Srinagar: The Administrative Council (AC) which met here under the chairmanship of the Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha, has approved the strengthening of Audit & Inspection Department by creating 54 posts at various levels to ensure establishment of District Audit Offices in each district, an official press release informed Thursday.
It said the decision is aimed at making the audit exercise more effective, decentralized and broad based to enhance the coverage of government offices and bring accountability in governance. Internal audit of various government entities will be held periodically in a phased manner.
The Audit and Inspection Department is an empowered arm of the government for internal audit of government departments and autonomous bodies. The resources of the department will be augmented to take follow-up action on Audit Inspection Report (AIRs) by way of constituting Audit Analysis Monitoring and Follow-up Cells (AMFC) at UT and Divisional level, the press release said.
The AC also approved the proposal of Revenue department to transfer various parcels of land for public purposes.
Farooq Khan and Rajeev Rai Bhatnagar, Advisors to the Lieutenant Governor, Dr. Arun Kumar Mehta, Chief Secretary, J&K and Nitishwar Kumar, Principal Secretary to the Lieutenant Governor attended the meeting.
The AC also approved transfer of 26 hectares of land to CRPF at various places in the Valley for setting up “safe and proper” accommodation to the personnel and their families, an official spokesman said.
He said approval was given to transfer 524 kanal 11 marla (26.23 hectares) of land in favour of CRPF for establishing battalion camping sites in Anantnag, Pulwama and Shopian districts in south Kashmir.
Sharing details, an official handout said approval was also given to transfer 524 kanal 11 marla of land in favour of Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) for establishing battalion camping sites at Village Brah, Tehsil Shangus, in Anantnag; Village Jummo, Tehsil Pahalgam, in Anantnag; Village Subhanpahari, Tehsil Bijbehara, also in Anantnag; Village Allowpora Sheikhpora, Tehsil Keegam, in Shopian, Village Zawoora Baderhama, Tehsil Shopian, in Shopian distrct; Oukhoo in Tehsil Kakapora in Pulwama, Village Kadlabal, Tehsil Pampore, in Pulwama, and Village Koil, Tehsil Pulwama, also in Pulwama district.
“The land will be transferred against the payment as per the stamp duty rates notified for 2021. It will provide for safe and proper accommodation to CRPF personnel and their families,” it said.
It also said the Administrative Council also approved transfer of land measuring one hectare in favour of the police department for construction of SDPO Office and Litter police station in Pulwama district.
“Moreover, sanction was also accorded to the transfer of six hectares of land in Kupwara, Baramulla and Budgam districts in Kashmir division in favour of Department of Disaster Management Relief, Rehabilitation and Reconstruction for construction of 1BHK tenements for Kashmiri migrant employees appointed under the PM’s Development Package,” it added.
In yet another decision, the AC approved the transfer of state land measuring two kanal at Udhampur in favour of Ministry of Statistics & Programme Implementation, Government of India to build the sub-regional office building of National Sample Survey Office (NSSO). The land will be transferred on payment of Rs 13,20,000.
Currently, the Field Operation Division (FOD) of National Sample Survey Office has its regional offices in Jammu & Srinagar with their sub-regional offices in Udhampur, Anantnag and Baramulla districts which are housed in rental buildings.
Opening up of regional and sub-regional offices with adequate infrastructure will go a long way in strengthening people’s participation in policy formulation and execution, the press release said.
