*Action likely against employees fomenting trouble
Mohinder Verma
JAMMU, Oct 12: State Cabinet, which is going to meet on October 14, will clear the draft of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to be signed between Power Grid Corporation of India Limited (PGCIL) and Power Development Department of J&K for 332 kilometer long 220 KV Srinagar-Leh power transmission line. Moreover, the Cabinet will accord approval to the long pending proposal for creation of posts in the State High Court to ensure periodic inspection of District Courts.
The Cabinet is also likely to order disciplinary action against those employees of the Government who have been booked under Public Safety Act (PSA) for fomenting trouble in different parts of State in general and Kashmir valley in particular.
Authoritative sources told EXCELSIOR that Cabinet will meet at Civil Secretariat, Srinagar on October 14 at 5 pm under the chairpersonship of Chief Minister, Mehbooba Mufti to clear proposals of several departments, which are pending during the past quite long time. The Cabinet was earlier scheduled to meet on September 28 but due to busy schedule of the Chief Minister the meeting had to be deferred at the last moment.
The Cabinet will discuss the draft of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) prepared by the Power Development Department in consultation with the Law Department for 332 kilometer long 220 KV Srinagar-Zojila Pass-Drass-Kargil-Khalsti-Leh Transmission Line and four 220/66 KV sub-stations in Drass, Kargil, Khalsti and Leh. “It is only after the Cabinet approval to the MoU that the same would be signed between PDD and PGCIL”, sources said.
Highlighting the necessity of MoU between PGCIL and PDD, sources said that following construction of this much-needed transmission line by the Power Grid, the line would become property of the State as such its maintenance would exclusively be the domain of Power Development Department. “In the MoU all the aspects relating to maintenance of the transmission line would be clearly reflected so as to avoid any confusion at any stage in future”, sources added.
The foundation stone of Srinagar-Kargil-Leh power transmission line was laid by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi on August 14, 2014 and the task of constructing this transmission line through most difficult terrain and power sub-stations was entrusted to the PGCIL so as to connect Ladakh with other parts of the State and country through energy. Thereafter, Union Finance Minister, Arun Jaitley kept a provision of Rs 1788 crore in the Union Budget for 2016-17 for this transmission line.
“The work on transmission line and sub-stations is going on at a fast pace except in Kargil where required and undisputed land is yet to be made available to PGCIL by the concerned authorities of J&K”, sources said while disclosing that land earlier identified by the State for sub-station at Kargil could not be utilized because of dispute with the locals.
It is pertinent to mention here that the electricity supply system of Ladakh region is currently isolated from the Northern Grid and fed through local small hydro generation and diesel generator sets. The region is experiencing energy shortage and accordingly to overcome this shortage, 220 KV Transmission Line has been planned to improve reliability of power supply through interconnection with the Northern Grid.
According to the sources, the Cabinet is also likely to order disciplinary action against those employees of the Government who have been booked under Public Safety Act (PSA) for fomenting trouble in different parts of State in general and Kashmir valley in particularly.
“The Government has taken very serious note of employees instigating youth for violence not only in Kashmir valley but in some other parts of Jammu region also and dossiers of such employees have also been prepared for necessary action”, sources said, adding “this issue will be deliberated upon in the Cabinet and if consensus emerged action will be ordered”.
The Cabinet will also accord approval to the long pending proposal regarding creation of 32 posts in the State High Court. “The requirement of creation of two posts each of Registrar Inspection and Joint Registrar Inspection was projected by the State High Court to the Law Department several years back but for want of concurrence the file remained shuttling between Finance, Law and Planning Departments during all these years”, sources said.
Now, all the concerned departments particularly Finance have given approval to the proposal of the High Court, sources said while disclosing that Registrar Inspection and Joint Registrar Inspection in both the wings of the High Court will carry out periodic inspections of District Courts in Kashmir and Jammu divisions and submit reports to the High Court for necessary corrective steps on various aspects.
Moreover, the Cabinet will order confirmation of promotion of 5 Additional Secretaries in the Department of Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs as Special Secretaries. These Additional Secretaries were promoted as Special Secretaries in their own pay and grade but following Cabinet approval they would be confirmed Special Secretaries and would become entitled to release of grade of these posts.
The Establishment Committee of the State headed by Chief Secretary has already cleared their confirmation as Special Secretaries.
According to the sources, Cabinet will also discuss the proposal of the Social Welfare Department regarding establishment of more Anganwari centres in the State. “This proposal has been mooted keeping in view the requirement of such centres in un-covered areas of the State”, they added.
The Cabinet will also discuss the proposals regarding allotment of land at Industrial Estate at Ompora in Budgam district and registration of Jammu and Kashmir Skill Development Mission as Society with Registrar of Societies etc.
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