M. M Khajooria
A Chief Executive Councillor, commanding majority support in the Regional Council will head the regional administration, on being appointed as such by the Governor of the State. He shall be assisted by Executive Councillors, whose number shall not exceed one fifth of the strength of the council.
Regional secretariats shall be established for each region, to be headed by an officer of the rank Special Chief Secretary and manned by adequate number of secretaries and other supporting and ancillary staff.
Recruitment for the district and regional cadres will be made through Regional Subordinate Services Selection Boards. Such officers/officials shall be born on the regional cadre till such time as they were promoted to the state cadre and become eligible for inter -regional transfers.
All the executive departments of the state ‘functioning within the confines of the regions except those placed in the state list by mutual agreement to be categorised shall function under the control of the regional administration. This switch would be smooth and easy as the posts of regional heads of departments with necessary staff already exist on the ground.
Development
Regional level boards shall be constituted to plan development of the regions. The plans/schemes drawn by the boards and approved by. the regional authority shall be financed by the funds raised by the councils and those provided by the state and central governments. The State Development Board will be responsible for only state level plans and schemes of inter regional nature.
Finances
The regional executive shall he responsible to raise finances through taxation, for, which proper budget proposals shall be annually presented for approval in the regional council.
The funds from the Central/State Governments shall be allocated to the Regional Councils on the criteria of population, extent of backwardness, area, geography special needs and the like. Relief fund and other contributions from the central government shall be similarly allocated. The annual central assistance in whatever form shall be allotted in the same manner and placed directly at their disposal except in respect of State level and inter-regional projects.
Public Sector Undertakings
The Regional administration/council may set up Public Sector corporations/ boards where considered necessary in the public interest. Assets of state level corporations operating in such areas of activity shall be appropriately shared by the State government with Regional councils concerned.
Professional/ Technical Higher Education
The authority to establish professional /technical colleges/institutions shall vest with the regional executive. It shall similarly enjoy full control upon the existing institution located within their respective jurisdictions if financed by the state. The regional executive shall also inherit all the supervisory control over the institutions established in the private sector located within the region presently exercised by the State Government.
Selection of candidates for higher education shall be made by Regional Competent authorities in accordance with National norms.
Universities
Chief Executive Councillors shall be designated as the Pro-. Chancellors of the universities located in their respective regions. The Governor of Jammu and Kashmir shall, continue to be the Chancellor of the Universities. Appropriate amendments in. the University Acts will accordingly be made.
Inter-Regional Matters
Matters of mutual interest between t the regions and region and the state government shall be remanded for resolution to a Inter-Rcgoia1 Council comprising of the representatives of regional councils and the state government This council will be presided over by the Chief Minister of J and K.
The state shall continue to have a common High Court (Two Benches each or Jammu and Kashmir) and common Governor. The State Public Service Commission shall also be common’
The details of the distribution of Subjects may be discussed and agreed upon before the bill for creation of Regional Councils was presented before the State Legislature.
The above model presented the outline conceived in the context of existing constitutional frame work. In the event of changes/ amendment to the constitution of the State necessary amendments would become inevitable For instance if the executive head of the state were to be designated as the Prime Minister, the regional heads shall be re designated as Chief Ministers and Regional Councils renamed as Regional Legislative Assemblies.
The proposed decentralisation of power undoubtedly had the vast potential of promoting greater trust between the people of the regions, remove causes of irritation and conflict, strengthen the bonds of friendship and usher in an era of peace, harmony and prosperity for all. It is also the only a way to preserve the integrity of our composite state and strengthen the unity of our people. Any attempt to evade the issue at this juncture or distort the perspective could have disastrous consequences for the composite State.