Centre’s rule in Jammu and Kashmir has ushered in an era of administrative reforms, with Governor N.N. Vohra’s regime cracking down on corrupt officials and finishing projects in health, aviation, power and other important sectors, feel experts. “In less than two months, governance has improved and civil servants have been made accountable in Jammu and Kashmir. The state writ seems credible now even as many government institutions are struggling to regain the same,” said a retired civil servant requesting anonymity.
In the past few weeks, Vohra has been credited with taking path breaking decisions that include allowing night flights from Srinagar airport and constitution of a board of directors for the Power Development Corporation.
Governor Vohra has also constituted a panel headed by the state chief secretary to take corrupt officials to task. Vohra has asked all the wings of the government to place cases involving corruption by officials before the panel by Tuesday.
He has given the nod to prosecute corrupt officials who could not be prosecuted till now in the lack of sanction from the government.
The previous government could not constitute the board of directors for Power Development Corporation for more than a year, thus delaying important power projects.
In the health sector, 100 doctors were terminated from their services for negligence of duty.
Various other doctors were asked to join hospitals as they had been able to manage their attachments.
Governer Vohra also took up all burning issues of the state with the Centre. He met the Union Urban Development Minister, urging him to include Srinagar and Jammu on the list of smart cities.
He secured a Rs 250 crore climate change project for the state.
Raj Bhawan also managed to get inspection done by a high level team from the Centre for the setting up of AIIMS in Kashmir
The grievances of the flood affected people were redressed by prompt disbursement of relief to traders and aggrieved families.
Vohra announced dates for conducting panchayat and civic elections. He has asked for provision of state share of all centrally sponsored schemes, particularly those announced in the Union Budget.
In the first week of March, Raj Bhawan wrote to Union Minister for Water Resources, seeking urgent release of funds for timely completion of dredging of Jhelium and its outflow channels.