Make zero tolerance policy against corruption ‘more comprehensive & effective, Govt to officials

Srinagar, Aug 12: The Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha led administration has asked all the administrative heads to make a zero tolerance policy against corruption more comprehensive and effective.
“There are clear cut directions from the government to all secretaries to to make the zero tolerance policy against corruption more comprehensive and effective and carry out the review of all categories of employees in “letter and spirit” and to ensure that immediate action must be taken against any corrupt public servant,” sources in the government told news agency KINS.
Sources said that all departments have been asked to undertake the constant reviews including in public sector undertakings (PSUs)/and autonomous institutions, under their administrative control.
“Government departments have been asked to furnish a regular report to the government of each month, after reviewing the service records of employees as per the guidelines and service rules, sources maintained.
Sources said that the rules allow the government to retire a public servant in public interest “whose integrity is doubtful” and those “found to be ineffective” in working.
The Sinha led administration wants its mission to eliminate corruption from public life and government services to be implemented with greater zeal.
Sources said that the government has also directed all the departments to rotate staff from sensitive to non-sensitive positions and ensure that no official overstays on a particular post without any compelling circumstances.
Moreover, thrust has been laid on strict adherence to the important provisions of the Transfer Policy which was laid down way back in 2010.
About tenure of postings, the policy states: “The minimum tenure for a Government employee on a post shall be two years and a maximum of three years”. In the policy, sufficient thrust has been laid on linking performance of the employees with the transfers, which otherwise has not received due attention till date.
“The Government can order transfer of employees even before the completion of minimum tenure if it is not in public interest or in the interest of the administration to allow the employee to continue on a post for a full term”, read the policy.
“It has come to the notice of the Government that in many departments large numbers of officers/officials are occupying particular posts for the past quite long time although voices were raised over this practice by other employees of the departments and concern was even conveyed to the respective Heads of the Departments”, official sources said.
Sources said that the Chief Secretary had already issued explicit directions to all the departments to rotate staff from sensitive to non-sensitive positions and ensure that no official overstays on a particular post without any compelling circumstances.
“The departments will shift the officers/officials in their respective departments as have completed their term to ensure that no officer/official overstays on a particular post”, sources said quoting the communiqué addressed to all the Administrative Secretaries and Heads of the Departments by the General Administration Department on the directions of the LG Sinha.
They further said, “Specific instructions have been issued for rotation of staff in the education Department after analysis of stay of the officials in the subordinate offices”, adding “Principal Secretary School education, has already started detailed exercise in this regard”.
“The instructions vis-à-vis rotation of staff from sensitive to non-sensitive posts assume more importance in some departments having direct interface with the people and at the same time remain in the limelight for corrupt practices at the field level”, sources said.