J&K: Several Officers Given Charge of Multiple Departments as the UT Faces Dearth of Bureaucrats

The Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) Union Territory administration is currently grappling with a shortage of bureaucrats, leading to several officers being assigned multiple departmental charges. Here’s an overview of the recent bureaucratic reshuffling:

Shortage of Officers

Following the central deputation of several Jammu-based IAS officers and the transfer of officers to the UT of Ladakh, the J&K administration found itself short-staffed. Approximately 20 officers from the erstwhile Jammu and Kashmir cadre are currently serving at the central level or in Ladakh.

Key Appointments and Additional Charges

1. Ms. Yasha Mudgal (2007-batch IAS officer):

   • Commissioner/Secretary, Tourism Department
   • Additional Charge: Mission Director, Holistic Agriculture Development Programme (HADP)

2. Mr. Shaleen Kabra (1992-batch IAS officer):

   • Financial Commissioner (Additional Chief Secretary), Jal Shakti Department (PHE, Irrigation and Flood Control)
   • Additional Charge: Financial Commissioner, Revenue Department

3. Mr. P K Pole (2004-batch IAS officer):

   • Chief Electoral Officer (CEO)
   • Additional Charge: Commissioner/Secretary, Election Department

4. Mr. Kumar Rajeev Ranjan (2010-batch IAS officer):

   • Administrative Secretary, Labour and Employment Department
   • Additional Charge: Administrative Secretary, Skill Development Department; Revenue Department; CEO, Mission Youth

5. Mr. Bhupinder Kumar (2011-batch IAS officer):

   • Administration Secretary, Public Works (R&B)
   • Additional Charge: Director of Census Operations (DCO)/Director of Citizen Registration (DCR) for J&K and Ladakh

6. Mr. Ramesh Kumar (2011-batch IAS officer):

   • Divisional Commissioner, Jammu
   • Additional Charge: Additional CEO, Jammu Metropolitan Regional Development Authority

7. Mr. Mohammad Aijaz (2012-batch IAS officer):

   • Administrative Secretary, Planning Development and Monitoring Department
   • Additional Charge: Administrative Secretary, Civil Aviation Department; Civil Aviation Commissioner; Administrative Secretary, Public Grievances Department; CEO, ERA

8. Mr. Suresh Kumar Gupta (IFS officer):

   • Principal Secretary, Culture Department
   • Additional Charge: Principal Chief Conservator of Forests and HoFF; Chairman, J&K Biodiversity Council; Director, Social Forestry

9. Mr. Vikas Kundal (2013-batch IAS officer):

   • Managing Director, Jammu Power Distribution Corporation Limited
   • Additional Charge: Jammu and Kashmir Power Corporation Limited

10. Mr. Rahul Yadav (2014-batch IAS officer):

    • JMC Commissioner
    • Additional Charge: CEO, Special Purpose Vehicle Jammu City for Implementation of Smart City Project

11. Mr. Jatin Kishore (2020-batch IAS officer):

    • Additional Secretary, Lieutenant Governor’s Secretariat
    • Additional Charge: Director, Information Department, Jammu and Kashmir

Implications and Challenges

The multiple charges given to officers highlight the urgent need for administrative stability and capacity building within the J&K UT administration. This situation underscores the broader challenges of bureaucratic shortages and the consequential impact on governance and public service delivery.

Reference

For more details, refer to the Indian Masterminds article.