Steps to promote tourism, yatra arrangements discussed
Various other issues taken up, cleared
Sanjeev Pargal
JAMMU, June 18: The UT Cabinet which met today in Srinagar under the chairmanship of Chief Minister Omar Abdullah discussed the Cabinet Sub Committee (CSC) report on Reservation and decided to refer it to the Law Department for legal examination.
The Cabinet also took up various other issues including steps to promote tourism which has been hit following Pahalgam terror attack and arrangements for annual pilgrimage of Shri Amarnath Ji starting July 3.
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The Cabinet meeting lasted a little over an hour and was attended by all three CSC on Reservation members including Health and Medical Education, Education and Social Welfare Minister Sakina Itoo, PHE, Irrigation & Flood Control and Forests Minister Javed Rana and Food, Civil Supplies & Consumer Affairs and Transport Minister Satish Sharma besides Deputy Chief Minister Surinder Choudhary and Agriculture and Rural Development Minister Javed Dar.
The Reservation Report was placed before the Cabinet which discussed it threadbare and then decided to send it to the Law Department for further review and examination.
“The Cabinet held detailed deliberations on the CSC report regarding the reservation policy and after discussion, the report was referred to the Law Department for its opinion,” official sources told the Excelsior saying there are legal implications involved in the issue of reservation.
Reservations have been given by the Constitution and act of Parliament and, therefore, reducing reservation to increase percentage for general category can have legal implications, the sources said, adding in view of this the CSC recommendations were referred to the Law Department.
“No timeline was fixed by the Cabinet for the return of the report from the Law Department, suggesting the process may take some time,’’ the sources said and added that only after legal vetting, the report will return to the Cabinet for a final decision.
While Panel’s specific recommendations couldn’t be ascertained immediately, sources said increase in percentage to general category which is 30 percent at present is not possible without reduction in other categories.
Reservation in Jammu and Kashmir has reached 70 percent.
The highest 20 percent reservation has been given to Scheduled Tribes (STs) in Jammu and Kashmir including 10 percent each to Gujjars and Bakerwals and Pahari Ethnic Tribes, 10 percent to Resident of Backward Areas, 10 percent to Economically Weaker Sections, eight percent to Other Backward Classes, eight percent to Scheduled Castes (SCs) and four percent to Residents of areas adjoining Line of Actual Control (ALC)/International Border (IB). There is 10 percent horizontal reservation including six percent to Ex-Servicemen and four percent to Persons with Disabilities (PwDs).
Further, some candidates from the reserved category, who get selected in general category, can also opt for jobs or seats in open category.
The Cabinet also held discussions on steps to revive tourism especially after April 22 Pahalgam terror attack in which 26 civilians including 25 tourists and a local were killed resulting into steep decline in arrival of tourists.
The meeting also focused on logistics and health arrangements for the upcoming Amarnath Yatra, scheduled to begin on July 3 and last till August 9.
The CSC on Reservation was set up by Omar Government on December 10, 2024 following unrest among the youth of general category candidates. The CSC was asked to submit recommendations within six months. The CSC finalized its report on June 10 which was placed before the Cabinet today
Sources said agenda items of various Departments were approved by the Cabinet.
The approved items are sent to the Lieutenant Governor for approval.
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