Redefining jurisdiction

18/10/2018

Despite being aware of the fact that vast population in the districts created 11 years back is facing numerous problems; the Government is sleeping over the proposal about redefining the jurisdiction of various departments which was submitted two years back. Shockingly, even serious discussion has not been initiated on addressing the grave issue at any level in the administration. In the year 2007, eight new districts-four each in Kashmir and Jammu divisions were created and their jurisdiction was also properly defined but no attention was paid towards making divisions and sub-divisions of several key developmental departments co-terminus with these administrative units. Due to this, fringe areas virtually emerged as 'no-administration land' and vast population started facing difficulties in getting their grievances redressed in a time-bound manner.
Several areas of Reasi district are still under the control of Power Development Department's divisions and sub-divisions in Rajouri district. Similarly, the forest area of Shiv Khori Shrine falls under Nowshera Forest Division as a result of which in case of any work relating to the Forest Department people are compelled to visit Nowshera. Likewise, several Panchayats of Reasi district are covered under MGNREGA from Udhampur district. For nine long years the affected people continued to knock one after another door in the State administration for removal of this confusion but there was no taker of their grievances. However, in 2016 the then Divisional Commissioner Jammu vide Communication No.902/Div Com/E&S/870-77 dated July 28, 2016 sought proposal from all the Deputy Commissioners particularly those of newly created districts so as to bring an end to the difficulties of the people. All the Deputy Commissioners of Jammu province submitted their respective proposal to the Divisional Commissioner within a period of one month and thereafter the then Divisional Commissioner submitted a comprehensive proposal to the higher authorities for necessary action, sources said, adding similar exercise was also conducted by the then Divisional Commissioner of Kashmir.
It is pertinent to mention here that the then Finance Minister DrHaseebDrabu while admitting that jurisdiction of divisions and sub-divisions of various developmental departments was not co-terminus with the jurisdiction of the administrative units had early this year announced to initiate the necessary groundwork in this regard. He had announced that a group comprising Administrative Secretaries of all the key departments will undertake a comprehensive review of the jurisdiction of divisions and sub-divisions in various development departments so as to bring their jurisdiction in harmony with the administrative units.

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