Introduction
The StateAdministrative Council (SAC) in September 18, 2018 affected a majoradministrative restructuring by transferring powers like expenditure allocationfrom the Planning Development & Monitoring Department (PD&MD) to theFinance Department. The department (PD&MD) which is performing the dutieswith great dedication from last more than five decades, having technical cadrestrength of more than 3000, has been divested of its primary functions with thetransfer of core functions to the Finance Department.
The decision of SAC,though wisely taken as per the wisdom, has left the personnel of E&S Cadreinto state of uncertainty. It has been well said that change is always good anda constant too, but is painful for the employees and their resistance a naturaland normal phenomena. It is more so when the roadmap is invisible, both interms of the functions to be performed and career progression looked at by theaffected employees.
Aftermath
After the SAC decision, it was made understandable thatjudicious use of manpower available in both Finance and Planning departmentswould be ensured through a complete restructuring of the Finance Department tomake best possible use of the otherwise, strong manpower base available in thePD&MD. However, the restructuring process is yet to start and nobody knowswhen and who will initiate the same, whether GAD or Finance. The bitter truthis that a job half done is as good as none.
The two erstwhile divisions of PD&MD (Area Planning andPP Division) stands shifted to Finance along with workforce and renamed asDevelopment Expenditure Division-I and Development Expenditure Division-II. Nodoubt that these two divisions are functioning under Finance Department and aremanned by the staff of E&S cadre, but the question remains that until nownothing has been made public in black and white, about the future role of theemployees of E&S service.
Though the government constituted a committee comprisingPrincipal Secretary, Finance as Chairman and Principal Secretary, PD&MD andCommissioner/ Secretary, GAD as its members for looking into restructuringprocess and recommending the deployment of PD&MD staff across the twodepartments. But the report/ recommendations of the said committee are stillawaited despite lapse of considerable time period. The picture alone, withoutthe written word, leaves half the story untold.
The employees of the E&S service showed indignationagainst SAC decision and through the medium of representations requested theauthorities for taking care of all concerns of the cadre particularly withregard to their career progression and job profile. The dilemma confronting thecadre over the months due to the SAC decision has created chaos and bitternesswithin the cadre which has also resulted into litigations.
The non-gazetted employees of the E&S cadre held elections recently and elected its union with full mandate to represent the cadre before the government for an amicable resolution of the dilemma confronting the cadre as a result of the SAC decision.
The J&K Non Gazetted Statistical Employees Association in coordination with J&K Civil Secretariat Employees Union pursued the issue vigorously with the government and had several interactions/ meetings with Administrative Secretary, GAD, PD&MD, Finance and Chief Secretary, J&K for taking care of future career of the employees of the cadre. Even though a copy of the roadmap (draft) covering all the concerns of the E&S cadre was also shared and submitted to the authorities, but no substantial progress has been made in the matter. The draft proposals purportedly stress and suggest on the following:-
Complete merger of the two Departments (PD&MD and FD)with rational distribution of work among the two services and one option wascreation of two divisions in each department/ organization, one dealing withRevex Budget and other dealing with Capex Budget; or
having Integrated Finance Division in all the departmentswith the personnel from E&S Cadre as well as Accounts Cadre to be headed ByDirector Planning or Director Finance or as the case may be depending upon thequantum of Revex or Capex Budget.
Process of amalgamation
The PD&MD and FD with overlapping responsibilities are ripe for merger; because the planning and resource allocation functions would be more harmonious and logical.
The body allocating resources logically should also monitor the utilization of resources and fix accountability for the same. The allocation of resources at one place and monitoring at other may not be that effective.
Besides this, the effective use of staff available in both departments would be ensured through complete restructuring of the Finance Department. Otherwise, strong manpower base available in the Planning, Development & Monitoring Department would feel de-motivated due to perceived loss of their core functions.
Aimed at improving governance and maximizing administrative efficiency, the move to merge and reorganize various government departments has gained momentum throughout the country.
The configuration of the departments outside the secretariat is not being changed and different HoDs continue to head different departments even after they are put together in one group at the secretariat level. The departments concerned are being asked and informed about the proposed re-organization/ merger to seek their comments and objections before taking final call on the issue.
Departments with more or less common functions like the Planning and Finance department can also be put together under one Financial Commissioner or Principal Secretary with two Secretaries heading Planning and Finance.
But, in J&K the case is totally reverse and no one from planning department had been asked for comments or objections, before taking this imperative decision in SAC.
However, when the Government of J&K has taken the decision and still is in the process of implementation, it would be in the fitness of things that a thorough exercise is carried out to allot functions not purely on secretarial grounds but on methodological and proficient lines to do justice to the E&S cadre. Employees who are affected by change must not feel as if they are being manipulated but should feel to be part of the whole process.
Finale
The government’s decision of increasing the functionalmandate of Finance Department and constricting the PD&MD to a virtualnon-entity is uncalled-for. Change for the sake of it does not bring thedesired results to the organization. The government must reconsider itsdecision after going through all pros and cons and role of E&S cadre of notjust highly qualified but relevantly qualified employees.
The members of the cadre are actually not opposed to thebasic decision of the government of making Finance Department as sole organresponsible for resource mobilization and its distribution/ allocation fordevelopment. However, the nonexistent roadmap for the E&S cadre is aconcern for all of us and the responsibility of the government for fair dealingin the matter.
Manzoor Qadir is Statistical Officer, PD&MD