Sanjeev Pargal
JAMMU, Apr 11: The State Cabinet today set up four Group of Ministers (GoMs) for suggesting measures and taking steps to implement `Agenda of Alliance’, signed by PDP and BJP before formation of new Government, Economic Affairs, Policy Making and Human Resources and Skill Development.
All four GoMs would have Cabinet Ministers from both PDP and BJP as representatives. The Groups were aimed at giving boost to implementation of `Agenda of Alliance’ and economic and infrastructure development of Jammu and Kashmir.
Official sources told the Excelsior that the GoM on implementation of `Agenda of Alliance’ will be headed by Deputy Chief Minister Dr Nirmal Singh and will have two Cabinet Ministers each from PDP and BJP as its members.
The members included Works Minister Abdul Rehman Veeri and Finance Minister Dr Haseeb Drabu from PDP, Forest Minister Choudhary Lal Singh and Industry and Commerce Minister Chander Prakash Ganga from BJP.
The Cabinet mandated the GoM to take up all major points in the `Agenda of Alliance’, which formed basis for running the PDP-BJP coalition Government to formalize all the issues and suggest measures for their speedy implementation.
“While some of the issues have to be implemented by the State Government, several other points pertained to the Central Government. The GoM will liaison between Centre and State Governments ,” sources said.
When contacted, Dr Nirmal Singh said there were various issues in the ‘Agenda’ like development of tourism, infrastructure etc, which will be taken up on fast track. He added that development and governance would be main focus of the GoM, headed by him, which would start working immediately.
There were some issues in the ‘Agenda of Alliance’ on which the Central Government has reservations like transfer of power projects to the State. Power Minister Piyush Goel has already made his stand clear that his Ministry was not going to transfer any project to the State, sources said.
However, they added, there were many issues in the ‘Agenda’ pertaining to development, infrastructure building etc on which there was unanimity between PDP and BJP that they would be implemented expeditiously. The Prime Minister’s Re-construction Package also evolved around some of the points in the ‘Agenda’.
Sources said the coalition partners first wanted to implement those points of the `Agenda’ on which there was one opinion between both the coalition partners. In the meantime, they would evolve consensus on remaining points.
The Deputy Chief Minister in his capacity as Power Minister will head another GoM, whose mandate was to promote coordinated policy making across departments and ensure greater participation in the decision making.
Headed by Dr Nirmal Singh, the Group members included Minister for Housing and Urban Development Department, whose charge is also held by Dr Singh, Forest Minister Bali Bhagat, Works and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Abdul Rehman Veeri, PHE, Irrigation and Flood Control Minister Sham Choudhary and Minister of State for Transport with Independent Charge Sunil Sharma.
“The Group has been constituted on the pattern of Central Government,” sources said, adding that the Group will coordinate between different departments and prepare agenda for the Government including the Cabinet.
Sources said the GoM would suggest measures to promote coordinate policy making and ensure greater participating in decision making of different departments of the State Government. Such a GoM exists at the Centre as well as many State Governments.
Third GoM has been constituted on Human Resources and Skill Development, which will be headed by Health and Medical Education Minister Bali Bhagat and comprised of Finance Minister Dr Haseeb A Drabu, Social Welfare Minister Sajjad Lone, CAPD Minister Zulfikar Ali, Education Minister Naeem Akhter and Minister for IT, Technical Education, Youth Services and Sports Imran Raza Ansari.
The Cabinet approved constitution of another GoM on Economic Affairs, which will be headed by Finance Minister Dr Haseeb A Drabu. Its members included Minister for Tourism, whose charge is held by Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti and (Priya Sethi as Minister of State), Industries and Commerce Minister Chander Prakash Ganga, Agriculture Production Minister Ghulam Nabi Lone Hanjura and Rural Development Minister Abdul Haq Khan.
“The Cabinet observed that all GoMs will objectively analyze and examine the proposals that are brought before them, from time to time, by the General Administration Department (GAD) and advise the Cabinet accordingly,” sources said.
“The GoM on ‘Agenda’ will identify what is to be done where and take it up with the Government of India and they have been directed by the Cabinet to fast track the proposals with regard to Agenda of Alliance (AoA)”, Education Minister Naeem Akhter said.
“There is a need for taking sectoral initiatives. We talk about the smart city (for J&K).. It is to be put into paper and proposal is to be generated and taken up with Government of India, like wise other sectors included Power, paying the rent (of lands and buildings occupied by security forces).. etc”, Akhtar said.
“Wherever there is an involvement of Government of India and Government of J&K, a GoM has been setup by Cabinet for sectoral initiatives on AoA”, he said.
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