JK Govt Launches Novel Governance Initiative, Establishes ‘Excellence Groups’

SRINAGAR: In a novel governance initiative, the Jammu & Kashmir Government Tuesday decided to establish “excellence groups” in all the departments to facilitate di exchange of ideas among administrative secretaries and other senior officers with those who have held charge of the department in the past.

The Union Territory’s administration today said that it has decided to establish “excellence groups” under the concerned administrative secretaries in all departments of the government of Jammu and Kashmir for facilitating exchange of ideas and concepts among administrative secretaries and other senior officers, who have the charge of the department or office in the past.

“It is accordingly enjoined upon all administrative secretaries and heads of departments to establish these excellence groups and make them vibrant by organizing discussions, while inviting senior officers, who have previously worked in these departments/offices. This would foster knowledge sharing and continuity of thought and this kind of forum for argumentation would be an aid to achieve tangible results of the initiatives/programmes conceived from time to time. Present incumbents of these departments or offices,” reads a circular issued by the general administration department.

The move is aimed at improving governance and ensuring continuity in decision-making process in Jammu & Kashmir.

The GAD circular states that ideas conceptualized/ initiated by officers remain unattended due to their transfers. “It is a common observation that consequent upon transfers of senior from various administrative Secretaries and senior officers from various department departments, departmental priorities get realigned and hence initiatives conceptualized/initiated by the outgoing secretary or a senior officer, which may not get materialized during their tenure, sometimes remain unattended, thereby not yielding the desired outcome visualized by the outgoing officer,” the circular states.

The government said that creation of excellence groups “shall not only ensure materializing of fruitful ideas/initiatives, but would also foster value-addition in the governance structure, converting an idea into a tangible outcome.” (KNO)