Vacant posts of Admn Secys to be filled
Mohinder Verma
JAMMU, Oct 21: State Cabinet, which is meeting at summer capital of the State on October 23, is likely to accord approval to the establishment of four fast track courts to deal exclusively with the cases of extreme violence and other offences against womenfolk, adoption of State Water Policy and Plan and roll-out of Rehbar-e-Khel scheme. Moreover, the Cabinet will make selection of Chairperson and Members of Jammu and Kashmir State Water Resources Regulatory Authority and fill the vacant posts of Administrative Secretaries of certain departments.
Official sources told EXCELSIOR that Cabinet will meet under the chairpersonship of Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti on October 23 (Monday) at Civil Secretariat Srinagar at 5 pm to take decision of several important issues. This would be the last Cabinet meeting ahead of annual Darbar Move from Srinagar to Jammu.
As already reported exclusively by EXCELSIOR in its edition dated September 1, 2017, the Cabinet will put a seal of approval on the proposal regarding establishment of four fast-track courts to deal exclusively with the cases of extreme violence and other offences against womenfolk.
“The Finance Department has conveyed its concurrence to the Law Department for establishment of four fast-track courts—two each in Kashmir and Jammu divisions to deal with cases of violence and other offences against women”, sources said, adding “this decision has been taken after analyzing the data vis-à-vis cases of offences against womenfolk pending disposal in the State”.
Following Cabinet approval, the Law Department in consultation with the High Court will decide the location of these courts, sources said while disclosing that with these four courts the number of courts handling the cases involving offences against women will go up considerably as some courts of First Additional District Judges have already been designated as fast-track courts.
This would be the second major decision of the Mehbooba Mufti-led Coalition Government for the women affected by various offences like rape, kidnapping and molestation etc as in the month of April this year the State Cabinet had accorded sanction to the creation of four more Women Police Stations—one each in districts of Anantnag, Baramulla, Rajouri and Udhampur.
Sources informed that Cabinet will also take decision on adoption of first ever State Water Policy and Plan, the exercise for which was initiated long time back.
Though there is a provision for framing of Water Policy in the J&K State Water Resources (Regulation and Management) Act (JKSWRA) yet the same received the attention of the Government only when State High Court started issuing directions in this regard while dealing with a Public Interest Litigation.
The Cabinet vide its Decision No.71/5/2017 dated June 7, 2017 had referred the draft policy to the Cabinet Sub-Committee headed by Deputy Chief Minister and comprising of Ministers for Revenue & Disaster Management, Forest, Social Welfare, Finance and PHE, Irrigation and Flood Control for submission of report within a period of one month.
However, the Cabinet Sub-Committee continued dilly-dallying approach on the vital issue, which was exclusively exposed by EXCELSIOR a number of times and latest on October 12, 2017.
“Now, the Cabinet Sub-Committee report will come up for discussion and it is hoped that the Cabinet will clear the policy for its implementation”, sources said, adding “the Cabinet decision will help the Government is avoiding further embarrassment from the High Court”.
Sources further informed that Cabinet will also infuse new lease of life in Jammu and Kashmir Water Resources Regulatory Authority, which is lying defunct during the past nearly two years.
“Senior serving IAS officer Parmod Jain and former IAS officers Sonali Kumar and A K Angurana are being considered for the post of Chairperson”, they said, adding “as far as posts of members of the Authority are concerned, the Selection Committee headed by Chief Secretary has proposed several names which include Ravi Magotra, former Director General Accounts and Treasuries, Chief Engineer RTIC H C Jerath, former Chief Engineers, Sushil Aima, Javed Jaffar and M M Lankar etc”.
It is pertinent to mention here that the J&K Water Resources Regulatory Authority was constituted vide SRO No. 339 dated October 15, 2012 under Section 139 of J&K Water Resources (Management and Regulation) Act, 2010 for regulating water resources, ensuring judicious, equitable and sustainable management, allocation and utilization of water resources and fixing rates for use of water etc.
According to the sources, the Cabinet will also put a seal of approval on the proposal of Youth Services and Sports Department regarding roll-out of Rehbar-e-Khel scheme to promote sports activities in the State.
“The implementation of Rehbar-e-Khel forms one of the major sports promotion initiatives being taken by the Government”, sources said, adding under the scheme trained physical education youth would be provided opportunity to serve as the promoters of sports activities at different levels.
The Cabinet will also fill vacant posts of Administrative Secretaries of certain departments, sources said while disclosing that at present there is no Administrative Secretary of Tourism, Horticulture and Information Departments.
The other proposals which will be taken up by the Cabinet for decision include establishment of two Schools of Architecture—one each in Kashmir and Jammu provinces, issuance of J&K Right of Persons with Disabilities Ordinance, creation of posts of Registrar Computer and Joint Registrar Computer in the High Court and setting up of Start-up incubators.
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