Legislative Council: Minister grilled over poor functioning of CAPD Dept

Legislative Council
Minister grilled over poor functioning of CAPD Dept
Archit Watts
Tribune News Service

Jammu, April 5
Legislators of the NC and the PDP grilled Minister of State for Consumer Affairs and Public Distribution (CAPD) Shabir Ahmad Khan in the Legislative Council here recently over the poor functioning of the CAPD Department.

PDP legislator Syed Asgar Ali asked a question related to Class IV employees of the CAPD Department in erstwhile Doda district being given the charge of storekeeper. Ali said, “As a large number of appointments made in 1996 had been cancelled by the state government, how were these persons given the full-fledged charge of storekeeper at various sale centres?”

Replying to Ali’s question, the minister said, “Yes, these employees have been given the charge of store/sale centres at various places, as the High Court has stayed the cancellation of their appointments”.

Dissatisfied with the minister’s reply, Ali said, “When the state government has cancelled the appointments of 22 persons out of the total 36, how were they given the charge of storekeeper. There is something fishy about the whole issue”.

“That’s why a number of questions are being asked regarding the functioning of this department and the results are before the House to see. People are facing a lot of hardships in getting ration on time,” added Ali. However, the minister said, “Since all these people are getting salaries, we thought to assign them some tasks”.

Meanwhile, Murtaza Ahmad Khan of the PDP said, “Has the government mooted any action in this regard or not?” Khalid Najib Suharawardy of the NC said, “I fail to understand what is the government doing?” NC legislator Mohammad Rashid Qureshi said, “Storekeeper is an important job and the department has posted those employees whose appointments have been cancelled by the General Administration Department (GAD). This proves the inefficiency of the CAPD department”.

The minster admitted that the department was facing an acute shortage of staff and assured the House that the government was taking action in this regard. He said, “We have declared 44 vacancies and have also written to the SSRB to fill these posts. The interviews will be conducted in a short period. Besides, some more posts are also being created to solve the issue”.

Sensing the gravity of the situation, the acting chairman of the House, Arvinder Singh Micky, intervened. He said, “This is the concern of all members and the CAPD Department should act in this regard”.

Meanwhile, Syed Asgar Ali, after threatening to stage a walkout from the House, demanded an assurance from the minister that the procedure for posting employees would be reviewed. Suharawardy also supported the concern of Ali. The minister further assured the House that the problems of the people would be solved by filling vacant posts.