Top officials from UT to attend meeting
Sanjeev Pargal
JAMMU, Oct 14: Union Home Minister Amit Shah is likely to hold high-level review of developmental works and security situation of Jammu and Kashmir in New Delhi on October 26.
Top officials of civil and police administration will attend the meeting, officials told the Excelsior.
They said the development works under the Centrally Sponsored Schemes, Prime Minister’s Development Package (PMDP), rehabilitation projects for Kashmiri migrants, works going on under the UT sector and security situation in Jammu and Kashmir are expected to come up for review at the meeting.
The proposed reservation to Other Backward Classes (OBCs) in Municipalities and Panchayats, a proposal for which has already been mooted, may also figure at the meeting as an amendment has to be carried out in Jammu and Kashmir Municipal Corporations, Jammu and Kashmir Municipalities and Panchayati Raj Act for the purpose.
Senior officers of the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) including Incharge Jammu and Kashmir, paramilitary officials and senior civil and police administration officials from the UT will join the meeting.
The meeting comes ahead of proposed visits of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and Minister of Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari to Jammu and Kashmir expected from November to January.
“Some budgetary proposals of Jammu and Kashmir for next Financial Year of 2024-25 are also likely to be discussed at the meeting as the Union Home Ministry has major say in the budgets of Union Territories,” the officials said, adding presently the Finance Department is holding Department-wise meetings to ascertain their requirements.
They said security situation in Jammu and Kashmir will also come up for high-level review at the meeting especially the winter strategy for anti-militancy operations in the hinterland as well as curbing infiltration attempts on the border.
“In winters, the militants generally try to take shelter in plains as the hills frequently receive snowfall. And, this is the opportune time to locate and kill them,” the officials said, adding Pakistan also tries to aid and abet intrusion bids ahead of winters as most of the passes are closed during snowfall.
Infiltration has been well under control on the Line of Control (LoC) as well as International Border (IB) in Jammu and Kashmir though some bids were reported in Rajouri and Poonch districts, most of which were foiled. However, some successful attempts in the twin border districts have also not been ruled out.
As per the officials, completion of formalities for grant of reservation to OBCs in Municipalities and Panchayats, may also figure at the meeting. The J&K Government has stopped election process for Municipalities and Panchayats to extend reservation to OBCs in both the bodies.
Presently, women have 33 percent reservation in Panchayats and Municipalities of Jammu and Kashmir. Besides, Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes enjoy reservation in the two bodies based on their population.
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