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.
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.
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.
