*Approves inclusion of 38 villages in Backward Areas list
Excelsior Correspondent
SRINAGAR, June 19: In yet another major decision ahead of the Assembly elections, State Cabinet, which met under the chairmanship of Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, here this afternoon, enhanced the retirement age of teaching faculties of the Universities of Kashmir/ Jammu, SKUAST, Kashmir/ Jammu and Government Medical Colleges, Srinagar/ Jammu from 60 years to 62 years.
The announcement in this regard was made by the Chief Minister during the Rehbar-e-Taleem teachers conference at Jammu few days back and the same received the Cabinet’s approval today.
The Cabinet also approved the reckoning of the five years of service rendered by Rehbar-e-Taleem teachers before regularization, for the purpose of fixing their seniority and counting such service, notionally, for pension and other retirement benefits, wherever applicable.
It was also decided that after regularization the services of Rehbar-e-Taleem teachers will be transferable within the district to which they belong.
The Cabinet also approved the setting up of a one-man commission headed by Justice (Rtd) M L Koul to enquire into the circumstances, leading to deaths by firing, or otherwise, in law and order situations in different districts of Kashmir valley, during 2010.
The Commission of enquiry will also enquire into the adequacy, or otherwise, of the force used, fix responsibility, wherever excessive force has been used, resulting in fatalities, and where due care has not been taken to avoid such fatalities, suggest measures to avoid the recurrence of such incidents in future and recommend the action to be taken against those found responsible in any such incidents.
The Commission will submit its report to the Government within a period of three months from the date of issuance of the notification in this regard.
The Cabinet also approved the recommendations of J&K State Commission of Backward Classes for inclusion of 38 villages in the list of Backward Areas.
The villages include Balsaroo, Godhan, Kadyal, Lathari, Mawa, Brahmina, Majoor, Sandal and Sumah of tehsil Akhnoor and district Jammu, Dragu, Tehsil Bhaderwah district Doda, Rajool, Kummi, Partyal, Padal, Deon, Mohargarh, Talhar, Kathar-Brahmana and Dhergarh of tehsil and district Samba, Pamrote and Fazalabad of tehsil Surankote and Gursai of tehsil Mendher district Poonch, Lower Bhatian of tehsil Thannamandi, Dehri Ralyote of tehsil Rajouri, hamlet Charung of village Hasplote, Hasyote, Rajdhani, Saim Sammat, Dodason Payeen, hamlet Ghaikhakha of village Dodasan and hamlet Remote of village Dodasan Balla of tehsil Thannamandi district Rajouri, Audsoo, Ganoora and Lalan of tehsil Anantnag, Odina of tehsil Sonawari district Bandipora, Sehpora tehsil Anantnag, Watalbagh tehsil Ganderbal, Khanpoora and Sheikhzoo of tehsil Lar district Ganderbal.
In another important decision, the Cabinet approved formation of Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) for development of the Coal Block at KudnaliLaburi, (Talcher) in Odisha allocated jointly to JKSPD & NTPC by the Union Ministry of Coal.
The SPV Board of Directors will be comprised of five Directors including Administrative Secretary PDD J&K, who will be the Chairperson of the Board of Directors. The approval also includes signing of Joint Venture Agreement by the J&K SPDC & NTPC besides setting up of End Use Power Plant in Odisha with NTPC.
The allocation of the Coal Block is a major achievement for Jammu and Kashmir, which suffers from energy deficit especially during winter season when the generation of power through various HEPs decreases significantly owing to low discharge in the rivers.
The State Government with this major initiative will be able to establish a dedicated base load Thermal Power Station which would effectively wipe out the current energy deficit of nearly 28 per cent and improve the reliability of power supply round the year.
The decision is in line with the broader policy of the State Government under the leadership of Chief Minister Omar Abdullah to make the State energy sufficient by harnessing huge hydro potential available to the State along with the Solar and Thermal Power.
Within next five years, the State Government expects that these efforts will prove to be fruitful for the people and will give major boost to the economy of the State.
The creation of Local Area Development Fund (LADF) for all Hydro-Electric Projects commissioned during and after 2008 with contribution of 1 % free power generated by the project allocated to State for the purpose by all hydro-electric projects also received the nod of Cabinet.
The State Government will also facilitate 1 % by way of Development Grants. A special provision for creation of LADF has been made under the State Hydro Power Policy to carry out Local Development Activities to ensure visible additional benefit to local communities in the project area as part of the cost of the project.
It also approved recasting of Section 185-A(2) of the J&K Water Resources (Regulation & Management) Act, 2010 so that the fund, so created, will be operated upon by the Administrative Secretary, Finance Department, for the purpose of being utilized for the establishment of hydel projects, hydro-electric projects, multi purpose hydro-electric projects, buying back hydro-electric power projects, already established in the State, capital investment in the electric transmission and distribution network within the territory of the State, and the purchase of power by the State Government or its entities, with the prior approval of the Government.
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