CM directs ban on post-retirement extensions; seeks to address JKAS cadre stagnation

4 December 2024

Chief Minister Omar Abdullah chairs review meeting of General Administration Department
Calls for linkage between JK Samadhan and CM’s Public Services & Outreach Office for public benefit
Raabta will serve as bridge between government and people: CM

JAMMU: Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Tuesday chaired a high-level meeting at the Civil Secretariat to review the functioning of the General Administration Department (GAD).
The Chief Minister held discussions on key aspects, including the working of J&K Public Service Commission, J&K Service Selection Board promotions, cadre management, trainings, transfers, and other administrative matters. Emphasizing the need to address stagnation among JKAS officers, the Chief Minister directed the department to propose actionable solutions. “Everyone deserves the opportunity to grow,” he remarked.

To ensure streamlined governance, the Chief Minister gave directions to impose complete ban on re-employment, extensions, additional charges, and attachments, except in extraordinary circumstances.
He specifically called for a review of attachments in the Health & Medical Education and Education Departments.

“We must put an end to this practice,” he asserted.

The Chief Minister also inquired about the status and performance of employees appointed under the PM Package for Kashmiri Migrants.
Earlier, Commissioner Secretary GAD, Sanjeev Verma, presented a detailed overview of the department’s functioning, covering key sections such as administration, cabinet coordination, personnel management, cadre management, and transfer policies.
Discussions also focused on compassionate appointments under SRO-43 and the J&K Rehabilitation Assistance Scheme-2022, as well as service-related matters for All India Services and J&K Administrative Services.

The meeting reviewed IT initiatives like SPARROW, JKHRMS and officer training programs. Chief Minister directed the department to examine the re-appropriation of posts following the reorganization of Jammu and Kashmir and the creation of Ladakh Union Territory, noting discrepancies in the distribution of vacancies.
“The distribution of posts following the reorganization must be looked into. We need to address disparities and ensure that Jammu and Kashmir has adequate posts to meet administrative demands,” the Chief Minister said.

The meeting was attended by Advisor to the CM, Nasir Aslam Wani; Chief Secretary, Atal Dulloo; Additional Chief Secretary to the CM, Dheeraj Gupta; Commissioner Secretary GAD; and other senior officials.

In a separate meeting, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah reviewed the establishment of Raabta – CM’s Public Services and Outreach Office, a single-window interface aimed at enhancing government-citizen interaction.

On improving grievance redressal systems through Raabta, the Chief Minister said, “Raabta will serve as a bridge between the government and the people, ensuring timely delivery of public services and enhancing public participation in governance, and added that “it is a step towards a more responsive and citizen-centric administration.”

Secretary Grievances, Aijaz Asad, presented the framework for Raabta, highlighting its role as a bridge between the government and citizens. The platform will enhance public participation, ensure a responsive government, and enable the timely delivery of public services.
Citizens will be able to submit grievances and suggestions through both offline and online modes.

The meeting discussed the structure of the outreach office, including staffing requirements, deployment of senior officers, and technical and administrative personnel required to ensure efficient operations.
The integration of JK Samadhan, an existing grievance redressal platform, with Raabta was also deliberated.
The Chief Minister directed officials to integrate Raabta with JK Samadhan to create a unified and comprehensive grievance redressal system.

“By integrating Raabta with JK Samadhan, we are creating a unified grievance redressal system that will ensure faster resolutions and a more streamlined approach to addressing citizens’ concerns,” he noted.
BISAG’s Additional Director General informed the meeting that the integration process is underway and will soon be operational, benefiting the public at large.

The meeting was attended by the Advisor to the CM, Chief Secretary, Additional Chief Secretary to the CM, Principal Secretary IT, and other senior officials.