Srinagar, Sep 04: Chief Secretary Dr Arun Kumar Mehta Monday said that the people of Jammu and Kashmir are not resistant to change while maintaining that the initiatives taken during the recent past have reinforced the trust of people in governance.
Talking to reporters at Srinagar’s Lalchowk on the sidelines of a function which was organized by the Srinagar Smart City on the theme ‘Digital J&K, Digital Srinagar’ Mehta said there is digital transformation from officers to people which is “real empowerment” of masses.
“Those having bad intentions are opposing digital transformation. Digital transformation is the new Mantra in Jammu and Kashmir. People never agitated against it. We are completely digital and taking it further,” the Chief Secretary said.
He said J&K has made remarkable progress in ensuring transparency and accountability, and there is a need to institutionalize it so that it becomes intrinsic to the system.
With 913 online services, J&K has overtaken Kerala which provides 911 services online and is placed at second position in the country after Madhya Pradesh. These measures have veritably enhanced the transparency and accountability in the functioning of government departments besides taking administration at the doorsteps of the people in the UT.
Mehta said people of Jammu and Kashmir are not resistant to change. “They are the best people to deal with. People of Jammu and Kashmir are the finest people,” he said.
Meanwhile, in a meeting with officers, Mehta maintained that the initiatives taken in the recent past have reinforced the trust of people in governance. He recalled that, unlike the present system, there was earlier a system of giving contracts without going through the tendering process or appointing people without going through due recruitment process.
The Chief Secretary remarked that IT interventions have brought about more transparency where all details of projects and services are being put in the public domain. Through RTI and the Public Services Guarantee Act (PSGA), citizens who seek their rights have been empowered, as guaranteed under the law. The accessibility of people to project their grievances before senior functionaries and their timely disposals has been greatly facilitated through IGRAMS and JKGRAMS portals.
People of J&K are not resistant to change: Dr Mehta
