Amid Covid scare, Civil Secretariat reopens in Srinagar Focus on accountability, LG draws up Admin Secys’ weekly schedule

J&K all set for reopening Tourism, guidelines being issued

SRINAGAR: The Civil Secretariat—the seat of J&K government-- reopened in this summer capital on Monday, delayed for over two months due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, and in a departure from 148-year-long traditional, as the secretariat remains open in winter capital Jammu as well and departments split between twin capitals.

Contrary to the previous years, when opening of Darbar would assumes the significance of a festival, the event passed off quietly, without much fanfare, even as the media persons were not allowed inside the Civil Secretariat.

On day one, Lieutenant Governor, Girish Chandra Murmu stressed on developing a robust mechanism for proper tracking of files to complement the government’s resolve of ensuring responsive and accountable government, besides close monitoring of developmental works and their speedy execution, and releasing of pending payments under various schemes on priority.

The Lt Governor, who was chairing a high level meeting of Administrative Secretaries, also charted out their weekly schedule, directing them to undertake field visits at least once a week.

In the meeting, the LG also directed for reopening tourism sector in Jammu and Kashmir soon, even as government spokesman Rohit Kansal said that the UT administration will issue detailed guidelines and Standard Operating Procedures in this regard shortly.

In the meeting, the Lt Governor directed the Administrative Secretaries to increase the field visits, with minimum one field visit every week to get first hand appraisal of the status of developmental works, expedite all the ongoing development works for their early completion and submit Utilization Certificates (UCs) of works done from time to time.

For half of the days of the week, the administrative secretaries would meet public in the Secretariat or HoD offices, even as they have been directed to earmark time for meeting public representatives too.

In the meeting which was also attended by BVR Subrahmanyam, Chief Secretary among other senior officers, Murmu further directed Administrative Secretaries to release the pending payments under various schemes targetted for individual beneficiaries on priority, besides release of wages of contractual and daily wagers within one week’s period.

The Lt Governor emphasized on developing a robust mechanism for proper tracking of files to complement the government’s resolve of ensuring responsive and accountable government. He observed that the Government is committed to holistic development of the UT to meet the aspirations of the people of J&K and called for coordinated efforts at all levels of the administrative setup in this direction.

He also asked the Administrative Secretaries to take all the requisite measures for improving public delivery mechanism and continue working with dedication and zeal for the welfare of the public.

In view of the persistent demand of people for making available minor minerals, the Lt Governor asked the concerned officers to explore modalities for immediate short term mining permits at local levels to ensure that people do not suffer due to paucity of minor minerals.
Earlier in the morning, as the move offices formally re-opened, for the first time in the last several decades, the government organized a traditional folk music event to welcome the annual Darbar move in Kashmir.

The folk music show was organized by Srinagar Municipal Corporation (SMC) to revive the rich and old-aged cultural activity and attract dignitaries of Darbar move.

The move offices were closed in Jammu on June 26, where they reopened on July 1 as in an unprecedented move, the government has decided to keep the Darbar functional at both Jammu and Srinagar.

The government has already split up the departments between the twin capitals of the union territory, from where they would function primarily starting from July 6, and has also issued the roster of Administrative Secretaries.

As many as 21 departments which will function primarily from Srinagar secretariat, while 16 would work from Jammu secretariat along with their records, even as two departments would work from both the capitals.

However, short of officers since long, the government had also notified the primary headquarters for 24 officers, working as administrative secretaries of these departments. These officers will remain stationed at their primary headquarters, but will also remain present in their ‘non-primary’ headquarter for at least 10 days each month, the administration ordered.

The primary headquarters of 15 administrative secretaries has been notified in Srinagar while nine officers would remain headquartered in Jammu. This means that at least six crucial departments would remain unattended for up to 20 days each month.

The Coronavirus pandemic has forced a departure from 148-year-old practice, as the Jammu and Kashmir government decided against the Darbar Move--the shifting of the Civil Secretariat, the seat of the government. On April 10, the government ordered the formal opening of the annual Darbar Move offices in summer capital Srinagar on May 4 but also kept the civil secretariat in Jammu functional while directing that only employees of the Kashmir Division, who are required to move to Srinagar on account of the Darbar Move, would be transported while employees of the Jammu division will work on an ‘as is where is’ basis. The order was again modified within a week, as the administration announced that the formal opening of the Darbar at Srinagar will now take place on June 15, but on June 8, it deferred the date to July 6.

"This arrangement is a peculiar one which is being adopted this year only keeping in view the circumstances arisen due to outbreak of Covid- 19 pandemic," the government said.

Darbar Move is the name given to the bi-annual shift of the secretariat and all other government offices of Jammu and Kashmir from one capital city to another. From May to October, governmental offices are housed in the state's summer capital, Srinagar, and the other six months in its winter capital, Jammu.