Akshay Azad
JAMMU, Aug 20: The non-seriousness of state Government regarding implementation of Justice Sagheer Ahmed Committee recommendations (Prime Minister Vth working Group) can be gauged from the fact that the Cabinet Sub-Committee (CSC) constituted by latter to discuss recommendations, has failed to meet after September 2012.
Sources informed Early Times that the last meeting of eight members Cabinet Sub Committee including four members each from Congress and National Conference was held in the month of September last year, after which no new meeting has been taken place.
"The members of the CSC remained busy with other engagements and on January 15, 2013 due to expansion and Cabinet reshuffle, a need was felt to reconstitute the committee. On February 18, 2013 the CSC was reconstituted with four members each from Congress and National Conference including Finance Minister Abdul Rahim Rather as Chairman, Ali Mohammad Sagar, Taj Mohiuddin, Rigzin Jora, Sham Lal Sharma, Raman Bhalla, Choudhary Ramzan, Ajay Sadotra", sources said.
Moreover in the meantime the term of CSC was also expired and officially the extension was given in the month of May, but so far no meeting has been taken place, sources said, adding that it was only due to divergent opinion of Ministers on separate issues. "The CSC has so far given seven extensions including five extensions of 3 months each, one extension of six months", sources said, adding that given by prolonged delay to evolve consensus among CSC members, now the Government has silently given extension of one year. According to recent order issued by General Administrative Department (GAD) on August, 16, 2013, the term of CSC for examining the recommendations made in report of Working Group-V on "Strengthening the relations between the state and Center" has been extended by one year, from the date of its reconstitution on February, 18, 2013.
Minister for PHE, Irrigation and Flood Control Sham Lal Sharma said that though the meeting has not been taken place since long but Congress has made it clear that the Indira-Sheikh Accord of 1975 would be the base of relations between state and New Delhi. Questioning the demand of Autonomy raised by NC members, he said that regional council and sub regional councils were also among the recommendations of Sagheer Committee Report. "Firstly the recommendations like Regional Council, Sub Regional Council, elections of Local Bodies, issue of refugees should be addressed after which the issues like Autonomy can be discussed", he said. |
