J K Govt to honour honest officers with gold and cash on I.DAY

Jammu, Aug 12 (UNI) The Jammu and Kashmir government will honour the honest officers of the state with gold medals, cash awards and out of turn promotions on Independence day while the corrupt officers would have to bear the brunt of stern action, Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad today said.

Speaking after inaugrating the first phase of state of art government college of engineering and technology at Chack Bhalwal near here today, he said that the drive against the corruption would be intensified. ''However, the dedicated, honest, outstanding and performing officials will be awarded with 22 carat gold medals weighing 30 grams each, a cash prize of one lakh one thousand rupees, a citation and out of turn promotions on independence day,'' he said.

Mr Azad said he wanted people of such high character and honesty, who could categorically refuse to do any wrong,'' even if it has been recommended by the highest political boss.'' ''The magnitude of corruption in the state could be well imagined that soon after taking over as Chief Minister, I discovered that works to the tune of Rs 1800 crores had been launched without government sanction and administrative approval,'' he said adding that this business has no place now in the functioning of government.

Mr Azad said that he has given directions that no work should be started without government sanction and administrative approval so that every work indentified would get ample funding and ad-hoc allotment of funds to schemes is done away with and works get completed within a fixed time frame. ''The directions are also given for administrative approval and financial concurrence to the schemes within ten days of its sanctioning,'' he said.

Transpost Minister Mangat Ram Sharma, Road and Bridge Minister Gulchain Charak and local MLA Moola Ram also addressed the gathering on this occasion.

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