Rajya Sabha passes Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation (Amendment) Bill, 2021

Azad questions govt over merging J&K Cadre with AGMUT.

Delhi Feb, 08 (PTK) The Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation (Amendment) Bill, 2021 was passed on Monday in Rajya Sabha. It will replace Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation (Amendment) Ordinance of 2021 which merged the Jammu and Kashmir cadre of the Indian Administrative Service, Indian Police Service, and Indian Forest Service with the Arunachal Pradesh, Goa, Mizoram, and Union Territory cadre, also known as AGMUT cadre. The President had promulgated the ordinance last month to amend the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Act, 2019.

Replying to the debate, Minister of State for Home G Kishan Reddy said, in the last two years, speedy development has taken place in Jammu and Kashmir. He said, Government has taken revolutionary and historical decisions for development of J&K. Mr Reddy said, after independence, for the first time Block Development Council elections were held there, where 98 percent voters took part. He said, for development of villages, one thousand crore was provided under MGNREGA.

The Minister said, all Gazette officers are visiting rural areas under the back to villages programme. He said, Kashmir will be connected with train by December 2022. Mr Reddy said, world’s highest rail bridge Chenab bridge will be completed next year. He said, elevated Light Rail System will be completed in four years in J&K. The Minister said, Union Ministers are visiting J&K as part of outreach programme. He said, 100 per cent electrification has been achieved in Jammu and Kashmir, including border villages. Mr Reddy said, piped water for all will be achieved by 2022. He said, Jammu and Kashmir is moving ahead in the right direction.

Initiating the debate, Leader of Opposition Ghulam Nabi Azad recalled the Government’s assurance that Statehood will be restored to Jammu and Kashmir. He said, if the present cadre was working well so far then why Government wants to merge it.

Raising suspicion, Mr Azad said, bringing the bill makes it clear that the Government wants to permanently keep Jammu and Kashmir as Union Territory.

He said, no new industries have been set up in J&K.

Mr Azad said, 7 thousand 107 industries have shut down there and new industries have not come.

The Leader of Opposition urged the government to restore statehood and conduct elections as soon as possible.

Dushyant Gautam of BJP said, after abrogation of Article 370, people of Jammu and Kashmir got freedom to choose their representatives in the panchayat level. He said, after Article 370 was abrogated, the tri-colour is flying high there. Mr Gautam said, people from Scheduled Castes were deprived from reservation in the state but now they have got their rights after abrogation of Article 370.

A. Navneethakrishnan of AIADMK said, considering the attitude of Pakistan and China, it is better if Jammu and Kashmir is under the direct rule of the Centre. He said, there is a huge deficiency of officers in Jammu and Kashmir and the merger of cadre will help the Union Territory.

Manoj Jha of RJD, Ashok Siddharth of BSP, Sushil Gupta of AAP, Shamsher Singh Manhas of BJP, Mir Mohammed Fayaz of PDP, Amar Patnaik of BJD participated in the discussion. (PTK)