Articles by "Budget Session 2025"
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JAMMU, APRIL 07: Secretary, Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly, Manoj Kumar Pandit today informed the House that three Bills, passed by Legislative Assembly have been assented to by the Lieutenant Governor on 25th of March, 2025.

The Secretary further read out “Three Bills, passed by Legislative Assembly have been assented to by the Lieutenant Governor on 25th of March, 2025. The Bills include The Jammu and Kashmir Goods and Services Tax (Amendment) Bill, 2025 (L.A. Bill No. 1 of 2025), The Jammu and Kashmir Appropriation Bill, 2025 (L.A. Bill No. 2 of 2025) and The Jammu and Kashmir Appropriation Bill, 2025 (L.A. Bill No. 3 of 2025)”.

 


Deputy Chief Minister, Surinder Choudhary, today said that, out of 6000 posts under PM Special Package for Kashmiri Migrants/Non Migrant Kashmiri Pandits, 5868 appointment orders have been issued to the beneficiaries, so far.

The Deputy Chief Minister was replying to a question raised by M Y Tarigami in the Legislative Assembly.

He said that 5724 posts had been issued up to 2023-24 fiscal while appointment orders in respect of 144 posts have been issued during the current financial year till date, bringing the total figure to 5868 out of 6000 posts under the package. He said that the remaining 132 posts are at various stages including 42 posts pending due to Court cases.

The Deputy Chief Minister said that the Prime Minister announced Return a Package for Rehabilitation of Kashmiri Migrants to Kashmir Valley amounting Rs.1618.40 crore in the year 2009. He said that housing, transit accommodation, continuation of cash relief to migrants, student scholarships, employment, assistance to Horticulturalists and Agriculturalists and waiver of interest on loans are among the components being covered under the package.

He said that construction of 6000 transit accommodations was sanctioned in different districts of Kashmir Valley during December 2015 and work on 5160 flats have been taken up for construction. Of this, 3120 flats have been completed up to ending January, 2025 while the remaining 2040 flats are still under construction. Moreover, the remaining 840 flats are likely to be taken-up shortly.

The Deputy Chief Minister said that the matter of enhancement in relief benefits has been taken up with the Government of India for consideration of enhancement/grant of full relief benefits in favour of new born babies of Kashmiri Migrants from Rs. 400 per month to Rs. 3250 per month without disturbing the ceiling of Rs. 13000 per family per month.

He maintained that the ex-gratia compensation for the damaged properties due to bomb blast/fire incidents of migrants is being disbursed as per assessment made by the R&B department and the concerned Tehsildars. However, there is no such order regarding settlement of unpaid balance of ex-gratia in addition to Rs. 1.00 lakh already paid at the time of sanction of such compensation.

With regard to reallocation of posts, the Deputy Chief Minister said that, pursuant to Cabinet Decision 3000, supernumerary posts were created in second tranche in addition to 3000 posts created in the year 2009 (First Tranche) and referred to recruitment agencies. He said that the progress with respect to filling up of these posts was reviewed in the year 2020 and it was found that 1997 posts were still unfilled and were withdrawn from different departments. Consequent upon withdrawal, the same number of posts were re-allocated to four departments viz. Finance, Agriculture Production, Food, Civil Supplies & Consumer Affairs and Revenue, he added.

He added that the posts of Junior Assistants, Legal Stenographers, Junior Engineers and Draftsman (Civil/ Mechanical) were among the 1997 withdrawn posts.

The Deputy Chief Minister said that the government has not constituted any Shrines and Temples Management Committee. However, constant security vigil is being kept on the Shrines and Temples to ensure protection of these places. Any violation to religious properties is taken cognizance of by the competent authority with timely action for eviction, custody and restoration of such properties and also action under law against the violators.

Dr Narinder Singh Raina, Bashir Ahmad Veeri, Altaf Ahmad Wani, Showkat Ahmad Ganie, Hasnain Masoodi, Mir Saifullah, Kuldeep Raj Dubey, Balwant Singh Mankotia, R S Pathania raised the supplementary.


