Surinder Choudhary chairs DRSC III meet

Jammu: The meeting of Department Related Standing Committee (DRSC-III) of Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Council was held here Tuesday under the Chairmanship of MLC, Surinder Kumar Choudhary to examine the functioning of Estates, Hospitality and Protocol departments (H&P) inside and outside the State.
Legislators, Shawkat Hussain Ganai, Thakur Balbir Singh and Charanjeet Singh attended the meeting and gave their suggestions regarding the working of Estates and H&P departments.
Threadbare discussion was held on the functioning of these departments in the State as well as the functioning of JK House and Guest Houses in New Delhi, Chandigarh, Amritsar and Mumbai. The Committee also discussed the issue of making adequate transport and accommodation facilities available to the Legislators during their visits to New Delhi.
Principal Resident Commissioner, H&P Department, New Delhi, R K Gupta briefed the Committee on working of Guest Houses of the department outside the state and accommodation and transport facilities being provided to the legislators. He informed the meeting that renovation works have been taken up for blocks B and C. On completion of these works, the problem of shortage of accommodation at the location will be resolved, he said.
He also assured that the department will provide suitable accommodation to the Legislators, on priority basis as per the protocol given to them.
The Committee appreciated the efforts taking by H&P department to upgrade the infrastructure at JK House Chanakyapuri New Delhi.
The Committee also directed the concerned authorities that while allocating accommodation to patients, priority should be given to needy and genuine cases.
Director, Estates, Tassaduq Jeelani and Director, Hospitality and Protocol, Majid Drabu also briefed the Committee about the functioning of Estates and H&P departments and the steps taken by the departments to upgrade the existing infrastructure in the state.
Director, Estates informed the Committee that about 400 flats have been completed at Pampore Srinagar and work on 28 flats at Muthi area in Jammu district is to be started soon.
The Committee also sought a detailed report on structural integrity and other aspects for government quarters at Nehru Market, Sarwal and other areas in the state. It also sought a comprehensive report detailing total collections of revenue from commercial units and government flats in the state.
Special Secretary, Council, Mohammad Ashraf Wani, Special Secretary, Resident Commissioner Office, New Delhi, Nazim Khan, Deputy Secretary, Council, Ali Mohammad Rawat and other senior officers of Estates, H&P departments and Council Secretariat were present in the meeting.