Srinagar, July 6 (PTI) Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Girish Chandra Murmu on Monday chaired the first high-level meeting of administrative secretaries in the valley since the outbreak of COVID-19 and stressed on close monitoring of development works and their speedy execution.

The Lt governor chaired the high-level meeting of administrative secretaries at the Civil Secretariat here, an official spokesman said.

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Murmu directed the administrative secretaries to increase the field visits, with minimum one field visit every week to get the first-hand appraisal of the status of development works, expedite all the ongoing development works for their early completion and submit utilisation certificates (UCs) of works done from time to time, the spokesman said.

During the meeting, he asked the officers to earmark half of the days for meeting public in the secretariat / HoD offices and also earmark time for meeting public representatives.

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Murmu also directed them to release the pending payments under various schemes targeted for individual beneficiaries on priority, besides release of wages of contractual / daily wagers within one week's period.

In view of the persistent demand of people for making available minor minerals, the Lt governor asked the officers concerned to explore modalities for immediate short term mining permits at local levels to ensure that people do not suffer due to paucity of minor minerals, the spokesman said.

The Lt governor emphasised on developing a robust mechanism for proper tracking of files to complement the government's resolve of ensuring responsive and accountable government.

Murmu said the government is committed to holistic development of the UT to meet the aspirations of the people of J-K and called for coordinated efforts at all levels of the administrative setup in this direction.

He also asked the administrative secretaries to take all the requisite measures for improving public delivery mechanism and continue working with dedication and zeal for the welfare of the public, the spokesman said.

Officials said it was the first meeting of administrative secretaries held under the chairmanship of the Lt governor in the Kashmir valley since the outbreak of COVID-19.

The COVID-19 pandemic has also deferred by two months the biannual practice of 'Darbar Move' -- the shifting of Jammu and Kashmir government's offices from the winter capital Jammu to the summer capital Srinagar this year.

While the government will continue to function in both the cities this year, it issued a roster of administrative secretaries to be stationed at the secretariat at Jammu as well as at Srinagar for the summer session this year.

The practice of 'Darbar Move' -- under which the Jammu and Kashmir government functions in Jammu during six winter months and in Srinagar during summer -- was started by Maharaja Gulab Singh in 1872 to escape extreme weather conditions in the two regions.

However, the practice was continued even after Independence with the aim of providing governance benefits to both Kashmir and Jammu regions for six months by turns.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)