G K Reddy takes charge of J&K affairs

Srinagar: In a significant development, the Union Home Minister Amit Shah while setting the ball rolling for Jammu and Kashmir, has made G K Reddy as his deputy to look into the internal security and other matters pertaining to the trouble ravaged state on regular basis.
Reddy, according to reliable sources, has immediately started his job and is feeding Shah with all the vital information on daily basis, especially the inputs pertaining to the internal security of the State and progress on various developmental projects launched by the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) in J&K.
“However, Shah will be the final authority to take any decisions in subjects allocated to the two Ministers of State in his Ministry,” sources said. “This is the first time Jammu and Kashmir divisions have been allocated in less than a month of the formation of the government at the Centre.”
In the previous NDA Government, junior Minister Kiren Rijiju was in-charge of the Northeast division and his colleague Hansraj G Ahir was looking after counter-radicalisation and Kashmir affairs. Rijiju is now in charge of the youth affairs and Sports Ministry, while Ahir had lost his election.
According to the work allocation, Reddy will handle the issues related to freedom fighters, internal security, counter militancy and counter radicalization in Jammu and Kashmir.
Sources said that Shah has directed Reddy to remain in constant with the top security brass of Jammu and Kashmir that includes army, police, intelligence and also with the government that includes Governor S P Malik, his advisors and the top officials of various divisions in the government.
“Shah has also directed Reddy to submit a detailed report to him on daily basis and also on weekly basis about the situation on ground in Kashmir besides other vital initiatives that come under the domain of MHA,” sources said.
They said that Reddy will soon visit Kashmir to meet the officials of various security agencies to get the feedback on various issues. “Shah has directed Reddy to visit Kashmir frequently to assess the ground situation and to submit report accordingly,” he said.