The Deputy Commissioner Kathua has made it mandatory for government employees residing in the district to obtain a No Objection Certificate certifying payment of electricity usage charges before submission of salary bills.
According to a circular issued by the Office of the Deputy Commissioner Kathua, all Drawing and Disbursing Officers have been directed to ensure strict compliance with the instructions. The order states that the No Objection Certificate must be issued by the Jammu Power Distribution Corporation Limited (JPDCL), confirming clearance of electricity usage charges for employees residing within District Kathua and working under their administrative control.
The circular further directs that the certificate must be obtained prior to the preparation and submission of salary bills for February 2026. Employees who do not have an electricity connection in their name have been instructed to furnish a self declaration or undertaking to the concerned Drawing and Disbursing Officer.
Some employees view the move as a pilot initiative by the government, believing it is being introduced in Kathua on an experimental basis. According to them, if the mechanism proves effective in ensuring timely clearance of electricity dues and smooth coordination between departments, the policy may be extended to other districts across Jammu and Kashmir.
The District Treasury Officer Kathua and all Treasury Officers have been instructed not to entertain salary bills for the remaining months of the financial year 2025-26 unless the required certification regarding payment of electricity tax has been duly obtained by the concerned officers in respect of all employees.
The circular has been issued under the signature of Deputy Commissioner Kathua Rajesh Sharma and comes into immediate effect. [KNT]
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