J&K CM Omar directs officials to ban re-employment, extensions

Jammu: Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Tuesday directed officials to completely ban re-employment, extensions, additional charges and attachments, except under extraordinary circumstances, by the general administration department.
He also called for linking the Samadhan grievance redress system with the Chief Minister's Public Services Outreach Office, emphasising its potential for public benefit.
Abdullah chaired a high-level meeting to review the department's functioning, including key administrative aspects.
A spokesperson said the chief minister reviewed the functioning of the Public Service Commission, Service Selection Board, promotions, cadre management, training, transfers and other administrative issues.
To address stagnation among administrative service officers, the chief minister urged the department to propose actionable solutions. "Everyone deserves the opportunity to grow."
Reiterating the need for streamlined governance, Abdullah ordered a complete ban on re-employment, extensions, additional charges and attachments, except in extraordinary circumstances, the spokesperson said.
He specifically called for a review of attachments in the health and medical education and the education departments, asserting, "We must put an end to this practice."
Abdullah also reviewed the status and performance of employees appointed under the prime minister's package for Kashmiri migrants.
Sanjeev Verma, the general administration department's commissioner secretary, presented a detailed overview of its functioning.
"The distribution of posts following the reorganisation must be examined. We need to address the disparities and ensure that Jammu and Kashmir has adequate posts to meet its administrative demands," Abdullah said.
In a separate meeting, Abdullah reviewed the establishment of Raabta, the Chief Minister's Public Services and Outreach Office.
This single-window interface aims to enhance government-citizen interaction and improve grievance redress mechanisms.
"Raabta will serve as a bridge between the government and the people, ensuring timely delivery of public services and enhancing public participation in governance. It is a step towards a more responsive and citizen-centric administration," Abdullah said.
Directing the officials to integrate Raabta with the Samadhan system, he said the integration would ensure "faster resolutions and a more streamlined approach to addressing citizens' concerns".
Abdullah also chaired a meeting to evaluate the civil aviation department's functioning.
A significant portion of the discussion revolved around the subsidised helicopter service operated under the Union home ministry since April 2017. The service connects five approved routes -- three in the Jammu region and two in Kashmir.
The chief minister directed the officials to expand the service to include point-to-point routes, particularly far-flung areas, while ensuring optimal utilisation and sufficient load for each flight.
Abdullah reiterated his commitment to modernising the civil aviation infrastructure, emphasising that improved connectivity would indirectly contribute to the region's economic growth.