Several TSWO posts lying vacant in J&K

Suhail Bhat

Srinagar, Sept 28: Several Tehsil Social Welfare Officer (TSWO) Posts are lying vacant in many areas of Jammu and Kashmir, hampering the implementation of Social Welfare schemes with officials claiming that the department has already begun the process of identifying all vacant posts.

According to officials, key positions of Tehsil Social Welfare Officers are vacant in several Tehsils of Jammu and Kashmir, including Ramban, Reasi, Udhampur, Ganderbal, Kishtwar, Basohli, Baramulla and Bani affecting the functioning of offices in these areas.
These officers are incharge of social welfare schemes for widows, divorced women, and women with no or limited sources of income, as well as pensions for disabled people, including children. “The Tehsil Social Welfare Office is where people learn about the schemes, fill out forms, receive credit information, and have their cases sanctioned. These officers are crucial because they refer deprived people’s cases to higher authorities so that they can receive monthly help,” officials said.
An official said that vacancies had resulted in adhocism in the department, which had harmed normal operations and administrative work at the Tehsil levels. “This adhocism jeopardizes the department’s ability to function on the ground,” he said.
“In order to address the problem, authorities have assigned one person for multiple jobs, leading to overburdening of these officials who are unable to do their jobs properly”, he said.
Officials say the Social Welfare department has sent several requisitions for filling the posts, but nothing has happened so far, prompting calls for a staff rationalization. “There should be a rationalization of staff in Social Welfare offices, and officers’ services should be used across the Union Territory for effective implementation of schemes at the ground level. The administration of Social Welfare needs to act to streamline the system for the benefit of the poor,” an official said.
Sheetal Nanda, the Administrative Secretary for the Department of Social Welfare, told Excelsior that several positions in the department are vacant, and that they have already begun an exercise to identify all vacant positions, and that all positions will be filled soon.
“We are aware of it and have expedited work on it. The posts will be referred to the Jammu and Kashmir Service Selection Board for the culmination of the recruitment process,” she said.
She said they will hold Departmental Promotion Committee meetings soon in order to fill some departmental positions, which will help to reduce the workforce shortage to a large extent.