Extend 50 per cent special dispensation to AIS in J

Srinagar, July 31 (UNI)) Jammu and Kashmir government has urged the Centre to extend a 50 per cent special dispensation to the All India Services (AIS) in the state.

Speaking to a day-long Kashmir Administrative Service (KAS) officers convention at SKICC here today, Chief secretary C Phunsog said, Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad has written to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to extend the special dispensation in the state for a further period of five years.

This, he said, would provide an opportunity for a large number of officers of the state service to get inducted into the Indian Administrative Service (IAS).

Describing the holding of the convention as culmination of common efforts to broad base the KAS and make it more effective and positive for public service, Mr Phunsog said a premium government service like the KAS, in conjunction with the IAS, is the sheet anchor of state's administration.

The Jammu and Kashmir Administrative Service was initially constituted in 1962, re-structured in 1965 and then in 1976 and 1983 to broad base its cadre base by adding 11 feeding services which were subsequently increased to 18 from the four services in 1965, he said, adding that there had not been any career review of the KAS since 1997.

Mr Phunsog said the duty posts in the cadre of the service have been enhanced from 318 to 406, the number of super time scale from five to ten, special scale from 34 to 72 and selection scale from 103 to 120. This, he said, was expected to accelerate the progression of the members of the service on a scale never witnessed before which gives a reason for all of us to be happy.

The evaluation standards for promotion to the higher levels of the service would be more regress the Chief Secretary said, adding that there could be no compromise on efficiency and integrity.

Yardsticks, particularly for promotion to the Super Time Scale, have to be more exacting some what on the pattern of empanelment of IAS Officers in the Government to the level of Joint Secretary and above.

With a view to speeding up promotions within the KAS, it has been decided to get the select lists recommended by the selection committee approved by the Cabinet only once during its validity period thereby dispensing with the need for submitting a proposal to the Cabinet each time promotions are made, Mr Phunsog said.

''We are all beholden to the Chief Minister for taking personal interest in seeing these reforms through,'' he added.

In the early 90's the state administration particularly the field functionaries had been subjected to unprecedented stress and strain adding that there had been large scale killing, maiming, intimidation and extortion to cripple the service delivery system, he said.

''Despite these, thanks to its grit, it stood the ground like a rock. The resilience shown by the state administration during this period had been truly exemplary,'' he said adding that it is a matter of pride that after the initial ducking, it fully bounced back as quickly as it did.

It was the bounden duty of all to work towards restoring erstwhile glory, the Chief Secretary said adding that let us now solemnly pledge to work ceaselessly towards making the Chief Minister's vision, of a corruption-free, efficient and responsive civil service come true.

UNI