Chief Minister, Omar Abdullah today said that the provisions for preventing the misuse of agricultural land are provided in the Jammu and Kashmir Land Revenue Act, Svt. 1996.

The Chief Minister was replying to a question raised by Irfan Hafiz Lone in the Legislative Assembly.

He said that under Section 133- A of this Act, no land used for agricultural purposes shall be used for any non-agricultural purposes except with the permission of District Collector. Further, as per section 133-A of Land Revenue Act, SVT. 1996 agriculture land upto 400 sq meters can be converted for residential purposes.

The Chief Minister said that under Section 133-C, of the Act, any land converted for other purposes in violation of the provision of Section 133-A or Section 133-B or 133-BB shall escheat to the Government and there is punishment for such offences who have contravened the provisions of Section 133-A or Section 133-B or 133-BB and shall be punishable by the Collector or any Officer not below the rank of an Assistant Collector of 1st Class upto Twenty Five Thousand Rupees.

He informed the House, that the Board of Revenue has notified detailed regulations, prescribed forms and fixed fee for conversion of agriculture land to non-agricultural purpose which also has monitoring provisions.

Adding, the Chief Minister said that Jammu and Kashmir Land Grant Act provides for grant of state land on lease by the Government. The Jammu and Kashmir Land Grant Rules, 2022 have been revised and notified vide S.O 668, dated 09.12.2022.


 JAMMU, MARCH 22: Speaker Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly, Abdul Rahim Rather, today announced formation of a House Committee to probe the alleged irregularities in implementation of Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM) in J&K.

The Speaker said that there had been a constant demand from several Legislators regarding constitution of a House Committee since start of the Budget session.

“House is supreme and there is no harm in formation of a House Committee to Probe the alleged irregularities in JJM,” maintained the Speaker.


 JAMMU, MARCH 22: The Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly today passed the Demands for Grants amounting Rs. 154531.84 lakh for Forest, Ecology & Environment, 157671.32 lakh for Irrigation & Flood Control Department, Rs. 350126.57 lakh for PHE (Jal Shakti) and Rs. 44,299.17 lakh for the Tribal Affairs Department.

The House passed the Demands for Grants through a voice vote on Saturday evening.

Earlier, during the day, the Assembly discussed the Demands for Grants and Members of the House put forth their views and suggestions.

Winding up the discussion on Demands for Grants, Minister for Jal Shakti, Forest, Ecology & Environment and Tribal Affairs, Javed Ahmed Rana, extended his gratitude to the MLAs for their valuable suggestions and constructive observations on the demand for grants.

He said that inputs reflect the collective commitment of this House towards ensuring sustainable development, environmental conservation and welfare of the people of Jammu & Kashmir.

He said that the government is fully committed towards addressing the concerns raised while ensuring efficient utilization of resources to meet the aspirations of the people.

While speaking regarding the Jal Shakti department, Rana said that government is determined towards providing "Har Ghar Nal Se Jal" to all rural households and is utilizing resources from Jal Jeevan Mission, NABARD and UT Capex to provide fifty five (55) litres of clean drinking water per capita daily, conforming to BIS 10000 and 10500 standards.

“In order to achieve this objective, J&K has planned the execution of 3253 Water Supply Schemes at an estimated cost of Rs 13344.25 crore to provide new tap water connections as well as to upgrade the existing connections, provided under erstwhile programs, to make them JJM compliant by raising the new infrastructure as well as retrofitting the existing infrastructure, wherever required,” informed the Minister.

Reflecting on the achievements, he informed that major strides have been made in implementation of the Mission during the past 02 ½ years and more than 1400 (43%) Water Supply Schemes have been completed till date and out of remaining 1853 schemes, about 1500 schemes have recorded a progress of more than 50 percent.

Regarding the expenditure incurred, he said that it has picked up from Rs 441 crore on ongoing works in initial 03 years to 6560 on new works, in the past 03 years.

