system. The system can also be monitored by the Lieutenant Governor and the Chief Secretary. This way, progress in every departmental enquiry will be under watch of top brass of the Government as well as administration,” official sources told the Excelsior.
Asserting that some of the departmental enquiries earlier used to linger on with the Departments due to lack of expertise, other unavoidable reasons and, in certain cases, negligence on part of the concerned officials, sources said since now all the inquiries will be made time-bound and will be monitored by top brass, the scope of delay will be negligible excepting the case in which duration of an enquiry is extended by the competent authority.
“The officers holding the departmental enquiries will be competent to call the experts from any department within or even outside, if required, to ensure that enquiries are not lingered on, completed in time, assure that no scope is left for acquittals in the absence of evidence and no officer/official is given benefit of doubt,” sources said.
At the same time, they added, there are certain officers/officials who face RDAs with no evidence or substance and come clean after prolonged enquiries will also benefit from the new system as they don’t have to wait for years together to get the clean chit.
Within a time-bound manner, such officials will come out clean and their promotional aspects will not be affected. Due to delay in enquiries, it has been observed that many Government officers/officials had to suffer as their promotions and postings on important posts are held up, they pointed out.
Observing that some of the rules being followed in departmental enquiries are very old and may be even from Britishers-era, sources said an in-depth study was carried out by the General Administration Department and a major reform was undertaken with soon to be introduced new system which will be transparent and on automated mode.
“The Government officers/ officials facing the enquiries, the complainants, top brass of the Government and administration and other stakeholders will be able to watch proceedings of the departmental enquiries regularly on the portals. The senior officers can pass directions if they feel that enquiry is getting unnecessarily delayed as everything will be on the system,” the sources noted.
The Regular Department Enquiries are generally recommended by the investigating agencies like Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB), Crime Branch etc in the cases in which they feel criminal cases are not required to be registered and the departmental enquiries will serve the purpose.
Dedicated Investigating Officers will be asked to hold enquiries, the sources said, adding they can associate experts of the subject with them.
The new system will be constantly monitored by the senior officers to ensure that it works well and changes, if any, required will be made from time to time. The administration expressed confidence that it will serve as a major reform.
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