3-member cabinet sub-committee to examine grievances of aspirants

Jammu, Dec 10: The J&K government Tuesday constituted a three-member cabinet sub-committee for examining the grievances projected by a section of aspirants for various posts regarding Reservation Rules.

The panel will be serviced by the Social Welfare Department and it will submit its report to the Council of Ministers.

Notably, the constitution of the committee is in compliance with the decision of the Council of Ministers (Decision No 012/03/2024), taken on November 22, 2024.

The three-member panel will comprise Minister for Health and Medical Education (H&ME), School
Education, Higher Education and Social Welfare, Sakina Masood Itoo; Minister for Jal Shakti, Forest, Ecology and Environment and Tribal Affairs, Javed Ahmed Rana and Minister for Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs, Transport, Science & Technology, Information Technology, Youth Services and Sports and ARI and Trainings, Satish Sharma.

It has been tasked to examine the grievances projected by a section of aspirants for various posts regarding Reservation Rules, in consultation with all stakeholders.

The J&K cabinet, which had met under the chairmanship of Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on November 22 in Jammu, decided to set up a (cabinet) sub-committee, comprising three ministers, to review and rationalise reservation policy, in alignment with the promise of the new government.

Following the cabinet meeting on November 22, the Chief Minister, while speaking to the media in Srinagar, said, “The cabinet has decided to form a sub-committee comprising three ministers to take a holistic view of the reservation issue. The decision has been taken as many youth belonging to the Open Merit (General) category, are feeling that their rights have been usurped (following new reservation rules in J&K) while those brought in ambit don’t want any curtailment.”

In Jammu the same day, the Minister for Jal Shakti, Forest, Ecology and Environment and Tribal Affairs, Javed Ahmed Rana, in his briefing post-cabinet meeting, while responding to queries about the threat of NC MP Aga Syed Ruhullah to stage dharna outside the Chief Minister’s residence if the government did not keep its word to rationalise reservation policy, had said, “Chief Minister has directed to form a cabinet sub-committee which will speak to all stakeholders.”

“The move is in alignment with the government’s (NC’s) promise made in its manifesto. Everything possible will be done for public welfare and interest. Discussions are imperative to evolve consensus on these crucial aspects so that none should feel being robbed of their rights,” Rana had said.