“J&K which languished at the bottom is now figuring at 5th in the overall functionality assessment conducted by the Ministry of Jal Shakti, GoI, through a third-party agency. The overall functionality of J&K has improved from 53 percent in the year 2022 to 74 percent in 2024,” he said. He added that J&K is ranking first in the Water Quality Monitoring and  Surveillance at the National level.

“All the 22 water testing laboratories at the UT and State Level have been NABL accredited for a robust water quality monitoring mechanism,” he added.

Field Testing Kits (FTKs) have been distributed among the local communities for conducting tests of water samples on their own, for which more than 37000 women have been trained for use of FTKs.

Rana said that every measure has been taken to ensure that the quality of pipes is appropriate and the quality check through reputed agencies is being done at the manufacturing site and by the Departmental Committee on receiving the material at the central stores.

The Minister said that transparency, accountability and quality control mechanism in implementation of the Mission has been given top priority and a slew of measures have been taken to ensure the same.

Rana also gave details about the funds allocated for Water Supply Schemes under other sources like NABARD Schemes (PHE Sector), Water Supply Scheme AIIMS Awantipora and AIIMS Vijaypur.

“The department is purchasing 10 fresh tankers to augment the existing fleet to ensure the department is better equipped to tackle water shortages and meet the needs of our citizens” he maintained.

Talking about the Irrigation and Flood Control Sector (I&FC), he said the department is committed towards expanding the irrigation coverage, supporting the farmers who cultivate Kharif and Rabi crops through existing infrastructure upkeep, enhancing irrigation potential, and implementing new projects.

He said that to increase the area under assured irrigation, we're collaborating on strategic initiatives, with Major irrigation projects funded under PMKSY-AIBP and Minor Irrigation Projects covered under PMKSY HKKP.

Rana further said that under NABARD loan assistance, 12 projects amounting Rs 177 crore have been cleared under RIDF 30. These projects comprised 8 irrigation sector projects and 4 flood sector projects, all set to commence in 2025-26. He called for a collaborative approach to work together to create a water-secure future, for the present times and for generations to come.

While talking about the Forest, Ecology & Environment, Javed Rana said that the department is set to achieve the target of planting 150 lakh plants during the year 2024-25 under the programme “Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam”, launched by Prime Minister. He said that the department's continuous efforts have led to positive results, as J & K recorded a net increase of 91.25 sq. km in forest and tree cover as per the Indian State of Forest Report 2023.

“During the current financial year, 16.251 lakh cft Timber was extracted and 13.67 lakh cft supplied by the J&K Forest Development Corporation. Further, 1.09 lakh cft timber has been supplied from Concessional Timber Sale depots and Fair Price Supply Divisions in 2024-25,” he said.

The Minister also said that the department is updating the State Action Plan on Climate Change (SAPCC) to address regional climate projections. This included assessing the sector and community vulnerabilities and integrating adaptation and mitigation strategies for resilience. The plan outlines 55 mitigation and 98 adaptation measures to be implemented by various departments by 2030, he said.

Regarding implementation of Forest Rights Act, 2006, Rana said that 6,058 claims have been settled in J&K, comprising 348 individual and 5,710 community forest rights claims.

To ensure systematic forest land diversion for development activities, cases are processed online through the PARIVESH portal. “So far, 2,775 forest clearance cases have been received, with 1,159 Stage-I approvals and 507 final approvals granted, leading to the diversion of 629.95 hectare,” he said.

The Minister said that the J & K Pollution Control Committee (JKPCC) has taken key steps to improve the Ease of Doing Business by extending the Consent validity period for industries and adopting a revised industry classification.

“The validity of Consent to Operate has been increased from 8 to 10 years for Orange category industries and from 12 to 15 years for Green category industries, while Consent to Establish is now valid for 5 years, extendable by 2 years. The revised classification, adopted in January 2025, promotes cleaner industries by reclassifying less polluting units to the Green category and placing pesticide formulation units under the stricter Red category,” he said.

