The government on Friday ordered the restructuring of the Public Works (R&B) Department by way of re-organising the cadre and rationalising the jurisdiction of its subordinate and field offices by making them co-terminus with the territorial limits of divisions, districts, and blocks in Jammu and Kashmir.
According to a government order, Development Commissioner Works (ex-officio Secretary Tech. R&B Department) has been re-designated as Engineer-in-Chief (Secretary Technical R&B Department).
The Mechanical Engineering Department of Jammu and Kashmir has been renamed as the Mechanical and Hospital Directorate of J&K, respectively.
“The post of Chief Engineer, DIQC, shall be filled from the Civil Wing of PW (R&B) henceforth instead of the Hydraulic Wing.”
Also, one post each of Chief Engineer Mechanical Wing and Chief Engineer Mughal Road Project is transferred to the Civil Wing.
The government also ordered the conversion of three posts of Chief Engineers of SKUAST-Kashmir (01), SKUAST-Jammu (01), and SKIMS Soura (01), from deputation posts to duty posts by abolishing these posts from the concerned subsumed or merged engineering wings of departments.
Mechanical Engineers have been posted in the Civil Wing of R&B, except in the Jammu zone, for the purpose of snow clearance and other works, as under: Each Chief Engineer (Civil) R&B (Zonal Office) shall have one Executive Engineer Mechanical; each Superintending Engineer (Civil) R&B (Circle Office) shall have one AEE (Mechanical); each Executive Engineer (Civil) R&B (Division Office) shall have one AE (Mechanical) in their offices; and each Assistant Executive Engineer (Civil) R&B (Sub Division Office) shall have one JE (Mechanical) in their offices.
The government also ordered the conversion of eight (08) deputation posts of supervising engineers (civil) to duty posts by abolishing these posts from the concerned subsumed departments for their adjustment in the new territorial jurisdictions that have been identified for these supervising engineers (civil).
It also ordered the conversion of deputation posts of Superintending Engineer (Meeh) (01), Executive Engineer (Meeh) (05), Assistant Executive Engineer (Meeh) (04), Assistant Engineer (Mech) (04), and Junior Engineer (Meeh) (14) from subsumed departments into duty posts by abolishing such post(s) from the concerned subsumed or merged engineering wings of departments.
The government also ordered the conversion of deputation posts of Executive Engineers (Civil) (36), Assistant Executive Engineers (56), Assistant Engineers (19), Junior Engineers (82) and Draftsmen (Civil) (48) into duty posts by abolishing these posts from the concerned subsumed or merged engineering wings of departments.
It also ordered the formulation of new cadre strength as per the revised structure for inclusion in respective Schedule-II of Gazetted and Non-Gazetted Engineering Recruitment Rules by the issuing of corresponding notifications, thereby revising SRO-661 (Gazetted) and SRO-654 (Non-Gazetted) dated 10.25.2019, respectively.
“There would be no change in recruitment rules (gazetted and non-gazetted) except Schedule-II of existing recruitment rules for engineering wings of departments, including R&B Department.”
The posts merged from other departments into the PW (R&B) Department, and officials who were appointed through the merged department, their service rules will remain the same as those through which they were initially appointed, and they shall be promoted or superannuated as per their recruitment rules; the seniority of such employees shall be maintained separately by the PW (R&B) Department, the order said.
“All civil works of other departments (merged vide Government Order No. 752-JK(GAD) of 2020 dated August 10, 2020) shall be executed by the newly created divisions and subdivisions as per their jurisdiction co-terminus with CD Blocks of RDD,” it said, adding, “All works and contracts under execution by a particular division of PWD shall also be transferred to the newly created division and subdivision as per the jurisdiction.”
Existing contracts of other departments (merged vide Government Order No. 752-JK (GAD) of 2020 dated August 10, 2020) shall be transferred to the new territorial divisions and subdivisions, it said. However, resources shall be provided by the concerned department, which is the project authority, for the completion of such projects, it said.
“The exercise of the distribution of assets (roads, bridges, and buildings), liabilities, and contracts shall start from the date of issuance of this order (today) and be completed by or before February 28, 2023,” it said, adding, “The jurisdiction of CD Block shall be the guiding principle during the course of this distribution.”
The process of handover and takeover of assets, along with furniture and fixtures, and engineering staff of other merged departments shall be completed by February 1, 2023, it said. “In case these assets are not found suitable, such assets shall be handed over back to the respective department with a certificate by the concerned Chief Engineer PW(R&B) that such property is not suitable due to dilapidated condition or remote location.”
All existing offices, furniture, fixtures, and space for engineers presently under use in other departments (merged vide Government Order No. 752-JK(GAD) of 2020 dated August 10, 2020) shall be deemed to have been transferred to the PW(R&B) Department, so that public money is saved from new construction for housing new offices to the extent possible, it said.
Existing Dak Bunglows, Inspection Huts, and Rest Houses of the R&B Department shall be used to the extent possible for housing newly created offices to save public money on construction or the hiring of accommodation for new offices for the time being.
The government further orders that wherever there is no suitable office or space available at the newly designated jurisdiction, the process for identification and acquisition of a suitable piece of land, free from all encumbrances, is to be started within a month of the issuance of this order. “In case suitable Government assets or buildings are not available, the concerned officer shall identify suitable Government or private land free from all encumbrances for such purposes.”
To include newly created divisions, the government said necessary amendments shall be made to JKPWDOMS by February 28, 2023, to include newly created divisions.
“PWD shall accordingly revise its budget proposal for salary and revenue expenditure within two days of the issuance of this order and forward the same to the Finance Department so that the requisite budgetary provisions for FY 2023–24 are provisioned accordingly.”
The offices of executive engineers of merged departments have been asked to furnish details of their offices, assets, and contracts to the PW (R&B) Department within three days.
“The location of offices of Executive Engineers and Assistant Executive Engineers shall be physically located in their newly created jurisdictions (details in the annexes) and will not be changed or modified without the approval of the Administrative Council.”
It also ordered the creation of 782 posts in different categories and the corresponding reduction of 1182 posts in different categories in the PW (R&B) Department.
All necessary preparations regarding the establishment of offices, divisions of roads and assets, and projects and contracts shall be completed by February 28, 2023, it said.
“The order shall come into force with immediate effect but shall be operational w.e.f. April 1, 2023,” it added.
Chenab, Pir Panjal got it’s own Cheif Engineers separately
Jammu’s region is now divided into three: Jammu, Pir Panjal, and Chenab. Jammu got 17 divisions, Pir Panjal got 11 divisions, and Chenab got 13 divisions of the PW (R&B) Department. Three Cheif Engineers will be available in Jammu, Pir Panjal and Chenab.
Chenab Valley, which has been demanding separate administrative division for decades, is now in a hopeful state, according to various activists.
Currently, Chenab Valley has its own Forest Circle known as Chenab Forest Circle; the DIG of Police has a separate post for Chenab Valley known as the DKR Range; and now the R&B Department has made a separate zone for Chenab. This step is seen as a positive step for development.
Hill development council and divisional status for Chenab Valley are the two important demands of the people, which refers to the region as politically orphan and neglected.
However, Pir Panjal also demands the similar administrative division.
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The Chenab Times News Desk
