Impropriety in promotions of BDOs; Raj Bhavan seeks report from Secretary RDD

Sumit Sharma Early Times Report  (23/09/2015) Jammu, Sept 22: On the basis of news report published in Early Times on 10/July/2015 regarding promotion of 23 Gram Sevaks as Block Development Officers in Rural Development Department, J&K Raj Bhavan (Governor's Secretariat) has sought report from the secretary Rural Development Department.In a communiqué dated 30/July/2015 vide letter no. 744(G)Apl/15/3944 addressed to Khurshid Ahmad Shah, IAS, the secretary Rural Development Department, OP Bhagat, Additional Secretary to governor has asked the officer for factual report in the matter. It is pertinent to mention here that in its edition dated 10/July/2015, ET had reported about the Violation of General Administration Department (GAD) circular about promotion of the in-service employees and how does the Rural Development Department had granted back-to-back promotions to some 'blue-eyed' employees within short span of their appointment. In the news report it was also mentioned that the 23 village level officers were promoted from Gram Sevaks to Inspectors and then BDOs within two years.Among the Gram Sevaks are those who were promoted twice within months, raising question mark on the credibility of the department. Their promotions were approved on the basis of acquiring higher educational qualifications. Amazingly, the degrees these Gram Sevaks submitted in their support were from the universities which reportedly do not fulfill the UGC guidelines and are not competent to award such degrees/courses. Further, no prior permission was taken by the incumbents from department to pursue further degrees, sources alleged.The news report had also exposed the RDD that was about to affect 25 more promotions on such fake or unverified degrees in sheer violation of the SRO issued by Higher Education Department, in which it has been made amply clear that only those degrees are recognized which are authenticated by Jammu or Kashmir University," sources said. Moreover the GAD had earlier issued an SRO/Circular (558-GAD) regarding promotion of the in-service employees to the next rank on the basis of acquiring higher educational qualification. In the said SRO the GAD has cautioned that all the departments have to be careful while allowing promotions and the department must ensure proper verification and authentication of such degrees. Moreover, the GAD has also asked for conducting written test for in-service candidates aspiring promotions," the sources added.Meanwhile, ET has also learnt that many a technical degrees held by the officers and officials of the RDD are fake or unverified. RTI activist Raman Sharma has demanded a Judicial Probe in this promotion scam of RDD where promotions have been approved on the basis of fake documents submitted by the officials and officers.