10 new degree colleges approved
Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Feb 28: With a view to ensuring timely completion of developmental projects in the State and cut down procedural delays, the State Administrative Council (SAC) which met here today under the chairmanship of Governor, Satya Pal Malik decided to delegate the powers regarding transfer of State/departmental land to the Government Departments in favour of Divisional Commissioners and Deputy Commissioners to the extent of 100 kanals and 10 kanals respectively. This would speed up development projects.
The SAC decided that the Divisional Commissioner concerned will be authorised to decide the cases relating to transfer of state/departmental land exceeding 10 kanals and up to 100 kanals (free from encumbrances) to the State Government department (s) for public purposes/ developmental programmes, within his territorial jurisdiction.
Similarly, the Deputy Commissioner concerned shall be authorized to decide the cases relating to transfer of State land upto 10 kanals (free from encumbrances) to the State Government department (s) for public purposes/developmental programmes, within his territorial jurisdiction.
Revenue Department shall decide cases related to transfer of State/departmental land exceeding 100 kanals and upto 500 kanals (free from encumbrances) to the State Government department (s) for public purposes/developmental programmes.
The SAC approved that cases relating to transfer/ lease of State/ departmental land to State Government department(s) exceeding 500 kanals and transfer of any quantum of land, transfer/ lease of State/ departmental land, to Government owned corporations, autonomous bodies, agencies, PSUs etc. for public purposes/developmental programmes, irrespective of the quantum of land involved and transfer of land in terms of Article 256 (2) of the Constitution of India as applicable to the State of Jammu and Kashmir, will be submitted to the State Cabinet/State Administrative Council for consideration/approval.
The SAC further directed that the transfer of land in terms of delegation shall be subject to the condition that prior approval to the execution of the project is obtained by the indenting Department from its competent authority and conveyed to the appropriate revenue authorities in the first instance.
The decision will obviate delay in completion of the projects of public importance like schools, colleges, health centers and in particular where the requirement is minimal. In the current scenario, it takes the department’s considerable time to process these cases for seeking approval of the State Cabinet/ SAC.
The decision will not only help to fast track the execution of the development projects of public importance but also their completion on time without any cost overruns. This will also ease the job of departments in processing and clearing cases relating to land transfer from one Government department to another Government Department.
The SAC also accorded sanction to the establishment of 10 new Government Degree Colleges at various locations during the years 2019-2020-2021.
The Colleges will be established at Tulail (Bandipora) Boniyar (Baramulla) Soibugh (Budgam) Kastigarh (Doda) Jourian (Jammu) Women College, Bhagwati Nagar (Jammu) Kralpora (Kupwara), Dharhal (Rajouri), Ghagwal (Samba) and Mongri-Panchari at Kainth Gali (Udhampur).
Pertinent to mention here the Government had constituted a Committee headed by Principal Secretary Finance with Administrative Secretaries of Planning, Higher Education and School Education Departments as its Members to examine the requirements of new degree colleges in the State as per the feasibility of each location.
Based on the recommendations of the said Committee, the SAC in an earlier meeting held on 14.01.2019 approved locations for establishment of 40 new Degree Colleges in the State.
Continuing with its mandate, the Committee after considering requests for new colleges received by the Higher Education Department made recommendations for opening new degree colleges in locations that include far flung, underserved and backward areas of the State like Tulail, Kralpora, Dharhal and Mongri besides a Women Degree College in Bhagwati Nagar Jammu.
With the establishment of 10 new colleges in the State, students will have an easy access to higher education within their areas. In all, the Governor’s Administration has approved 50 Degree Colleges so far.
Meanwhile, the SAC also approved upgradation of 228 schools spread across various districts.
Out of 210 schools, 87 High Schools have been upgraded to the level of Higher Secondary Schools including 42 in Jammu Division and 45 in Kashmir Division. Similarly, 123 Middle Schools have been upgraded to the level of High Schools including 58 in Jammu Division and 65 in Kashmir Division.
The SAC approved up-gradation of 18 schools under Centrally Sponsored Scheme of Samagra Shiksha. These include 12 Middle Schools upgraded to High Schools including 8 in Jammu Division and 4 in Kashmir Division and 6 High Schools to Higher Secondary Schools including 3 in Jammu Division and 3 in Kashmir Division.
The SAC also approved up-gradation of Government Lower High School, Mallan Dessa Tehsil Bhagwah District Doda to High School.
Besides, the SAC also directed the School Education Department to conduct a detailed exercise for consolidation of schools and rationalization of the staff in respect of such schools in the State particularly in the cities and big towns where the enrolment is low and PTR is imbalanced with respect to the average State PTR.
The decision of the SAC today will fulfil the long standing demand of the people of these rural and inaccessible areas. The decision will have a discernible impact in bridging gaps and will result in decline in the school dropout rate in these areas. Further, this will result in a paradigm improvement in quality of education and benefit girl students and disadvantaged sections of the society.
Follow our WhatsApp channel
