Jammu and Kashmir seems to be headed for a longer spell of governor's rule after NN Vohra appointed two advisors who were assigned the powers of ministers under the Jammu and Kashmir government business rules.

COMMERCIAL BREAK
SCROLL TO CONTINUE READING

This follows the stalemate over the government formation after the death of chief minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed on January 7. PDP president Mehbooba Mufti put the ball in Prime Minister Narendra Modi's court seeking concrete assurances and J&K-specific confidence-building measures before any government formation.

Even as the deadlock continued, the governor N N Vohra appointed two retired IAS officers --- Parvez Dewan and Khurshid Ahmed Ganai -- as advisors.

In a notification issued on Thursday, Vohra ordered that Parvez Dewan shall be in-charge of around 12 departments, including School Education, Higher Education, Technical Education, Youth Services and Sports, Health and Medical Education, Consumer Affairs and Public Distribution, Transport, Public Works (R&B), Information Technology, Floriculture, Garden and Parks, Tourism and Culture.

Similarly, Khurshid Ahmed Ganai shall be incharge of the departments of Agriculture Production, Horticulture, Animal/Sheep Husbandry, Co-operative, Rural Development and Panchayati Raj, Forest, Environment and Ecology, Labour and Employment, PHE, Irrigation and Flood Control, Social Welfare and Tribal Affairs.

"The advisors shall exercise the powers of Minister under the Jammu and Kashmir Government Business Rules", an official spokesman said.

A Raj Bhavan spokesperson said the Governor had held detailed discussions with Chief Secretary BR Sharma on Wednesday to discuss restructuring of the present decision making process with a view to ensuring that every important matter receives timely attention.

The departments have been bifurcated in four clusters keeping in view the need for synergy and convenient transaction of government business.

"The Chief Secretary shall function as the Secretary of the State Administrative Council. The Administrative Secretary of Planning and Development, General Administration, Finance, Law or any other department may be invited as may be required from time to time," the spokesman said.

Former chief minister and working president of main opposition party National Conference Omar Abdullah said the governor's rule indicate that Vohra doesn't see an early end to central rule in the state. "This clearly indicates that Gov Vohra doesn't see an early end to central rule in the state. Elections this year???" Omar tweeted

Nizamudin Bhat, PDP general Secretary said the party will stand by the people in tune with party's tradition. "Mehbooba Mufti has well shouldered the responsibility to carry forward and accomplish the agenda of peace, reconciliation economic development, which alone can provide conducive space for resolution of all impending problems," he said.