Talking about Wular Lake, the largest freshwater wetland in Asia and a Ramsar site, Rana said that it is undergoing major restoration with a focus on ecotourism and local livelihoods.

Given the growing challenges of soil erosion and water scarcity, the Minister said that soil and water conservation has become crucial. “Check dams, slope stabilization, and water harvesting structures are planned in coordination with Agriculture, Rural Development, and Irrigation & Flood Control Departments to recharge groundwater and prevent erosion,” he asserted.

The Minister also highlighted the need for conservation of Wildlife saying that the Wildlife protected areas are being managed scientifically with approved plans, regular patrolling and strict enforcement of the Wildlife Protection Act.

“The Department of Wildlife Protection has set up 42 control rooms across J&K to prevent poaching and human-wildlife conflicts. To strengthen manpower across all wings, the Forest Department is ensuring timely recruitment through selection agencies and fast-tracking promotions,” he added. 

The Minister said that the Kashmir Forest Training School is being upgraded to improve infrastructure and increase training capacity. A proposal for financial assistance will be submitted to the Ministry of Environment, Forest & Climate Change, Government of India, he added.

Regarding the Tribal Affairs Department, Javed Rana said that the government pursues integrated Social, Economic, Educational, Cultural Development of tribal communities through several schemes. He said that the department is mandated to conduct research studies and document tribal-related matters. He said that the department envisages welfare of tribal population through key schemes and programs.

Rana said that the tentative budget provision for Dharti Abha Janjatiya Gramin Utkarsh Yojana (DA-JGUA) for the financial year 2025-26 is Rs 30.44 crore. “The Scheme included 25 interventions from 17 departments and will initially cover 393 villages in 20 districts with at least 50 percent ST population or 500 ST individuals,” he said.

The Minister said that J&K Tribal Research complex has been established at Khimber Srinagar with a cost of Rs 11.50 crore which aims to serve as a think tank for tribal development with a focus on research, cultural preservation, capacity building, and awareness programs.

In the upcoming financial year, the Tribal Research Institute (TRI) Jammu and Kashmir will expand its efforts in Research, Cultural Preservation, and Socio-economic Development of tribal communities. “Key initiatives included comprehensive ethnographic studies, a digital tribal archive, and a National-level tribal festival to showcase heritage and foster economic opportunities,” maintained the Minister.

He said TRI will also promote Tribal entrepreneurship, integrate tourism with heritage conservation, and strengthen the implementation of the Forest Rights Act through advisory roles.

To promote education among the tribal students, the Minister informed that the department operates 28 hostels housing 2,885 students. “Five new hostels are ready to be functional with 25 more hostels under construction at an estimated cost of Rs 89.21 crore, of which, five shall be completed during 2025-26,” he added.

The Minister said that six Eklavya Model Residential Schools (ERMS) have been made operational in Poonch, Rajouri, Kulgam, Anantnag and Bandipora and 11 more have been proposed for establishment during 2025-26 for providing quality education to ST children in remote areas.

He also said that a scholarship amounting Rs 12 crore shall be provided to  around 16000  ST students  under Post- Matric Scholarship and Rs 2.43 crore  to 8100  ST students under pre-matric scholarship (8th& 9th classes ) and  Rs 12 crore to 1.5 lakh students under pre-matric category.

Javed Rana said that three Transit accommodations for the transhuman tribal population at Thanamandi (Rajouri), Dalwas (Ramban) and Dubjan (Shopian) shall be completed during 2025-26 with a cost of Rs 7.95 crore.

For effective implementation of Pradhan Mantri Van Dhan Yojana (PMVDY) through JKRLM, the Minister said that an amount of Rs  14.57 crore shall be transferred to JKRLM. In order to strengthen medical facilities in Tribal Units, six Mobile Medical Units are being procured at a cost of Rs 4.52 crore.

