STATE TIMES NEWS
JAMMU: Jammu and Kashmir Government’s Civil Secretariat and other offices on Monday reopened in the winter capital, as part of Darbar Move, a century-old practice under which government functions six months each in the two capitals.
“The Secretariat and other offices, which are part of Darbar move, today reopened in Jammu, for winter Season, 2014-15. All the offices started functioning from today,” an official spokesman said.
Chief Minister, Omar Abdullah on his arrival at the Civil Secretariat was received by the ministers, top level bureaucrats, officers, employees and office bearers of the Civil Secretariat Non-Gazetted Employees Union.
The Chief Minister was given Guard of Honour by the J and K Police contingent. He also took salute on the occasion and inspected the contingent that participated in the simple but an impressive function.
The Chief Minister also attended official business in the Civil Secretariat.
“Media persons were not invited for the function this time”, the spokesman said.
All departments of the Civil Secretariat including Chief Minister’s Secretariat, DGP’s office and 50 other offices have moved in camps to Jammu with 33 per cent of their staff..
The State Government shifts its capital from Jammu to Srinagar in the first week of May every year and functions there for six months before moving back to Jammu along with volumes of records.
The 141-year-old practice was started by the Dogra Maharaja of the State Ranbir Singh in 1872 to escape the extreme weather conditions in Jammu during summers and in Srinagar during winters.
The practice continued after independence also so that people from both Jammu region and Kashmir Valley have equal access to seat of power during the year.
J and K Legislative Assembly, Council, Raj Bhawan and Police Headquarter resumed its working in Jammu.
Speaker, Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly, Mubarak Gul today inspected various sections of the Assembly Secretariat and took stock of its functioning. Gul met various senior officers, employees and office bearers of the Assembly Secretariat.
