STATE TIMES NEWS
JAMMU: The Civil Secretariat and the offices of Heads of Department in Jammu and Kashmir are likely to switch over to a six-day working week, according to reliable sources.
The move will dispense the practice put in vogue decades ago, citing austerity measures, to further streamline the administration and enforce accountability. The step is also seen as a reformative measure to enhance the accessibility of the people to top echelons of the administration for redressal of grievances and expediting official matters in stipulated time frame.
The five-day week was in force in the Durbar Move offices only. However, with the abolition of the 149 year old practice in June 2021 during the gubernatorial tenure of Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha, the working days continued to remain unchanged.
The timing in the Civil Secretariat and the Directorates used to function from 10 AM to 5 AM till October, 2018 when it was revised to 9.30 AM to 5.30 PM. The enhanced timing from November 1, 2018 had been ordered following a decision by the State Administrative Council, headed by the then Governor N. N Vohra.
The sources said the decision with regard to reverting back to a six-working day week in the public interest is expected in the next few days.