Azad exhorts officials to pull up socks and work effectively

Srinagar, June 27 (UNI) Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad has asked the administration to pull up its socks and accomplish his government's agenda of reaching out to every nook and corner of the state for speedy development.

He called upon the administrative secretaries to act as the necessary hub in the development mechanism for overall progress and prosperity of the state.

Addressing a meeting of the administrative secretaries here, Mr Azad said considering their suitability, merit, dedication and honesty, many local officials were encouraged to be at the helm of affairs in various public interest departments during the recent reshuffle in the administration.

This was also done keeping in view their knowledge about the geo-economic situation along with nature of terrain, climatic diversity and socio-cultural position of the state, he added.

The Chief Minister said the vast experience and guidance of senior IAS officers from outside the state would remain available to the local officials, and asked them to attend to the needs of every part of the state and ensure that every development scheme accrued the required benefits to the people.

Punctuality and commitment to work must be the buzzword in the administration, he said and underlined the importance of monitoring development works. This, Mr Azad said, would not only help complete the works as per specifications within the time-frame, but also provide ample opportunities to the officials to know about the requirements and demands of the people.

It would also help in a big way to formulate schemes and projects consonance with the local requirements, he added.

The Chief Minister directed the officials to promptly attend to the communications received from higher authorities especially from the offices of the Chief Minister and the Chief Secretary.

Mr Azad said that in order to remove all hurdles in making permanent recruitments against available vacancies in various departments, the rules should be finalised and the process set into motion. Similarly, departmental committees should meet periodically to effect promotions of the suitable and deserving officials, he added.

The Chief Minister said recruitment and promotions should be part of routine functioning of the departments and unnecessary delays in these matters should be avoided. Similarly, transfers should be rationalised and the practice of attachment of officials curbed.

About double-shift system, Mr Azad said successful completion of works under this mechanism depends upon the zest and responsibility of the officials concerned.

He said the Prime Minister's ambitious reconstruction plan envisaged large scale public infrastructure development for overall progress and growth of the state.

The Chief Minister also directed all officials to personally monitor court cases and develop a well-versed and permanent system in every department to attend and pursue them.

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