Babu Khan
Srinagar : Had authorities digitized the official records, the government employees could have worked at both the secretariats in Jammu and Kashmir from Monday.
In order to avoid transportation of large number of computers and other electronic equipments and files with each Darbar move, the government had announced to digitize the official records at both the civil secretariats.
However, the digitization of official records still seems far from reality in Jammu and Kashmir.
The Civil Secretariat was partially reopened in Srinagar after a gap of six-months amid lockdown. However, the employees in Srinagar could not work as all official records are lying in Jammu.
“We are sitting idle here. There is no work for us as all the files are lying at Jammu Secretariat,” an employee told news agency KINS.
He had come to attend duties on the first day of the reopening of Civil Secretariat partially in Srinagar. “Had official records digitised, we could have worked from both the secretariats,” the official added.
Every year, government spends Rs 100 crore on biannual Durbar move practice. A major chunk of the amount is utilised on shifting the official files, records, and documents.
The Durbar move is a ritual of shifting the civil secretariat every six months from one capital city to the other.
An official of Science and Technology Department said that crores are being spent every six months on the shifting of files, which can easily be saved through digitalisation.
The records comprise thousands of official files, documents and records, which can be digitalized, he added.
Dogra ruler Maharaja Ranbir Singh had started the practice of Durbar move in 1872 to escape the harsh winters of Kashmir and the scorching summer of Jammu
Every year in October-November, the Durbar moves to Jammu from Srinagar and in April-May, it shifts to Srinagar.(KINS)
