‘Officers go on tour outside which isn’t acceptable’
*Accessibility to public needs to be improved
Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Jan 1: On Day one in the office, Chief Secretary Ladakh Ashish Kundra today advised all Administrative Secretaries to undertake field visits once a month, preferable with an overnight stay, in different parts of the Union Territory and observed seriously the movement of officers on tour to Delhi and other places outside the UT.
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Kundra, who took over the charge from Pawan Kotwal on his superannuation yesterday, issued the order immediately thereafter.
“All Administrative Secretaries are advised to undertake field visits once a fortnight, preferable with an overnight stay, in different parts of the Union Territory to gain a first-hand understanding of ground realities and difficulties being faced by the people,” the order issued by Kundra said.
The order said the Administrative Secretaries should submit one-page tour note after conducting such visits, which will form part of APAR of the officers.
“It has been brought to attention of the Chief Secretary that officers go on tours to Delhi and other places outside Ladakh for an extended duration, which is not acceptable,” the Chief Secretary’s order said.
It directed the officers that minimum absence from the station must be ensured.
“It has also been observed that accessibility to the general public needs to be improved. Therefore, all Administrative Secretaries and field officers shall remain responsive and accessible to the people,” the order read.
An official handout issued by the Lieutenant Governor’s Secretariat said on the directions of Lieutenant Governor Ladakh Kavinder Gupta, all Administrative Secretaries have been advised to undertake regular field visits to different parts of the UT to strength people-centric governance and ensure effective service delivery.
The handout reiterated rest of the directions to the Administrative Secretaries and other officers of the administration of UT Ladakh.
Earlier in the day, senior IAS officer Ashish Kundra took charge as the Chief Secretary of Ladakh and reaffirmed his commitment to effective governance, transparent administration and inclusive development across the Union Territory, officials said.
A 1996-batch IAS officer of AGMUT cadre, Kundra took over from Pawan Kotwal, who retired from the service on Wednesday.
Upon assuming office, Kundra reiterated his commitment to effective governance, transparent administration and inclusive development, emphasizing the need to strengthen institutional mechanisms, enhance service delivery, and ensure timely implementation of developmental programmes.
Addressing the aspirations of the people of Ladakh would remain a key priority of the administration, Kundra said.
He emphasized an accessible administration that reaches out to all parts of the Union Territory, in line with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of ‘Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas, Sabka Vishwas’, the statement said.
The administration, he said, must gear up to meet the economic aspirations of the youth and unlock the economic potential of the territory.
“Ladakh has a civilization history and has always been emblematic of peace. This must always be treasured and preserved,” he said.
Kundra underscored that given Ladakh’s fragile ecology, the model of development must necessarily address issues of sustainability and climate change, and that the region must not pursue reckless construction in the name of development.
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