From ‘controversial’ appointment as ICPS MD to ‘compelled’ resignation, 7 months, 2 Desgns later

SRINAGAR: Months after his controversial appointment as Mission Director and then demotion as Coordinator Integrated Child Protection Scheme, Hilal Bhat, a child rights specialist in Jammu and Kashmir, has been compelled to quit his job after not getting “congenial atmosphere” to work.

In October last year, Bhat was first appointed as Mission Director ICPS, which created controversy in the state and angered KAS officers. After 17 days Bhat was demoted as State Coordinator. Later, as the controversy cooled down, Bhat was elevated as Chief Executive Officer of the ICPS.

Officials in the Secretariat told The News Now that Coordinator post would not have been effective unless it had powers to deliver.

Bhat, who was working in UNICEF, was appointed as MD ICPS on the recommendation of Social Welfare minister Sajad Lone because of his experience in child rights and issues.

But in the last week, officials in the social welfare department said, Bhat resigned from his job after he was again demoted as State Coordinator from CEO as his relation with the minister "deteriorated".

“He had good bureaucratic support till he was CEO, but recently his relation with Minister for Social Welfare did not go well and he was again demoted as Coordinator and he preferred to quit,” a senior official in the Social Welfare department told The News Now.

“Things were made such difficult for him that he had either to resign or stay redundant there. Of late, he had differences with the minister (Sajad Lone) over some issues,” the official disclosed.

“He was ill-treated and did not get the congenial atmosphere to work for the ICPS,” he added.

Sources said that the main reason for differences were recent recruitments in ICPS. “May be some people wanted their blue-eyed candidates into ICPS,” sources said.

Repeated attempts to reach Bilal Bhat and Sajad Lone did not materilaise as their phones were switched off.
Minister of State for Social Welfare Asiea Naqash termed quitting of Bhat as “part of change”.

“We have brought an officer from KAS cadre,” Asiea told The News Now.

The government has appointed KAS officer Shafat Ahmad as MD of the scheme.

Secretary Social Welfare Department Asif Hamid Khan that Bhat resigned few days ago.
Khan, however, refused to give reasons which compelled Bhat to quit.

“How would I know (why he resigned), let you ask him. It is his decision, he might have got a better option elsewhere,” Khan told The News Now.

Aimed at protection of children from abuse and exploitation and for their holistic growth and development, ICPS after delay of eight years was rolled out in January this year.

The scheme provides financial resources to States and UT Administrations for the effective implementation of the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2000 (JJ Act) and brings together initiatives on child protection, besides financial support of Rs 2,000 per child per month and other safety measures.