Overstaying officials making mockery of transfer policy, orders
Arvind Sharma | Jammu Tawi, Sept 28: The intent of the government to promote tourism in the Union Territory (UT) of Jammu and Kashmir can well be assessed from the fact that despite standing orders, the head office of the tourism department at Jammu is almost packed with “overstaying officials” in gross violation of transfer norms.
“Anti Corruption Bureau (ACB), J&K has taken serious note of the gross violation of transfer norms and submitted a strongly worded report to the General Administration Department (GAD) to take action in this regard,” sources informed the Northlines.
Acting on the report of the ACB, the GAD issued an order asking the concerned authorities to submit an Action Taken Report (ATR) for necessary action.
“However, except the order, nothing has happened on ground,” sources said while wishing not to be named.
“Over 30 officials are overstaying here in the tourism department’s head office at Jammu,” they said adding, “many among them have been here since the last 10 to 15 years and some beyond that period”.
“Anti Corruption Bureau (ACB), J&K has furnished a report bringing out the issue of flouting of transfer norms. It has been further reported by the Bureau that certain officials/officers are continuing at a particular place of posting for years together,” reads the GAD order No. GAD-ADMO111/13/2021-02-GAD.
“The stays beyond duration permitted in the transfer policy should be allowed in exceptional circumstances and all the administrative secretaries should obtain a list of employees who have a stay of more than five (5) years in first instance and these officials need to be rotated unless there are exceptional circumstances,” the order reads.
“The concerned authorities have so far not taken note of the govt order regarding violation of transfer policy,” they said.
“The officers/officials have been fastened here since the last more than 10 to 15 years and even beyond that period only for doing favours to the blue eyed,” they informed.
These people are there in the publicity, administration, establishment, reception, planning, engineering sections and also in the Jammu Director’s personal section, they said.
The Government’s work productivity in Tourism department can be gauged from the fact that seven Tourism Development Authorities at Patni-Top, Surinsar-Mansar, Bhaderwah, Kishtwar, Rajouri, Poonch and Lakhanpur falling within the jurisdiction of Directorate of Tourism Jammu province have been just subsisting with a skeletal staff on crutches while the directorate office Jammu remained overburdened with city-obsessed staff.
“Many overstaying officials among these were transferred by the government to some of the Tourism Development Authorities (TDAs) but with their influence they managed their attachments at the department’s head office at Jammu,” sources informed.
“Many among these overstaying employees were promoted and transferred but by dint of clout they enjoy with the higher-ups, they again got themselves attached at Jammu office,” they informed.
While the directorate of tourism in Jammu remained over-staffed, the CEOs of all the Tourism Development Authorities of Jammu region have repeatedly been demanding staff for their respective development authorities as the required staff is attached at Jammu head office as liberal accommodation, they said.
