STATE TIMES NEWS
JAMMU: The Jammu and Kashmir Cabinet meeting convened on Monday under the chairmanship of Chief Minister Omar Abdullah approved several important administrative proposals.
One of the significant approvals was the revision of Dearness Allowance (DA) rates for government employees, pensioners, and family pensioners, effective from July 1, 2024. The cabinet also sanctioned the implementation of a 3-tier faculty structure in Government Dental College, Srinagar, and Indira Gandhi Government Dental College, Jammu, aligning with the staffing norms set by the Dental Council of India (DCI).
Additionally, the Cabinet granted administrative approval to key proposals put forward by the Housing & Urban Development Department. These include: Dumpsite Remediation: Bio-mining/bio-remediation of 11.00 lakh metric tons of legacy waste at Achan dumping site in Srinagar. The project is estimated to cost Rs. 60.50 crore, with Rs. 33.00 crore allocated from the 14th Finance Commission (FC) and Rs. 27.50 crore from Swachh Bharat Mission (SBM) 2.0.
Pollution Abatement of River Jhelum: Efforts to curb pollution and conserve the river at Chuntkul and Gawkadal areas in Srinagar. The project has an estimated budget of Rs. 6445.68 lakh, with Rs. 6380.68 lakh being funded under the National River Conservation Plan.
Pollution Abatement of River Banganga: Conservation initiatives for the river at Katra Town, with an estimated cost of Rs. 92.10 crore under the National River Conservation Plan. Furthermore, the Cabinet approved the construction of a new hospital block, dedicated to an emergency operation theatre, at SMHS Hospital in Srinagar.
In a move to streamline recruitment processes, the Cabinet endorsed the proposal to eliminate oral tests/interviews for posts in pay level-6, as recommended by the J&K Service Selection Board. Amendments to the Jammu and Kashmir Goods and Services Tax Act, 2017, were also approved.
Sources revealed that the Cabinet has recommended to the Lieutenant Governor to convene a session of the J&K Assembly in the first week of March. These proposals will now be submitted to the Lieutenant Governor for final approval.