The Minister informed that 10 Milk Villages are targeted for completion during 2025-26 with an allocation of Rs 800 lakh covering 410 ST beneficiaries.

For providing quality education to the Tribal children on modern lines, the Minister said that 50 schools in tribal areas shall be upgraded as Smart Schools with the facilities of Interactive Whiteboards & LED Panels, Digital Podiums, Smart Libraries, RO Drinking Water & Sports equipment with an estimated cost of Rs 3.0 crore.

The department will work to augment the manpower at all levels and will undertake steps for completion of the Tribal Bhawan and Museum in Jammu during the year 2025-26. He said that the Tribal Affairs Department will also coordinate formulation of Tribal Sub Plan (TSP) by various government departments in terms of guidelines of NITI Aayog.

The cut motions on Demands for Grants were withdrawn by the MLAs.

Legislators, Shamima Firdous, Mian Mehar Ali, Chander Prakash Ganga, Mir Saifullah, Ghulam Ahmad Mir, Choudhry Vikram Randhawa, Abdul Majeed Bhat, Altaf Ahmed Wani, Mohan Lal Bhagat, Engineer Khursheed Ahmed, Vijay Kumar Sharma, Basheer Ahmad Shah Veeri, Dr. Mohammad Sajjad Shafi, Muzaffar Iqbal Khan, Iftikhar Ahmed, Yudhvir Sethi, Javaid Iqbal Choudhary, Mehraj Malik, Choudhary Mohammad Akram, Mohd Shafi Uri, Reyaz Ahmad Khan, Shagun Parihar, Ajaz Ahmed Jan, Thakur Randhir Singh, Dr Rameshwar Singh, Salman Sagar, Arvind Gupta, Peerzada Muhammad Syed, Mir Muhammad Fayaz, Ali Mohammad Dar, Sunil Bhardwaj, Saifuddin Bhat, Sheikh Khursheed, Baldev Raj Sharma, Mohammad Yusuf Tarigami, Zafar Ali Khatana, Dilip Singh Parihar, Irfan Hafiz Lone, Balwant Singh Mankotia spoke on the Demand for Grants and put forth their views and suggestions.

Later, the House passed the Demand for Grants moved by Javed Rana by voice-vote.

 


Minister for Higher Education, Sakeena Itoo, today informed the House that the age of superannuation in respect of University Professors is being extended by a Review Committee under the chairmanship of the Chief Secretary.

The Minister was replying to a question raised by Dr. Narinder Singh Raina in the Legislative Assembly.

She informed that the Committee also comprises Vice-Chancellor of the concerned University and Administrative Secretary, Higher Education Department, J&K. The Committee may co-opt a member from the Finance/Law Department and Special Secretary/Additional Secretary from the Higher Education Department, she added.

The Minister said that the Review Committee has decided to approve the extension of the eligible superannuating Professors for 03 years from 62 to 65 years. However, on completion of each year the concerned Vice Chancellor shall review the performance in each case subject to the minimum benchmark relating to Research Publications, Classroom Teaching, Academic Contribution and overall work and conduct of the concerned in the preceding year. She said that continuation of such Professors shall be subject to attaining such minimum benchmark.

The Minister said that the method has been meticulously structured to prevent any favoritism or a pick and choose approach, thereby, holding the principles of fairness and institutional integrity. She said that it is rule based and each case is scrutinized in light of the laid down parameters including general conduct and behaviour in terms of integrity, thereby reinforcing the credibility of the mechanism, leaving no scope for arbitrary decision-making.

The Minister said that enhancement of superannuation age of University Professors is structured, meticulously designed to ensure that extensions are granted solely on the basis of merit, eligibility criteria and compliance with the established parameters.

The Minister said that the mechanism is not intended to foster a culture of sycophancy but rather to uphold the highest academic and ethical standards in the selection process.

She said that UT of J&K has implemented the National Education Policy (NEP), 2020 in letter and spirit.

