Govt orders probe into ‘immoral activities’ at J&K Khadi Village Board

SRINAGAR:  Jammu and Kashmir government has ordered an inquiry into the complaints of irregularities, corrupt and “immoral activities” in the J&K Khadi Village and Industries Board (KVIB).

Syed Shabir Shafi, Director, Planning Industries and Commerce Department has been appointed an inquiry officer and he has been asked to furnish findings/recommendations within a month.

The inquiry was ordered after the government received a complaint from All India Forum for Surveillance and Monitoring of Functions, Funds and Finances New Delhi about the “irregularities, corrupt and immoral activities” in J&K Khadi Village and Industries Board.

“Syed Shabir Shafi,  Director Planning Industries and commerce Department is herby appointed as an inquiry officer to enquire into the complain furnished by All India Forum for Surveillance and Monitoring of Functions, Funds, and Finances, New Delhi, highlighting irregularities, corrupt and immoral activities in J&K Khadi Village and Industries Board. The inquiry officer shall furnish his findings/recommendations to the administrative department within one month from the date of issuance of the order,” said the order issued by Manoj K Dwivedi, Commissioner Secretary to the Government, Industries and Commerce Department.

The June 25 order was signed by Sanjeev Kumar, undersecretary to the government, industries and commerce department. The copies of the order have been marked to officer on special duty to Lieutenant Governor GC Murmu and private secretary of principal secretary to Lieutenant Governor.

Vice-chairperson of (KVIB) Dr. Hina Shafi Bhat told The Kashmir Monitor that it is good that inquiry has been ordered. “It is good for the board. It is about clusters. There has been a cluster in Kishtwar which we stopped because they did not have proper documents of the land. They were showing some government land. So we stopped that. We have no financial powers. Everything comes directly to the bank accounts of beneficiaries from the commission and Mumbai,” she said.

On probe into “immoral activities”, Dr. Hina said they need to point out exactly what it is about. “You need to ask them to point out the activities. Ninety percent of things are online. The audit was done last year which has been cleared. Before I joined, a lot of things had happened. We canceled recruitments last year,” she said.