Jammu and Kashmir administration has ordered officers including deputy commissioners to reach out to people at grassroots level, conduct public hearings, and send monthly reports to the Chief Secretary.
The order was aimed at resolving public issues and was issued following the taking over this month of senior IAS officer Atal Dulloo as the new chief secretary of Jammu and Kashmir. According to the order issued by Commissioner Secretary, General Administration Department, Sanjeev Verma, secretaries should conduct a tour every fortnight and conduct public hearing three days a week between 3 pm and 4 pm, except Wednesday.
Similarly, the heads of departments, including the deputy commissioners, have been ordered to conduct a tour every week and hold public hearing three days a week, except Wednesday. “It shall be ensured that the above schedule is followed in letter and spirit as far as possible and no official meetings and engagements shall be scheduled on the tour days and public hearing hours,” Verma said in the order.
Verma demanded the monthly reports by administrative secretaries, highlighting issues flagged during these tours and public hearings with their possible solutions, be submitted directly to the Chief Secretary and those by the heads of departments to their respective departments.
