To ensure the administration of newly constituted Union Territories, Jammu and Kashmir Administration accorded sanction to three committees on Tuesday. Centre had earlier transformed the status of Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh by making both of them separate UTs.
Three committees that have been sanctioned are namely-
1. Committee for devising modalities for the functioning of new J&K UT
2. Committee to deal with the financial matters related to the Union Territories of J&K and Ladakh
3. Committee to deal with staff-related issues in UTs of J&K and Ladakh.
The importance of the Committee’s functioning is of utmost importance since the administration halted down following the scrapping of Article 370. The bifurcation of erstwhile state into 2 Union territories left the state machinery very much in hanging.
As per the orders issued, The Committee for devising modalities for the functioning of new J&K UT will be a 12-member body looking at the steps to be taken for the smooth transition into a new form of UT. KK Sharma (Advisor to Governor) will be heading this committee. Other members of this committee will include Financial Commissioners with the Governor, Finance Department and Health and Medical Education Department, Principal Secretaries of Home Department, Planning, Development and Monitoring Department, and Commissioner Secretaries of Public Works (roads and buildings) Department, Ladakh Affairs Department and Secretaries of General Administration Department (GAD), Higher Education Department, Revenue Department and Department of Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs.
Committee to deal with staff-related issues in UTs of J&K and Ladakh will be a 6-member committee headed by Mr. Shaalen Kabra (Principal Secretary, Home Department). It is expected to suggest the measures to provide the staff for newly constituted UTs. members of the Committee are Commissioner Secretary, Ladakh Affairs Department, Secretary, General Administration Department, Secretary, Culture Department, Secretary, Department of Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs, and Representative of the Finance Department
READ: Centre issues notice for the abrogation of Article 370