J&K capable to implement large-scale governance reforms: Chief Secy

Srinagar, Jul 16: Chief Secretary, Atal Dulloo, Thursday chaired a high-level meeting attended by the former IAS Officer, P.W.C. Davidar, to deliberate over the roadmap for simplifying government processes across departments with the objective of ensuring greater ‘Ease of Living’ for citizens and creating a more efficient, transparent and technology-driven governance framework in the Union Territory.
The session focused on transforming service delivery by eliminating procedural complexities, reducing unnecessary compliances and re-engineering government processes to make public services faster, simpler and more accessible for citizens, businesses and government institutions alike.
P.W.C. Davidar, who is also the Advisor to the Government of Tamil Nadu on the ‘SimpleGov’ initiative, made a detailed presentation on the successful Tamil Nadu model of governance simplification and shared the methodology adopted by the State in streamlining administrative procedures through comprehensive process reforms and digital transformation.
During his presentation, Davidar highlighted that the simplification exercise should encompass all three categories of public services including the Government-to-Citizen (G2C), Government-to-Business (G2B) and Government-to-Government (G2G) with the primary objective of reducing compliance burdens while improving efficiency, transparency and service delivery.
He stressed the need to eliminate avoidable procedural requirements such as physical submission of certificates and documents, obtaining multiple No Objection Certificates (NOCs), licences, permissions and other repetitive compliances that often result in delays and inconvenience to citizens and businesses.
Davidar identified several systemic challenges that require immediate attention, including mandatory physical verification of applicants, lack of clearly defined eligibility criteria, excessive documentation requirements, acceptance of payments through physical modes, repetitive verification at multiple hierarchical levels, reluctance to adopt digital verification mechanisms, inadequate integration of government databases and difficulties in retrieving legacy records from departmental repositories.
Outlining the roadmap for reforms, he emphasized the need for a comprehensive review and re-engineering of existing administrative processes by replacing procedural complexities with citizen-centric governance practices. The roadmap envisages shifting from office-centric procedures to outcome-based governance while ensuring complete end-to-end digitisation of public services.
The meeting was informed that a robust, multi-tier monitoring framework is being established to oversee implementation of the SimpleGov initiative in the Union Territory. The proposed mechanism envisages a Screening Committee to examine reform proposals at the initial stage, while an Empowered Committee headed by the Chief Secretary will provide overall policy direction, monitor progress and facilitate timely implementation across departments.
With regard to the approach for simplification, it was proposed that identification of applicants should be based on a single standardized authentication mechanism, while eligibility criteria should be clearly defined with emphasis on essential requirements and measurable outcomes. It was further suggested that all approvals and government orders be issued online in a standardised format incorporating QR Codes to enable instant verification of authenticity.
The meeting also discussed the legal framework necessary for institutionalising the reforms. It was emphasized that all simplified procedures should be duly backed by relevant Acts, Rules, Government Orders and notified guidelines to ensure legal sanctity, uniformity and ease of implementation.
As an alternative to conventional physical verification, the meeting advocated greater adoption of digital authentication tools such as e-KYC, Digital Signatures, Electronic Verification Codes (EVC), e-Sign, DigiLocker and other nationally recognised digital verification platforms for secure and seamless delivery of services.
It was further proposed that the Government issue a comprehensive Omnibus Order applicable across all departments, clearly laying down the objectives, implementation framework, timelines and responsibilities for simplification of government processes in a uniform and coordinated manner.
Addressing the meeting, Chief Secretary Atal Dulloo observed that Jammu & Kashmir possesses the necessary administrative capability, institutional framework and political commitment to successfully implement large-scale governance reforms.
He noted that substantial groundwork has already been accomplished through the digitisation of nearly 1,500 government services, providing a strong foundation for the next phase of administrative transformation.
The Chief Secretary stated that constitution of a multidisciplinary core implementation team, issuance of a comprehensive omnibus order and suitable amendments to existing rules and procedures would form the cornerstone of the reform initiative.
He further remarked that the proposed multi-layered monitoring mechanism would ensure effective coordination, accountability and timely execution of the reforms across departments.
Emphasising the importance of learning from successful models, Dulloo suggested that a team of officers from Jammu & Kashmir undertake an exposure visit to Chennai to study the implementation of the Tamil Nadu SimpleGov initiative firsthand. Such an interaction, he observed, would provide valuable insights into best practices and strengthen the Union Territory’s strategy for achieving simpler, more transparent and citizen-friendly governance.
The Chief Secretary also emphasized that the SimpleGov implementation team should be multidisciplinary in nature by including professionals from the fields of Information Technology and Law to adequately address technological as well as legal aspects of governance reforms. He observed that such an integrated approach would help ensure that simplified procedures remain legally robust, technologically sound and user-friendly.
The Chief Secretary reiterated the Government’s commitment to building a governance ecosystem that is efficient, transparent, technology-enabled and centred around the needs of citizens. He called upon all departments to work in close coordination and complete the identified reforms in a time-bound manner so that the benefits of simplified governance reach every citizen of the Union Territory.
During the meeting, Administrative Secretaries and senior officers from the Departments of Information Technology, Food, Civil Supplies & Consumer Affairs, Health & Medical Education, Planning, Development & Monitoring, and Housing & Urban Development presented the progress achieved so far in simplifying departmental services. They highlighted the reforms already undertaken, the challenges encountered during implementation and identified several additional services proposed to be simplified on priority.