People’s grievances attract prompt action from LG

‘Undue surcharge on electricity bills to be deducted from salary of concerned officials’

Directs withholding salary of Director Social Welfare Kashmir for delaying salaries of teachers

Srinagar: Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha on Thursday directed for withholding the salary of the Social Welfare department’s Director in Kashmir for delaying the release of salary of teachers working in a special school.

Expressing his dismay over the matter, Sinha directed for expediting the process of releasing salaries in favour of the affected teachers.

On being apprised by an applicant from Kulgam about the issue of raising surcharge in his electricity bills without delivering the same to the consumer, the LG during the 5th round of “LG’s Mulqaat- Live Public Grievance Hearing” directed Kashmir Power Distribution Corporation Limited for deducting the undue surcharge from the salary of the officials concerned.

In another case, the LG, according to an official press release, ordered enquiry into unnecessary delays made by J&K Grameen Bank in granting the loan to an applicant.

Similarly, Sinha directed for taking action against the responsible official in a matter raised during the interaction, about ARTO Ramban retaining a vehicle’s RC in an unauthorised manner.

The LG interacted with a total of 22 randomly selected applicants from across the UT, through virtual mode, and took first-hand appraisal of their grievances.

He also sought public feedback on the administration’s efforts in providing on-spot redressal of their grievances.

According to an official press release, Sinha observed that the UT administration is moving forward in its endeavour to strengthen the people-government partnership, where the dispensation is working as a facilitator to the people of J&K.

“Prompt redressal of people’s grievances and accountable, responsive administration is the hallmark of good governance, which should be followed in letter and spirit,” he said.

Sinha sought an immediate response from administrative secretaries, deputy commissioners, SPs and other senior officers of the various government departments and agencies pertaining to the grievances raised by the applicants.

Timelines were also set for taking requisite action for redressing the grievances projected by the applicants, the press release said.

The LG directed the administrative secretaries to ensure that all departmental websites are updated with the latest information.

He also asked the officials concerned to ensure that all educational institutions are connected with the scholarship portals.

Sinha further directed for ensuring on-ground participation of the officers concerned during ‘Block Diwas’.

He also assessed the implementation of directions passed during the previous interactions.

Earlier, Secretary, Public Grievances, Simrandeep Singh briefed the LG on the present status of grievances and gave a detailed overview of the overall functioning of the Jammu and Kashmir Integrated Grievance Redress and Monitoring System (JK-IGRAMS).

BVR Subrahmanyam, Chief Secretary; Nitishwar Kumar, Principal Secretary to the LG; Administrative Secretaries; Divisional Commissioners; Deputy Commissioners, Superintendents of Police, and other senior officers participated in the live public grievance hearing, in person and through virtual mode.

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