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| Headless JKAACL to get a Secretary afterall | | | Kunal Shrivatsa
Early Times Report
JAMMU, June 7:At last, the J&K Academy of Art, Culture and Languages (JKAACL) is all set to get a full time Secretary after a gap of more than one year as the Chief Minister, who also happens to be the President of the Academy has given his approval for the name of the candidate selected for the job.
Highly placed sources told Early Times that Zaffar Ahmad, presently Commissioner, Commercial Taxes, J&K is tipped as new Secretary of JKAACL since his candidature is backed by none other than a senior Cabinet Minister.
"As approved by the Chief Minister, who is also President, J&K Academy of Art, Culture and Languages and in terms of Article 8 (a) of the Constitution of the Academy of Art, Culture and Languages, sanction is likely to be accorded shortly to the appointment of Zaffar Ahmad as Secretary," sources said.
As per the Constitution of JKAACL, it is the Chief Minister, who takes a final call on the appointment of the Secretary.
Sources further informed that even though Zaffar Ahmad's name was not in the panel of five candidates shortlisted by the four-member Search Committee headed by noted writer Prof Rehman Rahi with Prof Nilambar Dev Sharma, Secretary General Administration Department (GAD) and Secretary Tourism and Culture as members.
"Zaffar Ahmad's candidature propped up from nowhere as his name was not in the panel of five candidates picked up by the Search Committee…In order to appoint Zaffar as Secretary of Culture Academy, he will be bestowed with an extension of two years in service as his retirement is due next year in April," sources said.
The Search Committee constituted in the month of June last year, however, had recommended five names including Bashir Arif, Ayash Arif, Dr Farooq Fayaz, Aziz Hajani and OP Vidyarthi.
But, when the panel got examined it was found that all the five shortlisted candidates lack one or the other basic requirements to occupy the top post in the Culture Academy.
Sources cited examples that Aziz Hajani is a simple lecturer and around 35 Culture Academy employees are senior to him while Dr Farooq Fayaz and Bashir Arif are retired government officials.
Ayash Arif is a private producer, who makes documentary films for Doordarshan while OP Vidyarthi is an Indian Forest Service (IFS) cadre officer.
Sources further revealed that at the fag end of National Conference-Congress rule, the two senior NC leaders one of them a Minister managed to get approval for the name of Ayash Arif as Secretary but could not get the final endorsement as model code of conduct come into force due to the Assembly elections.
Meanwhile, the new government when came to power rejected the panel selected during previous regime and decided to take a fresh call on new incumbent for the post of Secretary, Culture Academy.
It may be recalled that the post of Secretary, Culture Academy is lying vacant since May 31, after the two year term of Khalid Bashir, the then Secretary, came to end.
Since then, Haroon Rashid, the senior most Additional Secretary, is officiating as Incharge Secretary, JKAACL.
Sources said that the Culture Academy has as many as 300 employees and most of them are of the opinion that the post of Secretary should be given to a person having Academy background.
And, in this connection several deputations of Academy employees have met Chief Minister from time to time and requested him to assign the charge of Secretary to an officer from the Culture Academy.
"The employees of the Culture Academy seek continuation of officiating Secretary Haroon Rashid as full time Secretary as in event of his appointment for the top post he will get a chance to attain last promotion before his retirement due in next eleven months," sources said. |
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