It is highly praiseworthy that the government of J&K has lately waged the war against the corrupt employees and is not excusing anyone for the misdeeds which they have done in the past or doing the same in present context. Of course the tirade against rampant corruption in J&K started with the inception of the BJP Government led by PM Narendra Modi in the year 2014, when he assured the country, ‘Na Khayunga Na Khane Doonga’. This surely has become a turning point in the country as far as prevailing rampant corruption at that time was concerned and J&K being the notorious place with regard to corruption was the one which was to be dealt with special care and hard hands. No doubt that since 2014, the scenario in J&K has changed with so many corrupt officials shown the doors or put behind bars. In this context, the report coming in is telling that the Jammu and Kashmir administration has taken one more necessary step to teach a lesson to the corrupt people in the government sector by ordering the premature retirement of eight employees of the Housing and Urban Development Department (HUDD) on the charges of corruption under Article 226(2) of the Jammu and Kashmir Civil services Regulations. Reportedly, the charges against the eight officers were confirmed by the Departmental Committees and were upheld by the designated review committee under Article 226(2), which includes misappropriation of funds, falsification of records and raising fake bills, allowing illegal constructions, committing financial irregularities and making illegal appointments during their tenure in various Urban Local Bodies (ULBS). It is pertinent to mention that Article 226(2) of the Jammu and Kashmir Civil Services Regulations, 1956 allows the government employees to be retired in “public interest” upon completing the 22 years of qualifying service or attaining 48 years of age. Such employees are retired with a three-month notice or three months of pay. However, they retain their pension benefits. The step taken by the government should be taken as deterrent by others who are still in jobs and indulge in corruption because they could be the next in the line as the government is reluctant to act against all the delinquents working in the government departments because corruption free dispensation is the ultimate aim of the centre and the UT dispensation and sooner than later this will be ensured in the UT of J&K.