 


JAMMU, MARCH 18: Chief Minister Omar Abdullah today moved 13 Demands and 12 supplementary Demands in the Legislative Assembly which was subsequently presented before the House for discussion by Speaker Abdul Rahim Rather.

 “I move that a sum not exceeding the aggregate amount mentioned in Demand Nos. 1, 3, 4, 6, 8, 9, 10, 14, 19, 20, 24, 31 and 33 be granted to Government to defray the charges which will come in course of payment during the year ending 31st March, 2026 in respect of Heads indicated in the List of Business against each demand,” Chief Minister said.

 These Demands for Grants pertain to General Administration Department, Finance, Housing, Power Development, Tourism, Revenue, Law, Disaster Management, Hospitality & Protocol, Civil Aviation, Culture, Estates Information and Planning departments and the charge of these departments is held by the Chief Minister.

 He added: “I also move that a sum not exceeding the aggregate amount mentioned in Supplementary Demand Nos. 1, 8, 10, 12, 18, 19, 24, 29, 30, 32, 33 and 36 be granted to Government to defray the charges which will come in course of payment during the year ending 31st March, 2025 in respect of Heads indicated in the List of Business against each demand.”

The discussion for demands of grants will continue for today, March 19 and 20 while Chief Minister Omar Abdullah will reply to the demands on grants on March 20 afternoon which will be followed by voice vote to pass the demands of grants.

 Minister for Youth Services and Sports, Satish Sharma, today informed the House that the Stadium at Surankote has been completed with a cost of Rs 243.41 lakh.

The Minister was replying to a question raised by Choudhary Mohammad Akram in the Legislative Assembly.

The Minister informed the House that the Surankote Stadium comprises facilities like pavilion, change room, gender based toilets for boys and girls, synthetic volleyball, basketball and badminton courts, concrete practice pitch and bore well for drinking water facilities for the sports lovers.

He said that besides the Stadium the department has also constructed one playfield at Charallan Fazalabad in Suronkote Constituency with facilities including modern pavilion with inbuilt sound system worth Rs 31.22 lakh, filling of RBM/construction of gate at Rs 13.75 lakh, Chainlink fencing and leveling of playfield costing Rs 20.47 lakh.

The Minister further said that the volleyball court in Sports stadium Surankote has been completed during the current financial year 2024-25 and the coaching facility will be provided to the players by the department besides establishment of Kabaddi Centre subject to availability of resources.

The Minister informed that no project has been sanctioned under Khelo India scheme at Draba/Mastandara near BDO Office, Bufliaz. The department has no intimation from the Revenue authorities regarding acquisition of land for construction of a stadium or playfield, he added.

He said that Rehbar-e-Khel policy envisages regularization of Rehbar-e-Khel in a staggered manner on completion of seven years of satisfactory and continuous service against the available/created posts of Physical Education Teachers.

The Minister further said that 40 players are getting free training under the qualified mentor/coach, regularly, with free access to infrastructure, coaching and equipment by Khelo India centre under Khelo India Scheme at Charallan Fazlabad in the discipline of football.

He said that the facilities in the form of sports infrastructure encouraged the youth participants and participation of the students which was 2,46,890 in Poonch district during various departmental sports activities and other activities conducted in the year 2024-25, so far.

He said that the Policy for engagement of Rehbar-e-khel was adopted in the Youth Services and Sports Department and 3000 positions of Rehbar-e-Khel were created, with the primary objective to promote Sports, Games and Physical Education and at present 2417 REKs are working in the department.

The Minister added that the vacancies of Physical Education Teachers, as shall accrue to the department, shall not be filled up but kept reserved for regularization of the Rehbars. At present, 923 vacancies of Physical Education Teachers are lying vacant for regularization of Rehbar-e-Khels. The monthly honorarium for the first two years shall be Rs. 3000 which shall be enhanced to Rs. 4000 for third to seventh year.


 Nearly, 454 artisans registered for artisan card in Constituency

The government has sponsored 93 MICRO Industrial Units besides facilitating 34 units under PMEGP and JKREGP schemes for employment generation in Padder-Nagseni Constituency in the 2024-25 fiscal.

