Varinder Kumar Sharma DC
An IAS officer with missionary’s zeal and commitment
By Amrit Pal Singh Brar
Jalandhar, 20 June, 2018: Deputy Commissioner of Jalandhar, Varinder Sharma is now almost a household name in the Jalandhar district. His gracious, helpful and benevolent behaviour and close rapport with all sections of people and appropriate handling of situations are the reasons behind his popularity.
Regular co-ordination and review meetings with all stakeholders, whether its mandate relates to official work or either it is connected with issues concerned with common people, these lists of items are always on his priority says a PCS officer, who is serving in Jalandhar.
Varinder Sharma belongs to 2009 batch and joined as DC of Jalandhar on 17th March, 2017. Prior to this he has served as DC in Mansa. Earlier, he was ADC (D) and Chief Administration (CA) of Bathinda Development Authority. His contribution towards the development of Bathinda will be remembered. Biggest park of Bathinda, which is known as Dadi Poti Park is one of his contributions to development. Varinder Sharma has developed it from the MPLAD funds. The roads falling under the BDA were widened during his tenure and outlook of the BDA campus was entirely changed.
During his tenure as ADC (D) at Bathinda, he has organized the famous “SARAS” fair, which was considered one of the best monitored events.
Earlier, when he was Deputy Commissioner of Mansa, he has established and developed a “Gaushala” at village Khokhar, which is one its kind in the state. It carries an outlook of some picnic spot. Its reason of attraction is the facilities provided there are much more than of parks. “Hundreds of people along with their families visit “Gaushala” campus on weekends and donate for the welfare of cows” claims G.C Bansal member of Citizens for Development.
“He has been the most accessible Deputy Commissioner, Jalandhar has ever seen in the recent times and his direct rapport with the people coupled with his focused approach has been very helpful in resolving the issues concerning the common man” says PPCC Secretary Sukhwant Singh Brar.
Mr. Sharma is the most visible face of the district administration as he can be seen everywhere whether it is any public functions, meetings of the administration or even the function concerning any strata of the society.
Even at the weekends and holidays, when most of his peers are resting at homes, the Deputy Commissioner and his staff are seen in the field to resolve the issues concerning the people. Mr. Sharma has not confined himself to his cosy office but he undertakes regular field visits to assess the working of the administration at the grass root level.
Besides checking the government offices, he has also been approaching the people to ensure that welfare schemes of the state government like Mahatma Gandhi Sarbat Vikas Yojna, Crop Loan Waiver scheme, Ghar-Ghar Naukri, Drug Abuse Prevention Officer (DAPO), Tandarust Punjab, Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao, Punjab Shehari Awaas Yojna, Guardians of Governance and others were implemented in right earnest besides the NGDRS mechanism of online land registration in Jalandhar has also been successfully implemented.
Such is his integrity that the Deputy Commissioner has been to push many projects that have been hanging in fire since long. To his credit goes the work of completion of Jalandhar-Kapurthala road that was in shambles from last around three years. Similarly, the Mr. Sharma has taken keen interest to restart the work on National Highway Number-I that was stalled from last eight years. Likewise, he also ensured that the civil work on construction of Adampur Civil Air Terminal was also completed in a time bound manner for starting of flight from this airport on May 1.
Not only this the Deputy Commissioner also broke the backbone of the transporter lobby in the district by ensuring lifting and purchase of wheat in the district smoothly due to which the efforts of this powerful lobby to disrupt the procurement of grains nosedived. Even, Mr. Sharma ensured that the Measles Rubella campaign was a huge success in Jalandhar as due to his personal intervention the district has almost completed this campaign.
He is also credited with ensuring smooth and peaceful conduct of the Municipal Corporation Elections and the by-poll of the Shahkot assembly segment, where stakes were high amongst the rival parties.