Jammu and Kashmir orders new administrative units to be made functional

JAMMU: In the wake of the recent floods, the Jammu and Kashmir government has ordered all 659 new administrative units across the state to be made functional as soon as possible, without waiting for any formal inauguration.

"The state government has decided to make the new administrative units functional, without waiting for any formal inauguration," an official spokesman said yesterday.

Commissioner-Secretary to the Jammu and Kashmir government's Revenue Department Vinod Kaul and Secretary to government's Rural Development department have been asked to take further action into the matter.

The officials have been asked to submit a report regarding the same to the General Administration Department by or before September 18 positively, the spokesman added.

The Omar Abdullah government in February had announced the creation of 659 new administrative units in the state.

On February 1, the state cabinet had approved the creation of infrastructure for the new units - 46 sub divisions, 135 tehsils, 177 C D blocks, 301 niabats and 2576 patwar halqas - in a phased manner.

In July, the state cabinet had approved the creation of 5,860 posts out of which 181 are under gazetted category and remaining under non-gazetted category by corresponding adjustment of 2,187 posts out of overall strength of Revenue and Relief Department, the spokesman said.

The cabinet had also allotted funds to the tune of Rs 63.22 crore for building the infrastructure of the new units, he added.