Under PDP-BJP coalition rule, Kashmir’s local bureaucracy sidelined

Srinagar: Under the incumbent PDP-BJP coalition government the local IAS officers have been virtually sidelined with many of them sent on insignificant positions and many kept without postings. With this hardly few local IAS officers of J&K cadre are found seated in the civil secretariat the hot seat of power in Jammu and Kashmir.
Critics of the incumbent government’s transfer policy said that the latest blow to the local IAS officers of J&K cadre was the placement of Basharat Saleem an officer of the Commissioner Secretary Rank and Status on a lower position of Director Census Operations and very recently the senior most Kashmiri IAS officer Asgar Samoon was placed on a very insignificant position of Financial Commissioner Revenue.
Barely few days after posting a Samoon like officer of high integrity on an insignificant position the government in yet another surprise move posted Hilal Ahmad Parrey another IAS officer of Commissioner Secretary rank in status as officer on special duty in the General administration department and as such he has been virtually kept attached with the General Administration Department.
The frequent shifting of top IAS officers from the coveted position of Secretary Tourism Department has also created ripples within the local IAS ranks.
Shah Faesal known to be the proud boy of Kashmir in All India Services was early this month unceremoniously removed as MD J&K Power Development Corporation and then elevated from additional secretary tourism department to the position of administrative secretary tourism department but barely three days later he was reverted back to the position of Managing Director J&K Power Development Corporation paving the way for the installation of a non J&K cadre officer from Ladakh on the position of Secretary tourism.
Surprisingly in last one year the government has changed administrative secretary of the tourism department more than half a dozen times.
A top IAS officer on conditions of anonymity said “the local bureaucracy is virtually orphaned from the day PDP-BJP government took over the reins of the state as non local IAS officers continue to hold plum positions in the higher echelons of bureaucracy despite having a dismal track record in the past. Even officers against whom massive corruption charges have been almost proved through investigation and trial in the courts continue to hold key positions leaving the officers of integrity watching the rise of non locals and deadly corrupt people almost convicted in recent years.”