Union Minister of State in PMO Dr Jitendra Singh on Friday stated that the Department of Personnel & Training (DoPT) deputation rules were relaxed to encourage IAS and other All India Service officers as well as officers of central services to get posted in J&K.
Dr Jitendra, who is also the Union Minister of State (independent charge) Science & Technology; Minister of State (independent charge) Earth Sciences besides MoS PMO, Personnel, Public Grievances, Pensions, Atomic Energy and Space, was briefing the media about several steps taken to address the shortage of officers in the newly created UT.
He said that due to this relaxation, 22 officers belonging to various services and different cadres were posted in Jammu & Kashmir at various levels at a crucial time.
Dr Jitendra said, “DoPT has played a major role in facilitating induction of Jammu & Kashmir Administrative Services (JKAS) officers into IAS by coordinating with J&K, Ministry of Home Affairs and UPSC. As a result recently 16 officers from JKAS have been inducted into IAS and another 8 such vacancies will be filled up shortly giving opportunities to the JKAS officers to become part of prestigious IAS service after a long gap of 12 years.”
The Minister also added that mid-career training of JKAS officers of various seniority was carried out in collaboration with LBSNAA and this provided a new level of exposure to the JKAS Officers and more than 200 offices.
Dr Jitendra also listed some initiatives by the Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pension, Government of India like special concessions or incentives to the central government employees working in Kashmir valley in attached and subordinate offices or PSUs falling under control of central government. He said, “They have been extended special concessions for a period of 3 years w.e.f. August 1, 2021 and the incentives include an additional house rent allowance, composite transfer grant, per diem allowance, incentive for period of temporary duty, messing allowance, facility to draw pension at place of settlement in relaxation of relevant provisions.”
He also informed that the Department of Administrative Reforms & Public Grievances (DARPG) in Ministry of Personnel had helped the J&K government to switch over to online functioning, as a result of which the J&K exchequer would save over Rs 200 Cr incurred in transport of records etc during Darbar Move.
The Minister also informed that the facility for retention of general pool accommodation available to officers, who served in central government, was also extended to officers posted in Jammu and Kashmir on the pattern of North East states.
Dr Jitendra said, “In view of home LTC, it can be availed to visit J&K and Ladakh for which guidelines have been notified by DoP&T and this will enhance tourism to Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh and also provide an opportunity to all central government employees to visit J&K and Ladakh.”
Apart from the above measures, he said, three national conferences on ‘Good governance’ were held in J&K covering hundreds of J&K employees. He said that the best practices from J&K and all over the country were showcased and about 800 J&K government officers were trained on effective handling of public grievances.
The Minister also informed that the District Good Governance Index was launched from J&K for bringing about healthy competition between districts to achieve the goal of saturation of citizen services and improving developmental activities in districts. Moreover, 4 policy papers related to good governance were sponsored in J&K encouraging new models for development in the challenging scenario of J&K.
He said that the government headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi was giving high priority to J&K and there was no dearth of support forthcoming, as far as the Centre was concerned.
