Srinagar, Aug 30: The Chief Secretary, Dr. Arun Kumar Mehta, chaired a review meeting with Deputy Commissioners and officials from various departments, including Jal Shakti, Power Development, and Revenue, emphasizing the launch of “Bhrashtachar Mukt J&K” week from September 4 to 10 . This initiative is geared towards tackling grievances related to water, power, and land in all 20 districts of the region.
The meeting, attended by high-ranking officials including Additional Chief Secretary (ACS) for Home and Jal Shakti, Principal Secretary for Power, Director of the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB), Divisional Commissioners of Kashmir and Jammu, and the Commissioner Secretary for IT, delved into crucial public service aspects.
During interaction with DCs, it was observed that although there were no complaints regarding the contract allocation under the scheme as these were allocated through e-tendering and no contracts have been awarded arbitrarily. This was confirmed by Principal Secretary Jal Shakti Department. It was also noted that there are only four complaints of very petty and local nature which have been received by ACB till date, one related to deployment of number of persons by a PSU, one without any specifics, another related to antecedent of some workers and last related to early completion.
Principal Secretary, Jal Shakti further elaborated that all payments are made after proper physical verification and checks by third party exclusively through PFMS portal. Also, all the details about completed and ongoing projects are available on IMIS portal being monitored by GoI. The CS directed that all the completed and ongoing projects be put in public domain for their scrutiny as well in a simple manner at district level as well.
The meeting also addressed issues surrounding the implementation of Smart Meters, underscoring the need for public awareness campaigns and resolution mechanisms to address any concerns regarding meter readings.
The Chief Secretary issued directives for the launch of the “Bhrashtachar Mukt J&K campaign,” aiming to reinforce the administration’s determination towards a corruption-free Jammu and Kashmir. The campaign chiefly focuses on seamless delivery of water and electricity services, in addition to addressing land-related matters.
Chief Secretary emphasised the active participation from officials, officers, PRIs, and the public during the campaign. Prabhari officers are tasked with highlighting and addressing public concerns within their respective Panchayats and areas.
To facilitate this initiative, the IT Department was instructed to establish a feedback mechanism using Google Forms, collaborating with concerned departments to ensure accurate recording of grievances. Necessary actions under relevant laws will be taken to deter frivolous complaints. The Chief Secretary appealed for active public participation in the pursuit of corruption-free governance.
Underlining the significance of feedback from PRIs and Pani-Samitis, particularly concerning Functional Household Tap Connections (FHTCs), electricity meter issues, and land revenue matters, the Chief Secretary asserted the unwavering commitment to make J&K corruption-free, in line with the LG Administration’s vision. He reiterated that the shift towards digital governance remains pivotal in establishing an immaculate administrative framework in the UT.
