Avinash Azad
Director Agriculture and Farmer’s Welfare Jammu has reportedly flouting government order of not affecting any transfer and adjustment of Gazetted officers will be affected at directorate level. The administrative department, Agriculture Production Department has time and again warning the heads of departments of APD has restrained them of affecting transfer and posting of Gazetted officers of the department.
“In supersession of all previous orders, it is hereby directed that none of the Head of Departments of Agriculture Production Department shall affect any placement/transfer/adjustment of Gazetted officers at their own level, henceforth. Non-compliance of these orders shall be viewed seriously and delinquent officer(s) shall be proceeded against in accordance with provision of CCA and Conduct Rules”, Govt order no 26-Agri of 2018, dated 02/02/2019 read.
Despite above mentioned order, the Director Agriculture Jammu in March 2019 issued transfers and posting orders seven officers, but was stayed by the administrative department. In June 2020 again, Naveen Kumar Choudhary, the then Principal Secretary, Agriculture Department through a circular directed Head of department to no affect any transfer and posting of Gazetted officers.
“It has come to the notice of the Administrative Department that Head of Departments (HOD’s) under administrative control of this department are assigning the additional charges/look after charges of the higher posts to the officers of the departments at their own level without seeking prior permission/approval of the competent authority”, Govt circular no 01/Agri of 2010, dated 11/06/2020 read.
“It is, therefore, impressed upon all the HODs under the administrative control of this department that no such arrangements shall be made by the HoDs without prior approval of the HODs without prior approval of the competent authority be rescinded forthwith and refrains themselves from issuing such orders in future”, the circular added. In October 2020, the then Director Agriculture Jammu order transfer of three Area Development Officers vide order number 142/DAJ/ of 2020, dated 29/10/2020. On 5th October 2021, vide order number 228/DAJ/ of 2021 the incumbent Director Agriculture Jammu, transferred two officers and promoted an officer vide order number 28/DAJ of 2022 dated 15/02/2022.
Additional Chief Secretary, Agriculture Production Department, Atal Dulloo couldn’t be contacted for his comments over arbitrary orders being issued by the Director APD Jammu.
Even Chief Agriculture Poonch assigned the charge of SDAO to the AEO, when sub. divisional level officers are available in the sub division. An AEO is using the powers of DDO without any order of HOD or commissioner, which is the order/requirements of finance department.
Thank you sir, i will explore this issue as well.
It has become the practice of Agricultural HOD’s to issue transfers or additional charges orders of Gazetted officers leaving APD aside. Whereas APD has categorically ordered that they will not interfere in Gazetted class . Due to some reasons APD closes eyes when such acts take place. After a long time such truthful article with courage has been written I really appreciate it.