By Arfat Khan
Jammu: Known for close proximity with district administration, the mighty in-charge Chief Education Officer (CEO) Kathua Aruna Sharma seemingly bestowed with everything which an over ambitious stoops to conquer in life.
In yet another estrange development, Aruna Sharma, who after being pushed to top from bottom by the order of District Commissioner Kathua, Rohit Khajuria, has dashed a letter to the treasury officer seeking authorization of her signature for execution of financial affairs.
This move, though being the only prerogative of concerned administrative authorities (School Education Department), has been pushed with the benevolent support of district administration Kathua.
As per the order, No CEO/923-28 dated May 14, 2018, a letter bearing the signature of CEO Kathua Aruna Sharma was dashed to district treasury officer for incorporating her signature for effecting financial deeds as new CEO, Kathua.
In the letter she also named Assistant Commissioner (Development) and the District Sports Officer as those who attested her specimen signature.
Strangely, in glare violation of financial codes as well as Civil Services Rules (J&K), the power hungry In-charge CEO fails to forget that the authorization of specimen signature for district officer rests with concerned administrative department instead of the district administration.
Astonished over this estrange move of in-charge CEO Aruna, a senior officer of School Education Department preferring anonymity said “ This is an act of sheer disobedience and as well violation of set rules and regulations”. In the letter, she even doesn’t found it fit to intimate her concerned school education department authorities which are mandatory, he added.
Expressing shock over the missive of CEO, a senior most officer of Finance Department said “There are established set of norms for authorization of signature for official purpose and this cannot be done in a reckless manner merely at the recommendation of district administration. Confirming a correspondence in this regard from CEO Kathua, he further said “we cannot authorize the signature merely as it is being endorsed by the officials of district administration.
In fact, the signatory officer must possess an order pertaining to his/her promotions being issued by the concerned administrative department, he added.
Surprisingly, she has asked the district treasury officer to incorporate her signature w.e.f March 10, 2018. Its worth to mention here that Nirmal Choudhary who has been attached as per part of the conspiracy has resumed the charge of CEO Kathua on Mach 10, 2018. Now, the incumbent in-charge CEO Aruna is trying her best to get the signature incorporated from the date Nirmal has assumed office of CEO for the reasons best known to her.
Highly placed sources in the education department disclosed “The newly proposed CEO Kathua through district administration namely Aruna Sharma choose to intimate only the district administration instead of school education authorities pertaining to several orders issued in past few days. This is a sheer act of disobedience and violation CSR rules, added sources.
It’s worth to mention that CEO Kathua Nirmal Choudhary was attached with the office of Deputy Commissioner Kathua vide order No DCK/PA2018-19/112-116 dated May 10, 2018 issued by Rohit Khajuria, DC Kathua on an allegations by junior most subordinate of Nirmal namely Aruna Sharma who was then favored with in-charge CEO in the same order.