Dear Editor,
This is in reference to the news regarding qualifieing IAS examination by a number of candidates of Jammu and Kashmir state which is a matter of pride for us.A number of congratulations are also appearing in many newspapers including state times.It reflects that the people keep a lot of expectations from the young officers and it should also be true.
Although all of the officers are not alike, yet we can hardly expect any maricle from these people. To my own knowledge and experience, most of the officers use to follow their predecessors and don’t bother to introduce any innovative reforms. So for as the office of deputy commissioner is concerned, most of rural people remain visiting these offices for the petty affairs and often get their needful done by means of palm greasing. There remains no provision for common masses to meet the Deputy Commissioner personally. However, the present Deputy Commissioner, Rajouri, Dr Shahid Iqbal Chowdhury is an exceptional IAS officer who has developed a very sound system of public grievances redressal. Even the poorest of the poors can see him personally.
But there are officers who develop social distance even from their parents and other close relatives. They are the victims of superiority complex. What to expect from such crazy persons?
Take example of the Revenue department mostly headed by the IAS and KAS officers and is infamous for rampant corruption. It is the responsibility of these officers to check corruption in this department.
Let us look into the plight of civil secteriate. It is the head of administration of the state government and headed totally by the IAS officers, but it seems to be the biggest den of corruption. There is no rule and principles of disposal files. The poor people use to visit sectariate repeatedly in connection with their respective purpose, but have to return with sullen face.
There were no more than seventy gazetted officers in our department of Horticulture Planning and Marketing, but there was no seniority list of these officers. In this connection, we met and requested all of the Commissioners from time to time including Sonali Kumar, Iqbal Khande, Dr Samoun and so on. But could not get any thing achieved. No DPC, no promotions due to non availability of seniority list. Consequently, all of officers are suffering till date. If this is the plight of some gazetted officers, what to expect about the grievance redressal of common rural masses! As the task of preparing and maintaining the seniority lists of gazetted officers is the main responsibility of the IAS officer, it is their duty to get the DPC conducted on due time, but there prevails law of uncertainty confusion in concerned offices of civil sectariate. To my personal knowledge and experience, the concerned authorities don’t listen to the grievances of the aggrieved officials and the representations submitted by them are neither replied nor disposed off’. However, if we seek some quiry from the defence authorities, We will get a reply which is not possible in our state sectariate.
Hence, we must hope that the new entrants would try their best to introduce desired changes in the administration.Let us hope for the best.
O. P Sharma
Bagnoti (Nowshera)
