Govt to revisit decisions on ‘backdoor’ appointments

 

Srinagar: Amid growing clamor over illegal recruitments in various departments, the Jammu and Kashmir government is likely to review the appointment of the Consultants, Mission Directors and a Commissioner.

Officials said that Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti is going to hold a meeting of top officials next week to review the appointments, which have triggered a public outcry.

“There is a need for review. We have to see whether a due process of selection has been followed in these appointments,” a senior official in civil secretariat said. He said that successive governments have been appointing consultants but the appointment of Mission Directors or Commissioners is a brazen violation of rules.

He said that the recently appointed ‘Mission Directors’ may be demoted to the level of consultants or stat co-coordinators.

In an unprecedented move, the J&K government has appointed Commissioner Disability, Iqbal Lone, State Engagement Officer for National Skill Development Corporation, Kahkashan Anjum, Mission Director Skill Development, Peer Ghulam Nabi and Mission Director Integrated Child Protection Scheme (ICPS) Hilal Ahmad Bhat without following a due process.

However, Bhat was demoted to the post of the state coordinator of the scheme on Monday.

Notably, the 2010-IAS topper Shah Faesal also questioned the appointment process adopted by the J&K government in recruiting these consultants and Mission Directors.

“I have no problem if young people are brought into Government through lateral entry, backdoor, consultancy – call it whatever route – as long as due process of selection is followed for getting them in,” Faesal wrote on his Facebook.

Faesal has said if the idea is to bring in experts then let ‘real experts’ come in through a transparent, competitive process.

“But if lateral entry means salary and protocol arrangements for greenhorns, business partners or personal and ideological favorites then this process can destroy the leftover faith that our youngsters have in the system and for a state like ours that is too huge a cost to pay.”

Flouting all recruitment norms, the PDP-BJP Government without advertising the posts has also appointed over a dozen consultants in various departments.

Officials said that government resorted to “pick and choose” method and most of these consultants have close links with the politicians of the ruling political parties.

Faesal has said that a debate is going on presently in the entire country about lateral entry system. “Lot of people think, IAS officers don’t want lateral entry into government service. That’s not the case. At least I have no problem with it as long as it is done correctly,” he said.

Meanwhile, criticizing these appointments the KAS Officers Association said its officers were feeling marginalized by the recent posting of non-cadre officers and some professionals against cadre posts without following proper norms.

“The KAS officers feel that such practice not only erodes the sanctity of merit but poses a question mark on the credibility of our prestigious institutions.”

The Association expressed hope that in coming days the remaining non-cadre officers and those appointed without following due procedure will also be replaced by KAS officers.

 

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