Mohinder Verma
JAMMU, May 20: State Cabinet, which is meeting under the chairmanship of Chief Minister, Omar Abdullah at 10 am tomorrow at Civil Secretariat, Srinagar, will accord sanction to the proposal seeking Rs 607 crore special package from the Union Government for relief and rehabilitation of earthquake affected populace of erstwhile Doda district besides restoration of damaged infrastructure. The Cabinet will also consider the demands of striking Patwaris and Girdawars, who have been on strike for the past over one month besides according sanction to the establishment of Medial Supplies Corporation in view of the recent spurious drugs scam.
Highly placed sources in the General Administration Department told EXCELSIOR that Cabinet will give nod to the proposal seeking Rs 607 crore special package from the Union Government for relief and rehabilitation of earthquake affected population of Doda, Kishtwar and Ramban districts besides restoration of the infrastructure, which suffered immense damage in the natural calamity.
“Chief Minister, Omar Abdullah will brief his Cabinet colleagues about the discussion held with the Prime Minister, Dr Manmohan Singh on the issue”, sources said, adding “State Government has already projected the demand of package on the pattern of Leh flashfloods before the Union Government keeping in view the intensity of damages caused by the earthquake of May 1 and the subsequent aftershocks”.
Sources disclosed that Cabinet will also discuss the demands of the Patwaris and Girdawards, who have been on strike for the past over one month in support of their demands. “Among other demands of the revenue record keepers the Cabinet will seriously consider the pay anomaly of the Patwaris as their strike has caused immense inconvenience to the people till date”, sources added.
It is pertinent to mention here that Jammu and Kashmir Patwar Association today suspended its strike for three days following signal from the Minister of State for Revenue, Ajaz Ahmed Khan that their demands would be discussed in the Cabinet meeting tomorrow.
According to the sources, Cabinet would also accord sanction to the establishment of Jammu and Kashmir Medical Supplies Corporation as announced by the Chief Minister, Omar Abdullah recently in the light of spurious drugs scam.
“The objectives of the Medical Supplies Corporation would be to economize the purchase of drugs, instruments and disposables and other equipments; to facilitate the procurement of standard and quality drugs; to ensure fool proof arrangement of drug testing so that the quality of drugs supplies to the patients is of desired quality at reasonable rates and to relieve the service providers from the additional burden of procurement and distribution process”, sources said.
They further said that proposed Medical Supplies Corporation will obtain the list of items and quantities of requirements from the concerned HoDs and then finalize the tender, adding the Corporation will be responsible for evaluation of technical and financial bids.
Disclosing that Chief Minister would be the chairman of the Corporation, sources said that Planning and Finance Departments have already conveyed agreement to the creation of 22 posts for the proposed Corporation, adding “an amount of Rs 1.50 crore will be reserved as Corpus Fund with the Corporation till it generates own resources”.
They further disclosed that in case of delay or non-availability of required drugs through the Corporation the HoDs will be given authority to purchase drugs from open market up to 20% as per the financial delegation and codel procedures.
“Cabinet will also accord sanction to the utilization of post of Director Chittranjan Mobile Hospital, Srinagar as Managing Director of the proposed Corporation”, sources said.
According to the sources, the Cabinet will also accord sanction to the expansion of quality engineering education at degree level strictly as per the norms prescribed by All India Council of Technical Education for establishment of engineering colleges in the State.
They disclosed that Cabinet will further discuss and take decision on the proposal of the Tourism Department regarding Master Plan for Yousmarg Development Authority and rehabilitation of Paramjeet Filling Station and Alsan Motors in view of construction of Bikram Chowk Flyover.
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