Cabinet clears 18 pc increase in transport fares; hike in allowances of Ministers, MLAs, others

46 posts for GMC-J, 90 for GMC-S raise eyebrows; BJP silent

Promotion of two officers gets nod

Sanjeev Pargal
JAMMU, Mar 13: The Omar Abdullah Cabinet today cleared significant decisions proposing hike in allowance of Ministers, Speaker/Deputy Speaker, Leader of Opposition (LoP) and MLAs and increasing fares of passenger commercial vehicles by 18 percent. However, the decision to increase 136 faculty posts with just 46 in GMC Jammu as against 90 in the GMC Srinagar has raised eyebrows among the people in Jammu though the BJP which has 29 MLAs in the region maintained silence on the issue.

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No official statement was released after the Cabinet meeting that lasted about an hour. However, Office of Chief Minister wrote on X: “Chief Minister today chaired a Cabinet meeting in Jammu during which key decisions were taken to strengthen governance and accelerate development across Jammu and Kashmir, with focus on improving administrative efficiency and public service delivery”.
All Cabinet decisions are subject to approval of the Lieutenant Governor.
Sources, however, told the Excelsior that all major proposals before the Cabinet, have been cleared which include an increase in fares of commercial passenger vehicles by 18 percent which will cause extra burden on the people travelling through the transport. The transporters had been demanding 35-40 percent increase in the fares but the Government has settled for 18 percent.
The fare of e-rickshaws has been fixed at the rate of Rs 15 per km and e-auto at the rate of Rs 25 for the first per km and Rs 20 for subsequent kms. If implemented on ground, this decision will give relief to the people as presently e-rickshaws as well as e-autos have fixed their own rates and are charging lump sum on their own whims and fancies.
Sources said the Cabinet has given nod to a proposal of Health and Medical Education Department for creation of 136 posts of Professors and Associate Professors in the GMCs of Jammu and Srinagar. Out of 136 posts including 27 Professors-10 are in GMC Jammu and 17 in GMC Srinagar while 109 posts of Associate Professors include 36 in GMC Jammu and 73 in GMC Srinagar.
This has created resentment among the people of Jammu including the medical students as posts increased in the GMC Jammu are nearly 50 percent less than the GMC Srinagar. However, the BJP which won 29 out of 43 seats in the Jammu region has maintained a mysterious silence on the issue.
The Cabinet has also given nod to revision of TA/DA, medical and other allowances admissible to MLAs, Leader of Opposition, Presiding Officers and Ministers.
Amendments have been cleared in TA Rules, Ministers and Ministers of State (Motor Car Advance and Allowances) Rules, Leader of Opposition in Legislature (Allowances, Medical and other Facilities) Rules, substitution of Rule 6 of J&K Ministers, Minister of State and Deputy Minister Housing Loan Rules, extension of medical facilities to the Ministers, presiding Officers and their families and Leader of Opposition in State Legislature (Allowances, medical and Other Facilities) Rules and J&K Ministers’ Travelling Allowances Rules.
“This will lead to increase in different allowances of the MLAs, Leader of Opposition, Presiding Officers and Ministers,” the sources said..
The allowances which will go up include Medical Allowance of LoP, daily allowance, Motor Car Advance and Allowances of Ministers besides advances of motor car to the Assembly Members. The MLAs will also get enhanced TA and medical facilities.
The Cabinet also approved the consent of Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir to the UT of Ladakh to extend services of Jammu and Kashmir Real Estate Appellate Tribunal (J&K Special Tribunal) as Real Estate Appellate Tribunal for the UT of Ladakh
Real estate activity in the UT of Ladakh is low and, therefore, the UT has considered it appropriate to establish a separate RERA and a joint REAT with the UT of J&K. Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs has advised that Ladakh may continue with interim arrangement for RERA and concurred with the proposal to established a joint REAT with J&K.,” the sources said.
The Cabinet also ordered promotion of Abdul Majid Tak, Joint Director Fisheries as Director Fisheries and released Special Scale (Non-Functional) of JKAS in favour of JKAS officer, Rajesh Kumar Basotra.

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