*Panel to take time for final recommendations
Sanjeev Pargal
JAMMU, July 20: The Cabinet Sub Committee (CSC) on Justice Sagheer Ahmad Working Group on Centre-State relations including grant of autonomy to the State, work out problems of refugees and grievances of all three regions, has decided to submit an interim report to the State Cabinet soon pending submission of a final report.
The CSC comprising eight Cabinet Ministers has taken a decision to submit an interim report to the Cabinet as it felt that its final report could take longer time than expected in view of divergent views of National Conference and Congress members in the Committee.
Chief Minister Omar Abdullah had granted six months extension to the CSC in the month of April this year, which means that the Committee has its term till October. Constituted in January 2010, the Committee has already been granted nearly six extensions of three months each as it had to go through a voluminous and lengthy report, submitted by the retired (now dead) Judge of the Supreme Court, Justice Sagheer Ahmad of Allahabad, Uttar Pradesh.
Justice Sagheer Ahmad had headed fourth out of a total of five Working Groups set up by Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh as the head of UPA-I. While the chairpersons of four Working Groups had submitted their report to the Prime Minister, Justice Sagheer Ahmad had delayed his report and submitted it to Omar in December 2009.
Sources said even after lapse of about two and half year and holding a series of meetings, the Cabinet Sub Committee hadn’t been able to reach any decision on finalisation of its recommendations on three vital aspects of Sagheer Working Group, which included grant of autonomy to the State, solving problems of the refugees and addressing grievances of all three regions and sub regions of the State.
“The Committee members felt that it could take long time to prepare a unanimous report on recommendation of Justice Sagheer Ahmad as National Conference and Congress members in the panel were divided on main finding of the Group i.e. autonomy to the State. Therefore, the Committee has decided that it would submit its interim report to the State Cabinet soon and then go ahead with meetings and prepare final report’’, sources said.
The interim report could include deliberations among the members, which have taken place so far and the points on which there was unanimity among the CSC members, they added.
The CSC had got sixth extension in its term in May but with effect from April 1, 2012 as its had completed its fifth extension on March 31.
The CSC could hold only a couple of meetings during its fifth extension of three months from January 1 to March 31, 2012 in view of 42 days long budget session of the Legislature from February 23 to April 4 as the Ministers remained busy with the session.
After submitting its interim report to the Cabinet, the Committee has decided to hold regular sittings to expedite the report.
Justifying frequent extensions in term of the CSC, sources said the report submitted by Justice Sagheer Ahmed was very exhaustive, running into three to four volumes, and touched vital issues like autonomy, self-rule and many other sensitive matters pertaining to Centre-State relations.
The CSC had held nearly 18 meetings but in view of divergent stand taken by National Conference and Congress Ministers, a unanimous report eluded the Committee forcing it submit interim report on its findings and then go ahead with the task of preparing final report.
The Committee members included Finance Minister Abdul Rahim Rather (chairman), Law & Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ali Mohammad Sagar, Industries and Commerce Minister Surjit Singh Slathia and Transport & CAPD Minister Qamar Ali Akhoon, all from National Conference, Revenue, Relief and Rehabilitation Minister Raman Bhalla, Tourism Minister Rigjin Jora, Health Minister Sham Lal Sharma and PHE, Irrigation and Flood Control Minister Taj Mohi-ud-Din, all from Congress.
The Congress was opposing the demand for autonomy while the National Conference was a strong supporter of it.
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