Srinagar, May 16: The Federation of Chambers of Industries Kashmir (FCIK) has accused the General Administration Department (GAD) of ignoring industry-related departments in the replacement of officers, notably General Managers in Kashmir Division's District Industries Centres (DICs).
In a statement, FCIK said that most of the DICs remained without full-time General Managers from time to time during the past 3 years resulting in great inconvenience caused to both existing and prospective entrepreneurs disrupting their normal work and process.
“Records reveal that 7-8 out of 10 District Industries Centres (DICs) in the valley had been rendered headless from time to time,” stated FCIK adding that neither the pleas made by the concerned department nor the protests of the organisation through media moved the concerned to fill the vacant positions.
“It has been observed that whenever a General Manager was transferred for some other assignment, the position in DIC would be left unfilled,” stated FCIK, adding that it was during the recent mass transfers that some positions in DICs were filled.
FCIK protested that, among others, the two most important DICs of Budgam and Pulwama were currently without full-time General Managers leaving enterprises of the organised industrial estates of Sanat Nagar, Rangreth, Ompora, Budgam, Lassipora, Pulwama, Chatpora,Wuyan, Semporaetc apart from hundreds of units established in unorganised sector in the lurch.
“While the Industrial Growth Centre Lassipora had made J&K proud after it was declared as South Asia’s largest apple grading-storage Centre recently, hundreds of enterprises housed in the estate continued to suffer on account of a full-time General Manager”, FCIK said.
“Besides General Managers, the industry in Kashmir also suffered on account of frequent transfer of the Directors of I&C Kashmir during past three years” stated FCIK. “While the incumbent Director of I&C Jammuwas holding the post since December 2018, the Kashmir Division witnessed transfer of about 6 Directors during the same period” observed FCIK, adding that currently I&C Kashmir was being looked after by an officer of another department as his additional assignment.
FCIK stated that while GAD was primarily responsible for the placement of necessary staff in all industry-related departments it couldn’t be shied away from by making stop-gap arrangements for a department considered crucial and important for industrial development and employment generation.
“A set of officers having a clear understanding of industrial promotion and dynamism in approach needed to be put in charge of various positions in the Directorate and DICs for a longer duration of not less than 2-3 years”, observed FCIK
FCIK hoped GAD now acted on necessary permanent placements for ensuring a considerable degree of internal cohesiveness through well-meaning and accountable bureaucracy to accomplish and foster the ambitious industrialization process launched by the GOI and Governments of Jammu and Kashmir with an ambitious incentive scheme of Rs 28400 crore.
“In case the bureaucratic hurdles and deficiencies in necessary staff continued without any check and accountability, the same can prove detrimental for the ambitious plan” observed FCIK adding that the industrialization programme would not only require dynamic staff but would also require restructuring of the whole hierarchy in industries department with a clear chain of command that decided about matters rapidly and also delegates powers to subordinate team members.
