*Fresh proposal in next Cabinet meeting
Mohinder Verma
JAMMU, Apr 9: State Cabinet, which met under the chairmanship of Chief Minister, Omar Abdullah this morning, put on hold transfers of several officers of civil administration including Commissioner Secretaries and Deputy Commissioners after some Ministers expressed serious concern over not being consulted or informed about the proposals till last moment. However, the Cabinet while clearing the routine agenda placed before it by the various departments, accorded sanction to the enactment of law for ensuring uninterrupted activities regarding laying of gas pipeline, promotion of 9 officers of Accounts Services and creation of posts for the Jammu and Kashmir State Water Resources Regulatory Authority.
Sources told EXCELSIOR that when the proposal regarding transfers and postings of around 35 officers of civil administration including Commissioner Secretaries and Deputy Commissioners was placed before the Cabinet, one of the National Conference Ministers objected to the transfer of a Commissioner Secretary on the ground that the officer was given the present posting only a few months back and shifting the officer within such a short span would not augur well for the department.
“What is the compulsion behind shifting the officer so frequently”, the Minister sought to know and stressed that the Ministers should be consulted at least while changing the Commissioner Secretaries of the departments under their charge as after all they (Ministers) have to get the work from the Administrative Secretaries.
The transfer of another Commissioner Secretary was objected to by some Congress Ministers on the ground that since Minister Incharge cannot attend the Cabinet meeting for holding the status of Minister of State he should have been consulted before preparation of proposal in this regard, sources said, adding “since the Minister was recently given the independent charge of the department he would face difficulties in running the affairs of the department smoothly in case the present Commissioner Secretary is shifted”.
“The Congress Ministers also stressed that Ministers Incharge of the Departments should be consulted particularly before shifting the Administrative Secretaries”, sources said.
Keeping in view the concern expressed by the National Conference as well as Congress Ministers, the Cabinet deferred the proposal regarding transfer of 35 officers of the civil administration, they said, adding “now fresh proposals will be placed before the Cabinet in its next meeting, which is likely before the Darbar Move, only after proper consultation with the Ministers particularly on the transfer and posting of Commissioner Secretaries”.
Earlier, while clearing the routine agenda, Cabinet accorded sanction to the proposal of the Revenue Department for enactment of law in order to ensure uninterrupted activities regarding laying of gas pipeline by Gujarat State Petronet Limited and other underground public utilities in future.
“This was the vital suggestion of the Chief Minister, Omar Abdullah to the Revenue Department and the same has even been cleared by the Cabinet”, sources said, adding “a draft bill in this regard would be placed before the State Legislature in the brief session to be held at Srinagar. If the need arises prior to the holding of session the Revenue Department will put in place the law by way of ordinance that too in consultation with the Cabinet”.
It is pertinent to mention here that the gas pipeline project originates from Punjab covering eight districts and in Jammu and Kashmir the spur covers a distance of 243 kilometers from Samba to Srinagar comprising of eight districts. The Petroleum and Natural Gas Regulatory Board under the Union Ministry of Petroleum, is the competent authority to ensure uninterrupted and adequate supply of petroleum, petroleum products and natural gas in Jammu and Kashmir and to promote competitive markets.
The Cabinet also accorded sanction to the promotion of Pushpa Devi, Director, J&K Funds Organization, a Member of the J&K Accounts Service to the Super Time Scale of the service with effect from March 12, 2013. Consequent upon this the officer has been re-designated as Director General J&K Funds Organization.
Eight more members of the J&K Accounts Service have been promoted to the Special Scale with effect from March 12, 2013. These officers are Hardeep Kour Sudan, FA&CAO Jammu Development Authority, Lochan Dass, Deputy Director (Hqrs), Directorate of Local Fund Audit and Pensions, Mohammad Aslam Malik, Joint Director, Accounts and Treasuries, Jammu, Ghulam Mohammad Khan, Joint Director J&K Funds Organization, Kashmir, Kuldip Singh Jamwal, FA&CAO, J&K Tourism, Development Corporation, Kuldip Kumar Gupta, FA&CAO J&K State Power Development Corporation, Mohammad Yousuf Pandit, FA&CAO, Sher-i-Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences, Soura and Neelam Gupta, Principal NZAT Institute, Jammu.
Consequent upon this, the officers have been designated as Director Finance in the same post they are presently holding.
The creation of 35 posts for the Jammu and Kashmir Water Resources Regulatory Authority for its effective functioning and transfer of State land measuring 110 kanals and 16 marlas situated in village Kupri in Samba district in favour of Home Department for establishment of IRP Battalion also received the Cabinet’s nod.
It also accorded sanction to the grant of benefit under the provisions contained in Notification SRO No. 291 dated June 1, 1978 to the two Librarians of the Directorate of Libraries and Research. These include Ather Naseem with effect from April 20, 1986 and Ghulam Rasool Dar with effect from June 1, 1989.
The upgradation of sub-center of Kandiwara in district Anantnag to the level of Primary Health Centre along with creation of 16posts of different categories too received the approval of the Cabinet.
The decision came following Chief Minister’s announcement to this effect during his visit to Kandiwara to express condolence to the families who lost their kids in a tragic road accident. Kandiwara has a population of about 8000 souls and the secondary level medical facility is located at a distance of about 15 kilometres at Sub-District Hospital Kokernag.
The posts created for the centre include two posts of Assistant Surgeons, one Dental Surgeon, one Health Educator, one Supervising Pharmacist, one Junior X-Ray Technician, one Junior Dental Technician, one Junior Lab Technician, one Junior Ophthalmic Technician.
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