Prior nod must for officers to attend functions outside Himachal Pradesh

Pratibha Chauhan

Shimla, April 29

The embarrassment caused by the presence of the incumbent and previous Deputy Commissioners of a district at an award giving function before Prime Minister Narendra Modi has forced the state government to ask all its officers to seek prior permission to attend any such function.

Embarrassment caused to state govt

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The incumbent and previous Deputy Commissioners of a district were present at a function to receive award from the Prime Minister for the implementation of the e-NAM project, which facilitates mobile trading of agricultural produce.

The Department of Personnel today shot off a letter warning all administrative heads, heads of departments, Divisional Commissioners and Deputy Commissioners to desist from such practice. The letter also mentions that in case prior and timely permission is not sought, action will be taken against the officer concerned.

Several cases of the incidents where officers, including DCs, have proceeded to attend award functions outside Himachal, either without informing or informing only a day earlier have come to the notice of the government.

The Personnel Department issued orders that prior permission, well in advance, must be sought from the higher authority before proceeding to attend an award function. “It has been noticed that some officers are giving intimation on a very short notice, thus making it difficult to obtain approval from the competent authority,” the letter read. Further, they proceed without explicit permission.

The letter clearly mentions that there have been instances which were marked by the presence of the incumbent officer and his predecessor at functions, presided over by prominent dignitaries.

This has caused undue embarrassment and unnecessary burden on the state exchequer. Such acts on the part of the officers are violation of the provisions of the conduct rules, the letter stated.