Locals deprived of RBA benefit as Govt takes 12 yrs to correct spelling of villages

Nishikant Khajuria
JAMMU, Feb 21: In a glaring example of  administrative inertia and callousness of the Government, thousands  of inhabitants of 44 villages in  Ramnagar Assembly constituency falling  under Reserved Backward Area  could not get benefit of the category for more than a  decade because of  minor typographical  error in spelling of these villages while  the successive Governments took 12 years to issue necessary clarification in this regard.
Notwithstanding the recommendation for necessary correction and submission of  fact finding report by the Deputy Commissioner Udhampur in 2010 stating that due to mis-spelling error of  these 44 villages, concerned authorities were facing problem in issuance of RBA certificate to the local residents, no further action was taken by the office of Divisional Commissioner Jammu  for the next seven years.
During this period of 12 years, the matter was taken up before the Chief Minister’s Grievance Cell, on floor of the Legislative Assembly, successive Ministers for the Social Welfare and  other concerned agencies but to no avail.
Pertinent to mention that a number of  villages in Ramnagar, Majalta and Basantgarh tehsils of Udhampur district were notified among the  list of Reserved Backward Area vide SRO 294 of 2005, dated 20-10-2005. However, names of 44 villages were wrongly spelt in the said SRO thus creating a deviation in the names  mentioned in the relevant Revenue records and ultimately leading to problem in issuance of RBA certificate to the local residents of these villages.
These villages included Loudhra, Balota Upperi, Punara, Kadwah, Khaned, Rasil Gadheren, Rasil Thakral,  Chatrari, Artal, Chakal, Jogger, Balota Chigla, Plal, Dheeran, Baryalta Samna Banj, Amroh, Keya, Bari, Ladana, Latti, Chapper, Jakhed, Pachound, Padder, Dhar Seoj,  Jandrore, Nalla Mallian,  Bhalla, Konain, Farole Thaley, Sullan, Katwalt, Mahni, Sarsoo, Barmeen, Satyalta, Ser Manjla, Birnoo, Surni, Badhole, Babey, Chore Panjian and Mottu.
As the concerned authorities faced problem in issuance of RBA certificates to the local residents due to wrong spelling of these villages in the SRO, the matter was variously taken up before the Government.  After failure to get appropriate response of the concerned authorities, a complaint in this regard was also lodged in the Chief Minister’s Grievance Cell vide complaint number 13075, dated 22-04-2010 by R S Pathania (now MLA Ramnagar).
In response to the complaint, the matter was referred to Tehsildar Ramnagar for enquiry, who vide his report number 87BCG, dated 3-12-2010 intimated that there were spelling mistakes in the name of these villages falling under RBA category. This was endorsed by Deputy Commissioner Udhampur, vide his letter dated 15-12-2010. The case was sent to Divisional Commissioner Jammu, vide number 3350SW, dated 15-12-2010 for taking appropriate action.
However, there was no further progress in the case for the next seven years even as four Divisional Commissioners were changed during this time. R S Pathania, who became MLA in 2014, personally took up the issue with the successive Ministers for Social Welfare Department, Commissioner Secretary Social Welfare and others.
It was only after a long wait of more than 12 years and personal intervention by the Minister for Social Welfare Sajjad Gani Lone in response to a question raised on floor of the Legislative Assembly by MLA Ramnagar R S Pathania that the necessary order for rectification of spelling errors in SRO 294 of 2005 in respect of these 44 villages was issued, this month.
“It is impressed upon all the concerned authorities for issuance of necessary RBA certificate to the eligible beneficiaries of these villages, strictly in terms of J&K Reservation Act and Rules thereof, treating these spellings as typographical or transcriptional error, so that inhabitants of these villages are not debarred from availing necessary benefits, ” says the rectification order, issued by Commissioner Secretary, Social Welfare Department, last week.
Even as issuance of the rectification order has  provided much relief to thousands of  locals of these 44 villages, who remained deprived of the reservation benefit for more than 12 years despite their qualification for the same, the entire case has exposed the callous  functioning of the State Government and its administrative machinery towards the issues of urgent nature and public importance.
The rectification notification, which had been  pending for more than a decade  and seven  years even after necessary recommendation of the concerned Deputy Commiss-ioner, was issued within three  days since announcement of the Minister in this regard on Floor of the House, which explains that there was no technical reason behind delay for years together but only callousness of the Government machinery.

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