Suhail Rather
Bandipora, Apr 8 (KNS): Government offices in North Kashmir's Bandipora district are grappling with a staff shortage of 2,725 vacant posts out of a sanctioned strength of 11,197, official data reveals.
Departments such as School Education, Power Development, Rural Development, and Health are among the worst hit, raising concerns over the smooth functioning of public services.
The figures came to light in a government reply to a question tabled by MLA Bandipora Nizam-ud-din Bhat during the second session of the Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly.
The J&K Government, while acknowledging the staff crunch, assured that the recruitment process is underway and efforts are being made to fill the vacant positions in a transparent and time-bound manner.
According to department-wise data, the School Education Department has the highest number of vacancies at 705 out of 4,505 sanctioned posts. It is followed by the Power Development Department with 243 vacancies out of 501 posts, the Rural Development Department with 180 out of 430, and the Chief Medical Officer’s office with 179 vacancies out of 669 sanctioned posts.
Other departments struggling with significant staff shortages include Jal Shakti (177 vacancies out of 299), Agriculture (153 out of 263), and the Forest Department. Critical administrative offices like Public Works (R&B), Social Welfare, Animal Husbandry, Urban Local Bodies, and AYUSH are also facing notable gaps in their human resources.Click Here To Follow Our WhatsApp Channel
Despite the staff shortages, the government said all departments in the district are functioning smoothly due to a rational distribution of available staff across UT departments. However, it noted that any reported deficiency is addressed on a priority basis.
To tackle the issue, the government has directed all administrative departments to finalize recruitment targets within the first 100 days—from November 20, 2024, to November 20, 2025. The Jammu and Kashmir Public Service Commission (JKPSC) and Jammu and Kashmir Service Selection Board (JKSSB) have been asked to adopt a target-based approach to fill 1,502 gazetted and 5,751 non-gazetted posts within the year.
On the issue of staff postings and transfers, the government said it is following a rational policy laid down under Government Order No. 861-GAD of 2010. As per the policy, a government employee's minimum tenure on a post is two years and the maximum is three years, with exceptions made for time-bound projects and public interest considerations.
Premature transfers can also be ordered in cases of poor performance, disciplinary issues, or health concerns—provided the medical grounds are backed by a certificate from a duly constituted medical board.
The government said that all departments are strictly adhering to the transfer policy to maintain administrative discipline and service delivery across the Union Territory.(KNS)