GAD’s bid to outsource translation of government orders draws flak

Saroj Razdan. Updated: 5/12/2022 12:35:24 PM Front Page

Despite spending crores on salary of own ‘cells’, services not utilised

Jammu: LG Manoj Sinha led government’s order to get all orders and documents translated into four languages other than English has drawn a flak as not a single order has been issued or seen on any website to this day even as e-tenders for the purpose were invited twice last year.
GAD’s bid to outsource this work to the Arts and Cultural Academy has not yielded any result even as government is spending salaries in crores of rupees to its own ‘battery’ of translators deputed or accommodated in various departments who are sitting idle or doing works unrelated to their posts.
Sources said notwithstanding its own cells of translators in various departments, the government outsourced translation work of important orders and other documents into four other official languages –Hindi, Urdu, Dogri and Kashmiri to Cultural Academy since there was no response to inviting e –tenders. It may be recalled translation of all government orders and documents into these languages was mandated last year in July by the government in UT of J&K after issuing a proper order to this effect. This was done for the purpose of promotion of all official languages Hindi being the national languages and other regional languages Urdu and Dogri.
E-bids were invited from reputed, well established , financially sound and registered service providers for translation of important statutory orders, government orders and other documents as per GAD order –‘Tender notice for Outsourcing Translation of government documents ‘ dated 14-7-2021. It was a tender with huge details as to scope of work, schedule of requirement, general terms and conditions, rate list etc. but no one came to take up the job even as some terms were relaxed in the subsequent order.
Sources in GAD said there are a number of translators in this department and Law department whose services could have easily been utilized for this work. In addition to these translation cells,there are good number of translators who were accommodated and adjusted from Legislative Council and Legislative Assembly since they do not have work for the last over three years now. Sources said the government is spending huge amount , around Rs 3 crores on their salaries and they are not doing the work of the posts for which they were appointed.
Following no response to E tenders, the government finally outsourced this work JKAACL and entrusted the responsibility of translation of all documents to it early this year. Sources further said GAD had also ordered staff of erstwhile Legislative Council to report to authorities in Academy . Whether they reported or resumed any work is not confirmed but translation of government order or any document is in any of the four languages is yet to be seen.
Updated On 5/12/2022 1:05:58 PM


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