Sanjeev Pargal
JAMMU, July 23: In a major decision ahead of Assembly elections, the Government today ordered creation of 659 new administrative units in Jammu and Kashmir, which had been recommended by a high level Cabinet Sub Committee (CSC) and approved by the State Cabinet in the first week of February.
Two orders approving creation of 659 new units were issued by the Revenue Department and Rural Development Department today.
Official sources told the Excelsior that the Government order has approved creation of 46 new Sub Divisions, 135 Tehsils, 177 blocks and 301 Niabats.
The Government order said the geographical and territorial limits of newly created and adjoining existing administrative units will be notified separately as required under Section 5 of Jammu and Kashmir Land Revenue Act.
The Government, however, has not approved creation of about 3000 new Patwar Halqas as recommended by the CSC headed by Deputy Chief Minister Tara Chand. The CSC had recommended that all Panchayat Halqas numbering about 3000 should be declared as Patwar Halqas.
The Government had approved the CSC proposal. The Government order said the orders regarding creation of new Patwar Halqas will be issued separately.
The Government has also approved creation of 1239 new posts in Rural Development and Panchayati Raj Department for creation and operationalization of 177 New Community Development Blocks (CD Blocks).
Of 1239 new posts proposed for the Rural Development and PR Departments, 177 each have been proposed for BDOs, Assistant Engineers, Assistant Accounts Officers, Statistical Officers and Junior Assistant com Computer Operations apart from 354 Orderlies.
The Government has approved designation of Assistant Commissioners Development (ACDs) as Nodal Officers for respective districts to identify suitable premises preferably Panchayat Ghars or rented accommodation, where Panchayat Ghars are not available, for making new units functional. The identification will be completed within 15 days.
The Government has asked Planning and Development Department to release Rs 3 lakh per CD block for purchase of office automation equipment/furniture.
The Government has approved creation of permanent infrastructure for new CD blocks including office and residential blocks for housing the BDO office at Rs 40 lakh per unit in summer zone and Rs 42 lakh per units in winter zone for office accommodation and Rs 32.5 lakh per unit for summer zone and Rs 34.5 lakh in winter zone for residential accommodation.
The Government has approved creation of five new Sub Divisions in Jammu district including Marh, Khour, Jammu North (Roop Nagar), Jammu South (Gangyal) and Chowki Chowra. It has approved two new Sub Divisions for Doda at Thathri and Assar, one Sub Division for Kathua in Hiranagar and one Sub Division for Poonch at Surankote.
Three Sub Divisions—Chatroo, Marwah and Paddar have been approved for Kishtwar districts. Kalakote, Sunderbani, Thanna Mandi and Koteranka have been approved as new Sub Divisions in Rajouri district while Ramsoo, Banihal and Gool are three new Sub Divisions in Ramban, Thuroo (Darmari) and Katra will be new Sub Divisions in Reasi district.
The Government has further ordered creation of Ghagwal and Vijaypur as new Sub Divisions in Samba district, Chenani, Dudu and Ramnagar in Udhampur district, Dooru, Pahalgam and Kokernag in Anantnag district, Sumbal in Bandipora district, Gulmarg and Pattan in Baramulla district, Beerwah and Chadoora in Budgam district, Kangan in Ganderbal district, Noorabad in Kulgam district and Lolab (headquartered at Sogam) in Kupwara district.
Tral has been declared as new Sub Division in Pulwama district, Zainpora in Shopian district, Srinagar East and Srinagar West in Srinagar district, Chakar Chiktan and Sanku in Kargil district and Durbuk, Kharu and Likir in Leh district.
Sources said with formal declaration of new administrative units, the Government now would be in a position to name new SDMs for Sub Divisions, Tehsildars for Tehsils, BDOs for blocks and Naib Tehsildars for Niabats to make the units function for which the process has already been set into motion.
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