Deputy Chief Minister, Surinder Choudhary, informed this while replying to a question raised by Sunil Kumar Sharma in the Legislative Assembly.

He informed that the department has registered the pass out trainees as Weavers and Artisans, held six awareness camps, registered 78 Artisans for Artisan Cards and 55 for Pehchan Card for availing benefits under various schemes, helping their on-boarding on e-commerce platforms.

The Minister said that the Entrepreneurship Awareness Programmes (EAPs) have been organized and 12 candidates from Padder Nagseni Constituency have been provided capacity building under the Hausla Programme in the current financial year. Besides, 2137 applications have been received under the Vishwakarma scheme.

 He informed that 329 artisans and 125 weavers have been registered in Padder-Nagseni Constituency who can avail benefit of the schemes being implemented by the department under Artisan cards.

The Deputy Chief Minister said that various schemes are being implemented by the department to support the local handicrafts, particularly Pashmina weaving and other traditional crafts in the Constituency.

He said that the facilities included 10 sanctioned training centres in Kishtwar district which provide training in various crafts viz; Crewel, Staple, Sozni, Carpet weaving, wheat Straw Craft and Handloom Weaving, of which, 01 training centre of Wheat Straw Craft is functional in the Padder-Nagseni Constituency. He added that besides training programmes, the department facilitates handholding of the weavers and the artisans through Credit Card Scheme 2020, Weaver Mudra Scheme, Karkhandar Scheme 2021, registration of cooperatives under Financial Support scheme and other initiatives.

 The Deputy Chief Minister said that 27 cases have been sponsored to various banks from Padder- Nagseni Constituency, of which, 15 cases have been sanctioned till date. He added that 03 cases have been sponsored to various banks under the Weavers MUDRA Scheme 2015 during the past three years.

He said that about 14 Cooperatives have been registered from the Padder sub division covering 154 artisans/weavers under the Financial Support Scheme for Cooperatives of Handicrafts and Handloom Department during the past three years. These artisans/weavers were practicing various traditional crafts viz; mix embroidery, stone jewellery, crewel embroidery, wheat straw crafts and weaving. An amount of Rs. 7.00 lakh has been disbursed among these cooperatives till date as first installment, he added.

He said that the department has also facilitated the participation of 04 Industrial Handicrafts Cooperatives from Padder Nagseni in National Level Exhibitions and 02 Industrial Handicrafts Cooperative Societies in Bhaderwah Fest, while 02 crafts viz; Kishtwari Loi and Wheat Straw Products are under submission to NABARD.

He added that a patch of land measuring 8 kanal has been identified at Matti, Padder for promotion of the Hotel Industry.

 


JAMMU, MARCH 13: Chief Minister Omar Abdullah today stated that the government is prioritizing the promotion of religious and tourism places in Srinagar city to boost tourism and attract more visitors.

“Places like Dal, Nishat, Shalimar, Chashmashahi, Pari Mahal, shrines, temples, gurudwaras, and other landmarks define the uniqueness of Srinagar. We are committed to promoting these destinations,” the Chief Minister said while addressing the Legislative Assembly.

He was responding to a query raised by Member Ali Mohammad Sagar regarding the tourism sector’s role in J&K’s economy and the steps taken to enhance tourist inflow.

The Chief Minister emphasized that tourism is a key pillar of J&K’s economy, significantly contributing to the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and employment generation.

 “The sector provides direct and indirect livelihood opportunities including hotel staff, tour operators, taxi drivers, souvenir vendors, and local youth,” he said.

He further informed the House that efforts are underway to diversify the tourism sector by promoting various forms of tourism, including Adventure tourism.

MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conferences, and Exhibitions) tourism, Golf tourism, Eco-tourism, Pilgrimage tourism and Cultural and Heritage tourism

“This diversification is intended to attract a wider range of visitors to Jammu & Kashmir,” he added.

