Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Apr 6: Expressing displeasure over the sluggish approach adopted in disposing of complaints and enquiries, despite clear directions issued to this affect in last review meeting, the State Vigilance Commission has instructed the authorities of R&B Department to speed up action and ensure that the entire block is cleared within four months.
These directions were issued by the Commission at a meeting, convened to review the status of the complaints and RDAs pertaining to Public Works (R&B) Department, held under the chairmanship of the Chief Vigilance Commissioner here today.
It is pertinent to mention here that 386 complaints and 38 Regular Departmental Actions (RDAs) are pending with the R&B Department for action.
Explaining the reasons of delay caused in settling the complaints and RDAs, the Special Secretary R&B informed the Commission that Administrative Department could not initiate action as the concerned Chief Engineers of the department failed to submit the requisite reports.
While discussing the progress made on RDAs, the Commission was intimated that charge sheets have been served upon concerned officials in 22 cases. The Commission observed that some RDAs are pending with the department for years together without any action and directed Special Secretary to take necessary action for their early settlement. The Commission also observed that no progress was reported in respect of RDAs referred to the department by Vigilance Organization before the year 2012 and directed department to reconcile the records with Vigilance Organization.
Regarding quality of work, the Commission was intimated that special attention is being given to this aspect and three years guarantee is being obtained from the contractors, executing any road work, under which he is liable to repair the work at his own cost during guarantee period of three years.
The Commission instructed the authorities to ensure that all bids are invited through e-tendering and observed that this will not only minimize the public interference but help in completion of the projects in stipulated time frame. The Commission directed department to up-load all the details pertaining to the works taken up for execution on the official website in order to ensure greater trenchancy in the process.
The Commission expressed displeasure over the tendency of bifurcation of works created in the department and said that this practice amounts to violation of Financial Code and directed the R&B officers to avoid this practice forth with.
As regards execution of work of emergent nature where it is not possible to follow lengthy codal formalities, the Commission stressed upon the need to prescribe bare minimum procedure to be followed so as to curtail the exercise of utilizing limitless discretion by the officers at field level. The Commission decided to review the progress achieved in disposal of enquires/ complaints by the department in the second week of June 2016.
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