STATE TIMES NEWS
JAMMU: Alleging large scale irregularities and malpractices in the functioning of J and K Housing and Urban Development Department, Harsh Dev Singh, Chairman JKNPP and former Minister, has sought the indulgence of the Governor to stem the rot.
Accusing the H and UD Department of misconduct and malfeasance, he said that the schemes of the Union Urban Development Ministry and the funds provided by it were being put to indiscriminate use in violation of the GoI norms and prescribed procedures.
He said that the matter had been reported by him to the Union Ministry who had assured appropriate action but regretfully the same was still elusive.
He said that he had apprised the Union H and UD Minister in his memorandum last month that not only were the central grants being abused in violation of the procedures and guidelines laid down by the GoI, but the employees appointed under the central schemes were being terminated arbitrarily and that too in violation of the High Court orders.
Drawing the attention of the Governor towards the recent advertisement issued by the J and K H and UD, Harsh said that the same was issued in complete disregard for the High Court orders which had issued clear cut interim directions staying the termination of the existing technical experts who had been appointed February 2015 through a proper procedure.
He said that the fresh advertisement was not only violation of the High Court orders but had further violated the guidelines of the GoI pertaining to selection criteria, age of incumbents, emoluments, population of cities for HFA implementation, experience, State/city cadres etc.
Harsh regretted that the harassment of the existing technical experts had started immediately after the formation of government in March, 2015 with the BJP-PDP dispensation averse to the continuance of the said candidates appointed during Governor’s rule. He said that their appointment was opposed by the said dispensation on the pretext that the RAY scheme under which they had been appointed had been converted into HFA scheme and hence their services were no longer required.
He said that after harassing the said appointees for a few months they were eventually dis-engaged on frivolous grounds at the behest of the than BJP Minister.
Describing the logic of the Housing Department for disengagement of the said regularly appointed youth as absurd and contrary to the canons of equity and jurisprudence, Harsh called for revocation of the termination orders of the said youth at the earliest.
He said that it was unheard that change in the nomenclature of the scheme should be a ground for dis-engagement of duly appointed youth. He said that the helmsman wanted to recruit their favorites by dis-engaging the regularly appointed candidates which was intolerable besides being legally untenable.
He cautioned the H and UD Department to roll back its dis-engagement order as the Panthers would no longer tolerate any further exploitation of the educated youth.
He further expressed his dismay that while the regularly appointed educated youth were dis-engaged, the retired persons re-appointed by the govt. under RAY have been allowed to continue in HFA.
Strongly condemning the highly unfair and mischievous conduct of the H and UD Department, Harsh Singh appealed to the Governor to personally intervene so as to expose the vested interests and to ensure justice to the aggrieved candidates.
He said that the candidates appointed under RAY scheme could not have been dis-engaged as the spirit of scheme remains the same and only nomenclature has been changed. He said that even GoI vide office order no. 11011/30/2015-HFA-3/FTS 13334 dated 3rd August, 2015 has asked all states government and Union Territories to utilise the resources both human as well as infrastructure of RAY into HFA but the new government refused to entertain the same.
He regretted that whereas all other states had retained their technical cells working previously under RAY and continued them under HFA, the helmsman in J and K for political and other vested interests chose to terminate them.
Harsh further apprised the Governor that the number of cities proposed to develop under HFA had also been increased to 25 including the six cities earlier identified under RAY. He said that requirement of man power and technical experts had also increased but the vested interests wanted to engage all of their favorites at the cost of meritorious candidates. Cautioning the H and UD Department against any further persecution or exploitation of the educated youth Singh said that Panthers Party would fight for the cause of the said aggrieved candidates in Jammu as well as in Delhi till their dis-engagement orders issued arbitrarily and illegally were rolled back and they were re-instated. He further urged upon the Governor to take strict note of the malpractices and irregularities in the department including violations of GoI norms in the functioning of the said department.
