The culpability for delays in convening governing body meetings of the autonomous bodies, corporations, and public sector undertakings in the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir lies squarely with the concerned departments. The Government has taken a grave view of the blatant disregard for the established bylaws and Memorandum of Association (MoA). There is a widespread failure to adhere to the stipulated bylaws and MoA by a significant number of these entities. These organisations are run according to the Memorandum of Association, which encompasses all fundamental details regarding the establishment, defined scope of business activities and objectives, extent of authority, and legal prerogatives of the company. Similarly, bylaws delineate crucial information about the Board of Directors, the governing body of the organisation, specifying its duties and powers, such as the tenure of board members and the quorum requirement for meetings. In essence, both the Memorandum of Association and bylaws dictate the operational conduct of autonomous bodies, corporations, and public sector undertakings.
The Chief Secretary’s observations and directives carry paramount significance, especially when considering the financial predicament of these entities. Jammu and Kashmir has borne witness to the tragic fate of entities such as the State Road Transport Corporation (JKSRTC), State Forest Corporation, Jammu and Kashmir State Cooperative Supply and Marketing Federation (JAKFED), JKPCC, and many more in recent years. The glaring absence of accountability and responsibility has resulted in calamitous outcomes for numerous undertakings. Year after year, these PSUs, corporations, and other organisations have suffered colossal losses. It is imperative to recognise that the livelihoods of thousands of employees and their families are contingent upon the sustenance of these establishments. Furthermore, it is a disconcerting reality that, despite some of these entities being closed, senior officials find shelter in other Government departments, while grassroots-level workers languish without wages for prolonged periods. The onus of effectively managing these organisations squarely rests on the top echelons of leadership, not the lower-tier staff. Timely policy decisions, coupled with their diligent implementation at the grassroots level, constitute the linchpin of success. In this digital era, the dynamics of business transform swiftly, and the era of monopolistic control has unequivocally concluded. Government entities are now ensnared in cutthroat competition with their counterparts in the private sector.
It is perplexing that nearly all these organisations flounder in their capacity to convene governing body meetings at the stipulated intervals to deliberate on crucial matters, including their financial well-being. The upper echelons of management have woefully failed to adhere to the MoA and bylaws, a dereliction of duty that reverberates through the organisational fabric, causing vital decisions to languish unresolved for months on end. The CAG has persistently flagged these lapses, yet remedial action remains conspicuously absent. Moreover, it is not just these corporations and PSUs that exhibit a wanton disregard for their financial affairs; many of them have refrained from submitting their records to the CAG for auditing over extended periods. Such management practices render these corporations and PSUs precariously poised for inevitable collapse.
The contemporary landscape predicates success solely on performance metrics. The Chief Secretary has judiciously assigned the responsibility for the regular conduct of these mandatory meetings to the Administrative Secretaries and Department Heads. Jammu and Kashmir has metamorphosed into a preeminent exemplar of e-Government among the States and Union Territories in the nation, and there exists no latitude for complacency within this revitalised UT. This dictum permeates all facets of policy formulation, with departments being unequivocally mandated to deliver results at any cost. The officials must take immediate action to rectify the situation and realign these entities on the path to rectitude.