Status of Cabinet w.r.t LG in a UT is not same as in a State but still Omar can freely execute some promises

DAYA SAGAR

First elections to Legislative Assembly of UT of J&K concluded on 1st Oct 2024 , results declared on 8th Oct and Omar Abdullah has been sworn as the Chief Minister on last 16th Oct. National Conference headed by Dr Farooq Abdullah though won only 42 seats out of 90 but as part of INDIA alliance did secure majority worth forming the government and also ceceived support of CPI(M),AAP and 5 independent MLAs. Many are opining that Omar Abdullah will not be able to deliver smoothly since his legislative and administrave degations / authorities are under the jurisdictions of LG of J&K, some even say Omar Abdullah is ‘half’ Chief Minister . The comments being made may appear true to some extent but are not surely like making the Chief Minister ineffective. No doubt the Omar Cabinet has passed a resolution demanding that Statehood for J&K should be restored earliest which is a link to the National Conference – Congress alliance demand as well as part of NC manifesto but that is for Union Government to get executed through parliament of India.So let the Omar Abdullah lead & Congress supported J&K UT government in the mean time work on ground worth the delegated administrative & legislative authority in terms of the J&K Reorganisation Act of 2019, Act 34 of 2019 and whatever the elected government can do for people of J&K in terms of the election manifesto of National Conference and promises made by Congress as her election ally. Those who profess that LG may not support the UT Cabinet are totally wrong since why should LG not side with the UT Cabinet even where the State cabinet does not have direct jurisdiction , he will sure do that for every fair action/ proposal. Those who profess that J&K Legislative Assembly and Cabinet have to get approval of LG for every subject / action are totally wrong .
The UT Cabinet has many fields where it can work without any limitation, like .

1.The NC manifesto talks of filling all vacancies in government departments within 180 days which is good but for Omar govt first priority should be to (i) immediately regularize all the casual / daily wage workers who have been engaged for more than 3 years on the same assignment / similar assignment of regular nature and for that powers should be given to the head of the department as regards field departments / particularly Chief Engineers like that of PWD/ PHE/PDD . Every time when there are elections promises are made for regularizing daily wagers and numbers of 50000- 60000 are quoted which have remained unchanged atleast since 2002; (ii) Order undoing any contractual appointments / Academic Arrangement appoints in higher education as well as in professional colleges like Government College of Engineering Jammu and advertising through PSC all vacant posts of Lecturers/ Asstt Professors including where any contractual/ academic arrangement appointments have been made to be filled on regular basis within end of current session. It has been given to understand that in institutions like GCE Jammu academic arrangement appointments are a routine although in appointment orders at occasions it is alos mentioned that appointment is for the session or till post is filled by PSC ( enquiry need be ordered to know that where mention of PSC is made had the post been advertised before contractual/ academic arrangement appoint or immedidiately after that or atleast before end of the session, if no then who is responsible ). Such appointments are affecting the studies of the students more in addition to the teachers where paid less than the scale of post & have unsafe appointment are surely to remain under stresses which further affects their teaching capacity/ skills/ commitments.

2. At page 13 the manifesto promises to provide 200 units of electricity free and also says will provide free drinking water to each household and this should be done immediately.
3. At page -14 the manifesto promises to provide Rs. 5000 per month to female heads of households to EWS, provide 12 cylinders free of cost per year to EWS and there should be not problem of authority for that so orders must be issued without any loss of time. But the Governemnt must make public immediately the definition and criteria for fixing a EWS which should have been mentioned in the manifesto.
4. As promised the old age and widow pension can be enhanced to Rs.3000/ pm.
5. Orders for entitlement of woman for free travel in public transport can be issued immediately.
6. Hope the Government will immediately nominate the UT level minorities ( religious ) and also initiate for appointment of UT Minority Commission as promised.
7. As promised on page 14 of the manifesto there should be no problem to order for increasing FREE rice allocation to 10 kg per person per month for some and for general public entitlement to 10 kg rice/Atta per person per month.
8. As promised on page – 18 of manifesto to establish Village & Mohalla Clinics for basic healthcare and emergency care with regular doctors & medicines availability
   9.. The erstwhile J&K Constitution too under directive principles directed the state to provided free education to permanent resident of J&K upto University ( PG) level and the manifesto at page -20 promises for Free education for all upto University level and this could be initiated immediately without any reservations in the name of LG.
9. At page-20 the manifesto promised resumption of Full Darbar Move and there should be no hitch in that too.
   CONTINUED
   (The writer is a Sr Journalist & a known analyst of J&K affairs).