“The unprecedented delay caused in the appointment of new Director Agriculture Kashmir shows that the newly elected Government is not concerned even about the working of priority sector of local economy like Agriculture.”
Amid ban on extensions, re-employments and additional charges announced by none else than Chief Minister Omar Abdullah himself the Jammu & Kashmir Government has left the key position of Director Agriculture Kashmir unfilled for more than a week now after the completion of two years of post-retirement extension by the outgoing Director Agriculture Mohammad Iqbal Chowdhary. Keeping in view the sensitivities of the Agriculture Department in Kashmir valley like Jammu division the process and consultations for filling the position of Director Agriculture Kashmir should have been completed at least a day or two before the completion of second year extension term by Mohammad Iqbal Chowdhry. The unprecedented delay caused in the appointment of new Director Agriculture Kashmir shows that the newly elected Government is not concerned even about the working of priority sector of local economy like Agriculture. Interestingly the position of Director Agriculture is to be filled from the panel of the senior most officers of the Agriculture Department but not from either J&K Administrative Services (JKAS) or any All India Service including Indian Administrative Service (IAS). Though reports about the formation of a selection committee for appointment of new Director Agriculture Kashmir appeared in some local newspapers immediately after Mohammad Iqbal Chowdhry relinquished the charge as Director Agriculture Kashmir but unprecedented delay caused in the finalisation of selection for appointment of new Director Agriculture Kashmir by the said selection committee has to the surprises of one and all in Jammu and Kashmir rendered the key Agriculture Directorate in Kashmir headless.
“The sensitivities of the key farming sector in Jammu & Kashmir and a recent decision of the newly elected Government on extensions, re-employments and additional charges necessitate immediate intervention of the Chief Minister for filling the positions of Director Agriculture both in Kashmir and Jammu divisions simultaneously for the purposes of activating the agriculture department in both the regions ahead of the Kharif season commencing from March annually.”
Though from November onwards the Agriculture Directorate in Kashmir starts the process of finalising the arrangements for the Kharif season commencing from March annually but with Kashmir’s Agriculture Directorate rendered headless the routine work of finalising the preparations for upcoming Kharif season beginning from March annually can’t be taken up in time in absence of a full fledged Director Agriculture in Kashmir division. Interestingly in Jammu also one Arivinder Singh Reen is holding the position of Director Agriculture on post retirement extension liable for termination in view of the recent orders of the Chief Minister on extensions and as such administrative wisdom demands that process for new Director Agriculture Jammu is also initiated immediately. Notably Arvinder Singh Reen on his post retirement extension is holding not only the position of Director Agriculture Jammu but also retaining the additional charge of Joint Director Inputs at Agriculture Directorate Jammu. Henceforth the sensitivities of the key farming sector in Jammu & Kashmir and a recent decision of the newly elected Government on extensions, re-employments and additional charges necessitate immediate intervention of the Chief Minister for filling the positions of Director Agriculture both in Kashmir and Jammu divisions simultaneously for the purposes of activating the agriculture department in both the regions ahead of the Kharif season commencing from March annually.
