As Govt dusts files to find 12th Information Director in 36 months, media, deptt crave for semblance of stability

BIVEK MATHUR

JAMMU: As the government dust files to post twelfth director of Information Department in three years, the department and the media fraternity are looking towards the new Minister for some semblance of stability.
In less than a month the government has changed the Director of Information thrice and in all probability the incumbent -who is barely two weeks into office -is also being replaced with a newer one. With the latest posting, the Department of Information -the main interface between government and public through its media engagement -will have twelfth director in little over 36 months.
This frequent change has destabilised the media-government relationships and pushed the department of Information into a crisis like situation.
Days after appointing Zulfkar Choudhary as the Minister of the Information Department, state government has assigned the additional charge of the Administrative Secretary of the department on Mohammad Hussain Malik, a KAS officer. Traditionally, Principal Secretary to Chief Minister holds the additional charge of the Information Department.
Through a government order number 646-GAD of 2017 dated May 23, 2017, Mohammad Hussain Malik, KAS, Secretary to the Chief Minister, holding additional charge of the Administrative Secretary, Horticulture Department, has been asked to hold the charge of Administrative Secretary, Information Department.
The News Now sought to know from two senior journalists and a former Director Information about how they see the new trend of CM delinking herself from the Information Department by giving the portfolio to Zulfkar Choudhary or assigning of the additional charge of the department on M H Malik.
This newspaper also asked them whether Zulfkar Choudhary will be a good alternative to handle and regulate the media. They all had separate opinions.
"Information Department is the face of the government and most of the Chief Ministers in the past kept this department with them. I don't think that CM delinking from this department is a good trend actually," Mr Shujaat Bukhari, editor-in-chief of valley based Rising Kashmir newspaper said.
Bukhari however said, "It is open to all that in the last two years of the present dispensation, the information department has remained in crisis which is evident from the transfers of 7-8 directors in this period. So I think Mr Zulfkar may also prove better."
K B Jandial, the former Director Information said, "In case the Chief Minister holds the charge of Information Department, the Administrative Secretary of the department is Principal Secretary. But when the Chief Minister Office has nothing to do with the Information Department, Principal Secretary to CM should also be relieved of the additional charge. So I see nothing strange in this move."
"What is strange to me is that for the first time, as per my knowledge, a KAS officer has been assigned the additional charge of the Information Department because it has never happened in the past," Mr Jandial said.
On whether Zulfkar will prove better, he said, "I don't want to comment on this. But I pity on this government as far as handling of media in Kashmir is concerned. The government failed to utilize the information department as a weapon to restore normalcy in the state by regulating the tone and content of the media in Kashmir."
"So I would say that either the state government, till date, could not understand the importance of the Information Department or failed to use this important department to control and regulate media," the former Director Information said.

2014, JAN: Tassaduq Jeelani, Deputy Excise Commissioner (Executive), Kashmir, is posted Director Information relieving Director Tourism, Jammu, of the additional charge

2014, OCT: Mukhtar-ul-Aziz, KAS, under orders of transfer as Executive Director, Rehabilitation Council, Social Welfare Department, has been transferred and posted as Director, Information, J&K, vice Tasaduq Jeelani. Tasaduq Jeelani, KAS, Director, Information, J&K, has been transferred and posted as Deputy Commissioner, Anantnag

2014, OCT: Soujanya Kumar Sharma, KAS, Director, Tourism, Jammu, is transferred and posted as Director, Information, J&K, vice Mr. Mukhtar-ul-Aziz who is not posted as Director, Panchayati Raj and ex-officio Special Secretary to the Government, Department of Rural Development & Panchayati Raj. But Aziz rushes to the Court and gets a stay on October 20 order.

2015, MARCH: Chief Minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed handpicks Muneer-ul-Islam as new Director Information, Jammu and Kashmir. A PG in mass communication he came with rich experience of working with the media. In 1993, he topped the All Indian Information Services and went for officers special course to IIMC, New Delhi.

2015, AUGUST: Commissioner Commercial Taxes Zaffar Ahmed, IAS, is posted as new Director replacing the previously handpicked Muneer who is now posted as Deputy Commissioner Kulgam. Before joining as Director Information Muneer was ADC but upon removal he gets a step up as DC.


2016, APRIL: Muneer ul Islam is brought back to head the information department after retirement of incumbent Zaffar Ahmed, who was lately designated as Director General.

2016, MAY: Cutting Muneer's tenure to a record 23 days, the government replaced him with Zubair Ahmad as new Director Information. Muneer now gets Pulwama as third district in South Kashmir to serve as Deputy Commissioner.

2016, JULY: Barely two months into office, Zubair is packed off to Home Department and the charge of Director Information is given to Bashir Ahmed Dar, an already overburdened officer who is currently Special Secretary in the Chief Minister's Office.

2016, AUG: Additional Secretary in Chief Minister's office, Dr Shahid Choudhary, who already held additional charge of Tourism Development Corporation is appointed as new Director Information. He is directed to continue with the existing charges as well. Shahid was transferred and posted as Deputy Commissioner Rajouri on April 28, leaving the post of Director Information vacant.

2017, MAY: Mohammad Hussain Malik, Special Secretary in the Chief Minister's Office and also the administrative Secretary of Horticulture Department, is given the additional charge of Director Information.

2017, MAY: Even before Malik could take charge of the department, Dr Arun Manhas, Additional Deputy Commissioner, Jammu, is posted as new Director Information -finally a full time boss. Sources said that a file is currently in movement to have a successor for Arun who is most likely returning to his original posting as Additional Deputy Commissioner, Jammu.