In a landmark, employee-centric reform aimed at improving administrative efficiency and addressing long-standing concerns of people of Ladakh, Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena has directed the removal of a major hurdle – the criterion of possessing nautor land – for granting vigilance clearance in service-related matters.
As per the revised framework, vigilance clearance will now be decided based on the guidelines of the Government of India, the Central Civil Services Conduct Rules and clearly defined and objective parameters such as posting details, Annual Property Return statements, integrity certificates, antecedent reports from Police Headquarters and Anti-Corruption Bureau, and apportionment/deputation orders. Importantly, the details pertaining to nautor land will continue to be disclosed in annual property returns as per rules, but they will not hinder the processing of vigilance clearances.
This reform will provide major relief to employees who were previously facing delays or obstacles in Departmental Promotion Committees (DPCs), foreign visit permissions, retirement clearances, and other essential service matters due to this issue.
Saxena stressed that this decision has been taken after a holistic review, keeping in view the larger interest of efficient governance and public service delivery. “This reform reflects the Administration’s commitment to fostering a fair, transparent, and employee-friendly governance environment, ensuring that genuine employees are not subjected to undue procedural hurdles and harassment. This will also significantly expedite administrative processes, enabling timely promotions and improved workforce morale,” the LG said.
In line with this progressive step, Shri Saxena has further directed that all pending Departmental Promotion Committees be fast-tracked, thereby paving the way for career advancement of eligible employees as well as facilitating fresh recruitments.
Notably, this matter had come to the notice of Shri Saxena while reviewing the functioning of various departments after taking over as the Lieutenant Governor of UT Ladakh on March 13. Also, representations were received from several government servants who were facing difficulties in obtaining vigilance clearance—particularly due to issues linked with possession of nautor land—thereby impacting their career progression, including departmental promotions and other service-related matters.
Taking cognisance of these concerns, the LG had directed the Chief Secretary to examine the issue and ensure its prompt resolution in a fair and pragmatic manner. Acting on these directions, the Chief Secretary, in his capacity as the Chief Vigilance Officer, conducted a comprehensive review and issued orders for removing the nautor land criterion.