 As Minister in charge of the Tourism Department, the Chief Minister highlighted that the government is actively promoting J&K’s top tourist destinations through advertising campaigns on national and international platforms.

Additionally, the Tourism Department is focusing on the development of off-beat destinations to expand tourism beyond traditional spots.

 “We are working on developing lesser-explored destinations like Gurez, Keran, Bungus, Tosamaidan, Aharbal, Doodhpathri, Machail, Bhaderwah, Sukrala Mata, and Pancheri to attract more tourists,” he said.

 The Chief Minister stated that tourist arrivals in J&K have seen a significant increase in the last two years. In 2023, J&K recorded 2,11,80,011 tourist visits and in 2024, the number increased to 2,35,90,081, he informed.

 The Chief Minister also provided an update on infrastructure-related projects undertaken by the Tourism Department over the last three years: In 2022-23, 984 projects were initiated, with 549 completed; In 2023-24, 1,191 projects were taken up, and 516 were completed and in 2024-25 (till date), 1,914 projects have been started, out of which 1,057 have been completed.

“Our focus remains on strengthening tourism infrastructure, enhancing visitor experience, and ensuring sustained growth in the sector,” the Chief Minister concluded.


 JAMMU, MARCH 13: Chief Minister Omar Abdullah today informed the J&K Legislative Assembly that the finalization of the syllabus for the 2018-24 batches of J&K Administrative Services is in its final stages, and the examinations will be conducted soon thereafter. Responding to a supplementary question from Member Aijaz Ahmad Jan, the Chief Minister acknowledged the delays but assured that the process is now nearing completion.

 “The government has gradually streamlined these processes, which had been delayed for some time. However, the complexity of the revision caused an unavoidable delay. This is the first syllabus revision since 2000—after nearly 25 years—which required significant changes,” he said.

 He further explained that the administration conducted a comparative analysis of J&K’s syllabus with those of other States and Union Territories to ensure alignment with national standards.

 “Necessary modifications have been incorporated, and relevant departments, including Revenue, Law and Information Technology, have contributed to the process,” he added.

 The Chief Minister also mentioned that senior IAS officers were consulted in drafting the final syllabus.

“The final draft is now ready, and I assure this House that we will complete the process within a month,” he said.

 Addressing the query regarding the 2018 and 2019 batches of Junior JKAS officers, the Chief Minister clarified that existing operative rules do not provide for the declaration of Junior Scale JKAS officers as quasi-permanent.

 Instead, the confirmation of their probation is contingent upon passing the Departmental Examination, as mandated by the following service rules:

 1. Rule 22(1)(a) of the Jammu and Kashmir Civil Services (Classification, Control and Appeal) Rules, 1956

 2. Rule 4 of the Jammu and Kashmir Combined Competitive Service (Probation & Examination) Rules, 2000

 3. Rule 16(1) of the Jammu and Kashmir Administrative Service Rules, 2008

 As per Rule 16 of SRO 386, probationers must pass the Departmental Examination within two years of their appointment to be confirmed in service.

 However, the Chief Minister highlighted that the examination could not be conducted due to major administrative changes brought about by the Jammu and Kashmir Re-organization Act, 2019, which restructured the erstwhile state into two Union Territories.

This reorganization necessitated a comprehensive revision of laws, statutes, and regulations, including those governing the Departmental Examination.

 “As a result, the syllabus had to be thoroughly revised to align with the new administrative framework and updated legal provisions introduced by the Re-organization Act,” he said. He further informed the House that Government Order No. 1514-JK(GAD) of 2023, dated 30.11.2023, had constituted a committee to finalize the syllabus for the JKAS Probationers’ Departmental Examination.

 “We are making every effort to expedite the finalization process. Once the syllabus is approved, steps will be taken immediately to conduct the examination. The confirmation of probation for these officers, which depends on successfully passing the examination, will be processed without delay in accordance with the relevant service rules,” the Chief Minister assured.