*Rajendra, Gupta being promoted as DGPs
Mohinder Verma
JAMMU, Feb 7: State Cabinet, which is meeting under the chairmanship of Chief Minister, Omar Abdullah tomorrow evening, is going to order promotion of 12 IPS officers and give nod for carrying out amendments in the Jammu and Kashmir Panchayati Raj Act in order to incorporate provisions of 73rd Amendment. Moreover, it will accord sanction to the introduction of bill in the forthcoming Legislature Session for appointment of Ombudsman for Panchayats and proposal regarding creation of staff for the State Vigilance Commission.
Highly placed official sources told EXCELSIOR that Cabinet will accord approval to the proposal of the Home Department regarding promotion of two 1984 batch IPS officers namely K Rajendra and P L Gupta to the rank of Director General of Police.
At present, K Rajendra is Additional Director General Prisons and P L Gupta is Additional DG Coordination Police Headquarters. Similarly, Cabinet will order promotion of L I Mohanti as Additional Director General of Police. Mr Mohanti is presently posted in Bureau of Public and Research Development, New Delhi, sources informed.
They disclosed that Cabinet will also give nod to the promotion of four IPS officers of 2000 batch. They are S P Pani, Basant Kumar Rath, Ghulam Hassan Bhat and Kifayat Haider. Similarly, Cabinet will order promotion of 2010 batch IPS officers namely Rayees Mohd Bhat, Pandey Rajeev Om Parkash, Monika Raj, Shree Dhar Patil and Manish, sources added.
Sources disclosed that Cabinet will also accord sanction to the introduction of Bill seeking amendment to the Jammu and Kashmir Panchayati Raj Act during the forthcoming Budget Session of State Legislature in order to incorporate provisions of the 73rd Amendment as already agreed between the coalition partners.
It is pertinent to mention here that the directions regarding placement of amendment bill were issued to the Minister for Rural Development and Panchayati Raj, Ali Mohammad Sagar by the Chief Minister in the recent Cabinet meeting.
According to the sources, there is complete unanimity among the coalition partners over the incorporation of 73rd Amendment provisions pertaining to granting constitutional guarantee to Panchayats on completion of five years term followed by elections after every five years, financial and administrative powers including control over development and 14 identified departments, setting up of separate Finance Commission and Election Commission for the Panchayats, reservation in second and third tier of Panchayats for SC/STs and women i.e. BDCs and District Development and Planning Boards (DDPB), security to Panchayat members and providing emoluments to Panchayat members and to BDC and DDPB.
“There is also consensus among the Coalition partners over the amendment in the provisions pertaining to removal of Sarpanch, membership of Marketing Societies, status of Chairmen of BDC, financial powers of Panchayats and provision of separate Ombudsman for Panchayats”, sources added.
Sources informed that Cabinet will also discuss a bill of Rural Development and Panchayati Raj Department seeking establishment of institution of Ombudsman for the purpose of investigating charges of corruption and maladministration in the Panchayati Raj Institutions.
The bill is in this regard was deferred by the Cabinet in its recent meeting after some of the Congress Ministers particularly Tourism Minister, G A Mir and PHE Minister Sham Lal Sharma stressed that decision on Ombudsman and 73rd Amendment Bills should be taken by the Cabinet in one go.
Besides investigating charges of corruption and maladministration, the institution of Ombudsman is also mandatory for attracting funds under General Performance Grant of 13th Finance Commission as the State Government has not been able to access the same already allotted in absence of this institution.
According to the sources, Cabinet will also discuss the proposal of the General Administration Department regarding creation of staff for the State Vigilance Commission.
It is pertinent to mention here that State High Court has already taken serious note of inordinate delay in the creation of requisite staff for the Vigilance Commission, which is hampering its functioning.
Among the other agenda being placed before the Cabinet includes Bill seeking amendment to the Jammu and Kashmir Board of School Education Act, Maintenance of Parents and Senior Citizens Bill, promotions in the Telecommunication Wing of the State Police and transfer of forest land for non-forestry purposes.
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