CM Omar Calls On HMT Amit, Discusses Statehood, Security, Power Structure

New Delhi, Srinagar: Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Monday called on Union Home Minister Amit Shah amid reports that the return of statehood to Jammu & Kashmir was discussed besides the current law and order situation across Jammu & Kashmir and the finalisation of business rules demarcating the powers of the UT Government and the Lt Governor.
After meeting the Home Minister, the Chief Minister Omar Abdullahtold reporters that he discussed several issues, including J&K statehood restoration, security situation, governance and upcoming budget session of the assembly. “I held a detailed discussion with the Home Minister on the important matters,” he said. As already reported the Home Minister last week had chaired a security review meeting at his residence in New Delhi. The meeting was attended by Lt Governor Manoj Sinha, top security and other officials. The meeting was Omar’s third engagement with Union Home Minister Amit Shah since taking over as the J&K Chief Minister.
Meanwhile reports that appeared in certain sections of media in Delhi said that the Rules of Business for the government in the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir have been finalised and could be notified by the Centre soon. Quoting sources a media said that the issue of the power structure vis-à-vis J&K Lt Governor was also discussed. Reports quoted a source in the J&K government as saying “The Rules of Business have been almost finalised and will soon reach the Home Minister’s table through the Lieutenant Governor. This got delayed due to some finetuning required at our end. But that work has been completed and the rules should see the light of day very soon.” These rules will clarify the role, responsibilities and powers of the Chief Minister, Cabinet ministers and Administrative Secretaries in J&K vis-a-vis the LG. Essential for ensuring the smooth functioning of the government in a UT where there are dual structures of power, the rules have been pending for four months, since Abdullah took over as CM. Ahead of the elections in J&K, its first since the abrogation of Article 370 and its downgrade to a UT, the Centre had enhanced the powers of the LG by amending the ‘Transaction of Business Rules’. Powers in matters related to the police, public order, All India Services, and transfers and postings are already vested in the LG. In his meeting with Shah, Abdullah is learnt to have also raised the issue of killing of a truck driver in Baramulla, Kashmir, last week, after the armed forces opened fire at his vehicle for failing to stop at a checkpost. The allegations of torture in police custody leading to suicide by a Gujjar youth in Kathua recently also came up, sources said. Recent militant attacks in J&K was the other topic of discussion between Shah and Abdullah, a source said. “Essentially, the Abdullah government’s stance is that the law and order situation in J&K cannot be dealt with only through the armed forces. The Centre will have to take people along and do it with their cooperation. So incidents like these do come up in discussions on law and order,” the source said. The CM is learnt to have also raised the issue of certain development projects in the UT and the Centre’s support for continuing investments in the state. Sources said the Centre was still non-committal on increasing incentives under the New Central Sector scheme for Industrial Development for Jammu and Kashmir. The scheme was announced in 2021 with a total outlay of Rs 28,400 crore in terms of various tax incentives to attract investments in J&K. However, this allocation was soon exhausted against a rush of proposals, and the UT administration has proposed to the Centre that the allocation be increased to Rs 75,000 crore. Sources said that the bottomline was that there was a clear channel of communication between the Abdullah government and Centre and that the Union Home Minister was receptive to suggestions and concerns expressed by the CM at their meetings. “There is a very positive atmosphere in the meetings and both the Centre and the state administration are on the same page as far as the region’s development is concerned,” a J&K government source said.