Good Governance is one of the most important factors in eradicating poverty and promoting development across the world through a more transparent, responsive and accountable dispensation in place.
Keeping pace with its commitment of extending good governance to people of Jammu and Kashmir, the Lieutenant Governor’s administration has institutionalized a slew of good governance initiatives in the Union Territory. LG administration has adopted a mantra of zero tolerance against corruption, nepotism and discrimination against minorities in J&K so that voices of the most vulnerable in society are heard and given due recognition.
In India some remarkable steps were initiated by the government for ensuring good governance in all parts of the country. A multitude of good governance reforms have been initiated in J&K by the Modi Government like Prevention of Corruption Act, Abolition of Interviews for Group C and D posts besides more than 800 Central Laws have been made applicable to J&K after it got the status of Union Territory. The long pending cadre review, establishment of CAT benches, Extension of RTI Act, CPGRAMS and conduct of common eligibility test through the National Recruitment Agency at every district headquarter in the UT besides other similar pro-people measures.
In a significant move, through the Mission Karmayogi, capacity building of 2000 civil servants in collaboration between National Centre of Good Governance (NCGG) and IMPARD is being undertaken. Remarkably, in a first of its kind initiative, this year around 60 senior officers of JKAS were deputed to LBSNAA, National Centre for Good Governance (NCGG), Department of Administrative Reforms and Public Grievances (DARPG), GoI for capacity building.
Likewise, the Aspirational District Program has been fruitful in improving the governance in India’s under-developed districts. Under the statesmanship of Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, India adopted the “Minimum Government Maximum Governance” paradigm which is being cited and commended all over the world with civil servants from across the world visiting India to pursue internships.
In J&K, Lieutenant Governor’s administration is institutionalizing several good governance initiatives. J&K has become the first Union Territory in India to implement the District Good Governance Index (DGGI). It is likely to be adopted pan India by DARPG as a replication of the best governance practices. The development of DGGI as a tool to assess the status of governance in the UT of J&K is a path breaking initiative taken up by DARPG as a follow up to declaration of ‘Behtar Nizami-Hukumat Kashmir Aelamia’ adopted recently by J&K in collaboration with DARPG.
Under DGGI, emphasis is being given on incorporating more indicators especially with regard to District Plan and Execution of Works, Self-Employment, Human Resources Development, Sports, etc., keeping in view priorities of the government thus making it a benchmark and a litmus test for effective public service delivery and good governance.
Moreover, with the adoption of e-office, a simplified, responsive, effective and transparent paperless working culture in most of the government offices of Jammu and Kashmir has been established. The e-Office is aiding government departments to enhance the public service delivery by eliminating the delay of files in offices.
To bring efficiency in work of officers of J&K administration, the GAD also introduced Smart Performance Appraisal Report Recording Online Window (SPARROW) system to write and track Annual Performance Reports (APRs) of the officers. The UT government has also launched the Electronic Vigilance Clearance System that furnishes vigilance clearance through electronic/online mode in favour of all the government employees as and when they require it during their service career.
With a vision to establish citizen friendly and corruption free governance, the JKGAD also launched ‘Satark Nagrik App’ through which any ordinary citizen can lodge complaints with the Anti Corruption Bureau (ACB) online.
Keeping its commitment of institutionalising corruption free administration, the JKGAD launched an online portal for e-filing of property returns (PRS-Portal). The new portal facilitates access and monitoring of the property details of all the employees besides facilitating the employees in obtaining timely vigilance clearances.
Also, governance has been handed over to elected representatives in Panchayats after more than 13 years. Thus it can be convincingly said that J&K is coming out of the dark shadows of the past and taking leaps into bright possibilities of the future.
In another remarkable initiative of Good Governance, LG’s Mulaqaat Program was launched to facilitate public/complainants who have filed grievances on JKIGRAMS to directly communicate with Lieutenant Governor. It has been successful as almost 100% grievances raised through this platform have been redressed.
Notably, the present administration of J&K is mainly focusing on ‘On-The-Spot’ grievance redressal, instantaneous delivery of goods and services to the masses and ‘On-The-Ground’ speedy execution of People-Centric projects, which is being observed through the exceptional development works and projects that are currently going on across the Union territory.
