J&K Cabinet to Meet Today; Allowances for Ministers, MLAs Likely to Be Enhanced
*Cabinet likely to approve 18% fare hike for passenger vehicles, fix e-auto, e-rickshaw charges, create 136 faculty posts in GMCs of Jammu and Srinagar, and consider key administrative promotions*
Jammu, Mar 13 (KNC): The Jammu and Kashmir Cabinet, led by Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, is scheduled to meet on Friday at the Civil Secretariat in Jammu, where several key proposals including enhancement of allowances for Ministers, MLAs, Presiding Officers and the Leader of Opposition are expected to be discussed and cleared.
Sources told news agency Kashmir News Corner — KNC that the meeting, scheduled for 2:30 PM on Friday, will deliberate on amendments to various rules governing the travelling allowance (TA), daily allowance (DA), medical benefits and other facilities for legislators and ministers.
The proposed amendments include changes in TA Rules, Ministers and Ministers of State (Motor Car Advance and Allowances) Rules, Housing Loan Rules, and Leader of Opposition Allowances and Medical Facilities Rules. If approved and subsequently cleared by the Lieutenant Governor, the amendments will result in enhanced allowances including medical allowance for the Leader of Opposition, daily allowances, motor car advances for ministers and improved TA and medical benefits for MLAs. Sources said the Finance Department has already given concurrence to the proposal.
The Cabinet is also likely to take up a proposal to revise passenger transport fares across the Union Territory.
According to sources, the Transport Department has recommended an 18 percent hike in fares for all categories of commercial passenger vehicles. The department has also proposed fixation of charges for electric autos and e-rickshaws, suggesting a rate of ₹15 per kilometre for e-rickshaws and ₹25 for the first kilometre and ₹20 for subsequent kilometres for e-autos. Officials said transport associations had demanded a 35 to 40 percent fare increase, but the Fare Revision Committee recommended an 18 percent hike after considering the impact on the general public.
Another important agenda item is the creation of 136 new faculty posts in Government Medical Colleges (GMCs) of Jammu and Srinagar under the Phase-II implementation of the three-tier faculty structure as per National Medical Commission norms. The Health and Medical Education Department has proposed 27 posts of Professors 10 for GMC Jammu and 17 for GMC Srinagar and 109 posts of Associate Professors, including 36 for Jammu and 73 for Srinagar. Overall, 46 posts are proposed for GMC Jammu and 90 for GMC Srinagar. The proposal, which carries an annual financial implication of around ₹17 crore, has also received concurrence from the Finance Department and is expected to increase postgraduate medical seats by 158 in various disciplines.
The Cabinet is further expected to approve extension of services of the Jammu and Kashmir Real Estate Appellate Tribunal as the Real Estate Appellate Tribunal for the Union Territory of Ladakh, as part of a joint arrangement between the two UTs. Officials said Ladakh has relatively limited real estate activity and therefore intends to continue with an interim arrangement and share the appellate tribunal with Jammu and Kashmir, a proposal that has already been supported by the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs and the J&K Law Department.
Among other matters, the Cabinet may also consider promotion of Joint Director Fisheries Abdul Majid Tak as Director Fisheries and grant of Special Scale (Non-Functional) of JKAS in favour of officer Rajesh Kumar Basotra, sources added. (KNC)
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